Abstract: A portable exercise device for exercising muscles in the abdomen and torso formed of a pair of upper legs and a pair of lower legs connected by a resilient device effective to resist pressure applied by a user to superimpose the respective upper and lower legs, the upper legs being connected to a transverse bar selectively supporting handles or pads and including a centrally located recessed portion. The lower legs are connected to a transverse board which may have padding to ease engagement with a user's legs. The resilient device selectively includes torsion springs, hydraulic cylinders, resilient rubberlike material, and plates formed of spring steel. In one embodiment the transverse bar and transverse board are each formed of longitudinal molded plastic halves having internal strengthening ribs, and grooves to clamp the upper and lower legs between the halves when the halves are secured together in clam shell-like fashion.