Crunch Chop | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Abs
Secondary muscles: Upper back, hips, glutes, core
Equipment: No equipment
Exercise for the opposite muscles: Bird dogs

CRUNCH CHOP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lie on your back with the arms extended above your head, clasp your hands and raise the legs toward the ceiling.
2. Lift your shoulders, open the legs and chop your hands through your legs.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat until the set is complete.

PROPER FORM AND BREATHING PATTERN

Keep your core engaged and breathe out as you crunch and chop your hands through your legs. Maintain your back, head, and neck neutral, and inhale as you close your legs and slowly lower your upper body back to the floor.

EXERCISE BENEFITS

The crunch chop actively engages your core, hips and glutes, and improves muscle strength and endurance. This exercise helps to tighten your core, tones your abs and flattens your belly.

DEMONSTRATION

SETS AND REPS

Try to complete 2 or 3, 30 second to 1 minute sets. For a complete core workout, pair the crunch chop with plank bird dogs, bicycle crunches and the dumbbell plank rotation.