Exercise: Double Crunch
Primary Muscles: Rectus Abdominus
Secondary Muscles: Internal and External Abdominal Obliques

1. Lie on your back with your feet together, raised in the air and positioned slightly wider than your hips. Your hands should be by your sides if you are a beginner, across your chest for the intermediate level and behind your neck for the advanced level.
2. Tighten your abdominals and elevate your shoulder blades directly up off the mat while keeping your head in a neutral position. At the same time, use the lower portion of your abdominals to lift your hips off the ground no more than one inch.

Helpful Hint:
When you bring your shoulders off the ground think of bringing your rib cage towards your hips. Avoid thinking of bringing your hips off the ground, this movement should originate from the abs. Picture your abdominal muscles pulling your pubic bone up. Sometimes hips do not lift until more strength is built but you do have contraction in the muscle.

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