Your Position

Lie face down, with your elbows tucked at your side and your forearms on the floor. Extend your knees, making sure that they are off of the floor and that your toes are pointed straight into the floor.

Target Muscles

Abdominals, hip flexors, mid-back muscle complex--trapezius, rhomboids, serratus anterior, levator scapula, glutes, psoas

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. While maintaining the quadriceps contraction, engage your abdominals as you lift your hips off of the floor as if you are being pulled upward by a rope attached to the ceiling.
2. As your hips rise, your forearms start to push off of the floor until your body is relatively parallel to the floor. Keep your shoulder blades engaged and retracted throughout.

Common Errors and Their Correction

Your arms may start lifting before the hips. (A trainer may prevent this by pushing on the shoulder blades to create pressure and provide feedback that suggests that the hips and not the arms should lead.)

Your hips may drop or your low back may arch. Make sure that your abdominals stay engaged throughout and that your pelvis is tilted backwards slightly.