Patent ID: 7112166

Claim:
A method of exercising the human body to firm, strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles utilizing an elongated device which is flexible when subjected to flexural bending and is substantially inflexible when subjected to compression or tension in the direction of its elongation, comprising the steps of: a) supporting the entire body on a flat surface in a sitting position with at least one leg bent and with the upper body substantially upright; b) grasping said elongated device with both hands such that said device is transverse to the body and the hands are spaced apart a distance on said device to allow a tailored amount of bending resistance; c) extending the arms forward to place a section of said elongated device disposed between the hands in contact with the at least one bent leg in the front thigh region, and d) drawing the upper body toward the knee of the at least one bent leg by contracting the abdominal muscles with the straight or slightly bent arms simultaneously exerting force against the ends of the said elongated device thereby bending said elongated device against the front thigh region of the at least one bent leg which increases resistance to the contracting abdominal muscles resulting in firming, strengthening and toning of the abdominal muscles.