Not another crunch! If that’s what you’re thinking, let me give you three eye-opening reasons why you should commit to weekly crunches: First, crunches are easy to do. Second, they target numerous abdominal muscles – including your internal and external obliques and rectus abdominus – all at once. Third, abdominal muscles can actually improve back problems – and posture – by lending greater support to your torso.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s crunch:

Step 1: Lie on a mat or towel. Place your hands behind your head. Pull your heels toward your butt as far as you can. Keep your elbows and chin up, abs tight.

Step 2: Using your upper abs, breathe slowly as you crunch up while simultaneously pulling your knees in through a count of 10 seconds.

Step 3: Hold and squeeze at the maximum tension point for 2 seconds.

Step 4: Return to the starting point through a count of 10 seconds, never letting your upper back touch the ground.

Step 5: Repeat three times without resting. (Note: This exercise’s range of motion is short, so be sure to adjust your speed so that you hit the maximum tension point on the count of 10.)