Cross Crunch with
Counter-Rotation

Lie face up on the floor with your knees bent and your feet far enough from your rear that you cannot flatten your feet on the floor. (There should be a slight gap under your lower back.)

Keep knees and feet together and lower slightly to the opposite side to which you intend to move. Cross your arms across your chest. (Hands at your ears makes it tougher).

Contract your oblique abdominals and move diagonally so that your right rib cage moves closer to your left hip.

At the same time, lift your left hip to bring it toward your right rib cage. Moving your left hip up will bring your knees toward your right side.

Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the other side moving your left rib cage toward your right hip.

Advanced exercisers may want to do all reps to one side then perform the same number of reps on the other side. It is safer for your spine, however, to alternate on each successive rep.