BodybuildingPro.com  Training Database Bodybuilding Articles Knee Raises
An Exercise So Rigorous, It'll Bring You To
Your Knees.
Are you ready for a
knee-slapping good time?
Jim Carrey and Chris Rock aside, this five-minute routine will have
your insides roaring all right, but not exactly with high-pitched
laughter. No, knee raises are not all that funny, but they
certainly are helpful if you’re looking to ignite the fire
inside your soon-to-be-smoldering midsection.
To perform this abdominal exercise, you’ll need an overhead
bar and perhaps a set of wrist straps, although the latter is not
quite a necessity. However, a gung-ho attitude is imperative
because knee raises are among the most rigorous of all abdominal
exercises.
* Take a sturdy grip on the overhead bar, either with or without
the use of wrist straps. Your arms should be shoulder-width apart
or perhaps a little bit wider.
* As you hang from the bar, your feet are hopefully not touching
the floor. With your arms fully extended and your torso hanging
freely from the bar, bend your legs at the knee. Then, proceed in
raising your knees as high as you can, toward your chest, squeezing
the abdominal muscles at the point of contraction.
* When your knees are raised, hold for a second or two, before
lowering your legs toward the floor. Repeat the motion for as many
repetitions as possible until you can no longer raise your knees
above your waistline. Try three intense sets for a great burn.
* And when performing knee raises, be sure not to swing your legs.
Rather, allow your abs to do the work as you slowly, effectively
cruise through the range of motion. Keep the rest of your body
still – no jerking, no squirming motions. When you’ve
reached the point of your set where the smooth range of motion is
no longer manageable, it is time to rest in favor of your next
set.
* The more advanced you become in the exercise, the closer you will
close in on the straight-legged version of the knee raises, a
considerably more difficult exercise where you keep your legs fully
extended (instead of bent at the knees) as you raise them toward
the ceiling.
Also, there are ways to add resistance to the repetition, wearing
heavy shoes or ankle weights that will make the raising motion far
more grueling.
While the abdominals, mainly the rectus abdominis, are primarily
worked in the exercise, knee raises will also target the rectus
femoris in your quadraceps.
However, variations of the knee raises, exercises where you twist
your waist to the side, will work those hard-to-develop
obliques.
Take care,
webmaster@bodybuildingpro.com
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