Abdominal exercise device for inverted abdominal exercises

An exercise device, comprising:

• A hand-gripping member shaped and dimensioned to be gripped by at least one hand of a user while performing abdominal crunches or related muscular exercises, said hand-gripping member being positioned generally above a user's head when the user lies on his back during said crunches or related exercises, said hand gripping member further being capable of side-to-side motion, front-to-back motion, diagonal motion, rotational motion, or a combination thereof, relative to the user, said motion being substantially confined to a plane parallel to a surface on which the device is supported to effectuate said crunches or related exercises;
• further comprising a frame for supporting said hand-gripping member;
• first and second rod guiding members oppositely mounted on said frame and a third guiding member having first and second mounting elements on opposite ends thereof that form tubular enclosures around said first and second rod guiding members, whereby said third guiding member is slidably supported on said first and second rod guiding members respectively, wherein said hand-gripping member is slideably suspended from said third guiding member by a retaining element that comprise a ball member such that, when the user lies facing up and grins the hand-gripping member with at least one hand, repeated sliding of the hand-gripping member along the third guiding member causes the user to perform abdominal crunches or related muscular exercises.