Scissors

Scissors is an abdominal and hip flexor exercise performed lying supine with legs extended and alternating in scissor motions. The movement strengthens the core while challenging hip flexibility and hamstring control through sustained isometric engagement.

Instructions

1. Lie on your back on an exercise mat with your legs extended straight out in front of you.
2. Keep your arms at your sides or place your hands under your glutes for support.
3. Raise both legs several inches off the ground, maintaining a slight bend in the knees.
4. Keeping your legs straight, cross one leg over the other in a scissor motion, alternating the top leg with each repetition.
5. Maintain constant tension on the core throughout the movement.
6. Continue alternating legs for the prescribed number of repetitions or time duration.
7. Keep your lower back pressed to the mat throughout the exercise to prevent injury.
8. Control the movement at all times to maximize core engagement.

Tips

• Keep your legs low and close to the ground to intensify abdominal engagement
• Lower your legs slightly if you feel strain in your lower back
• Perform the movement slowly and deliberately for maximum core activation
• This exercise is excellent for the lower abdominals and transverse abdominis
• You can increase difficulty by performing the movement faster or holding legs lower
• Focus on maintaining continuous tension rather than resting between repetitions