Crunch: Washboard Abs

Terri Walsh, the director of Crunch Fitness, guides you through this half-hour workout, which concentrates on getting your abs strong and firm. Beginning with a short warm-up, the video launches into three six-minute abdominal workouts, each slightly more challenging than the one before. The first portion is quite basic and can probably be handled by any beginner, while the final workout requires a bit more stamina and stomach muscles. Some particularly nice things about this program: no extra equipment is necessary (although you may want a towel or mat to stretch out on), and you can use either the entire tape in one workout or just one of the six-minute programs, working your way up slowly. Terri's energy and enthusiasm are contagious. You may want to watch this once before attempting the actual workout; from the sit-up position it can be difficult to follow Terri's movements. --Jenny Brown