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Abs Exercises
Abs are the most sought after body part. We want beautiful abs with no fat on top! While many of us stick to basic crunches and sit-ups, I am going to show you something new. Something refreshing. Get rid of those crunches and sit-ups forever. They are only effective if done properly and that is not an easy task.
Below are some abs exercises that I love to do. I find them to be effective and fun. Oh yeah... they don't HURT my neck either!
Take your time as you learn each abs exercise. Using the chart below, abs are defined as three main muscles. They are called: internal oblique, external oblique and rectos abdomens. More great abs exercises and abs routines are in the Melt the Fat Program.
What's Your Favorite Abs Exercise?
Plank Pose
Start- Start in an upper push-up position. Your hands are directly under you shoulders and your feet are together. Keep your back as flat as possible. Your head and neck are in line with your spine (you should be looking at the ground).
Go For It- Stay in this position as long as possible. Just count those seconds!
Tips and Techniques-
- Remember to breathe!
- Pull your belly button into your spine.
- If you feel this abs exercise in your lower back, lift your derriere up into the air a bit.
- When you cannot hold on for another second, come down to all fours (hands and knees). Then recline back so you are sitting on your heels. Then bend from your hips so that your head is resting on the ground. This is a called Child's Pose.
- Plank Pose and Child's Pose are two of many yoga poses that I use in my trainings.
- This is my favorite ab exercise of all time. It works the inner most ab muscle called your transverse
abdomens. That muscle is responsible for holding in our stomach (giving the appearance of a flat stomach), and supporting our spine.
Leg Lowering
Start- Begin by laying on your back. Place your hands wherever they are comfortable. Lift your legs straight into the air.
Go For It- Very slowly begin to lower your legs so that they are almost touching the ground. Pause for one second and begin to lift back to start.
Tips and Techniques-
- Inhale as you lower your legs to the ground. Exhale as you lift them back to the sky.
- Pull your belly button into your spine.
- If you feel you need some lower back support, place your hands in the small of your lower back.
- You should feel this ab exercise in your lower abs.
Reverse Crunch
Start- Begin by laying on your back. Place your hands wherever they are comfortable. Bend your knees and bring your feet off the floor. Push the small of your lower back into the ground.
Go For It- Lift your bottom off the floor by bringing your knees back towards your chest. Once they reach your chest, go back to the starting position in a controlled manor.
Tips and Techniques-
- Exhale as your lift knees back towards chest. Inhale as you lower back to start.
- Pull your belly button into your spine.
- Try to only use your lower abs to lift your bottom off the floor. Using momentum or your arms is not going to give you the stomach results you are looking for.
- You should feel this ab exercise in your lower abs.
Bicycle
Start- Begin by laying on your back. Place your hands wherever they are comfortable. Bend your knees to a 90 degree angle.
Go For It- Very slowly straighten your right leg up to the sky and lower it almost to the ground. Bring it back to start. Now slowly take your left leg straight up and slowly lower it to the floor. Take it back in to start.
Tips and Techniques-
- Inhale and Exhale as you feel most comfortable. Just breathe in this ab exercise.
- Pull your belly button into your spine.
- If you feel you need some lower back support, place your hands in the small of your lower back.
- You should feel this ab exercise in your lower abs.
- It is extremely important to do this exercise slow and controlled. Many people move through it faster than the speed of light. If you want results, go slow and controlled.
- Only take the right leg up, down, and back in. The left leg stays bent in a 90 degree position. Then do your left leg. Take it up, down, and back in as your right leg stays in place.
Ball Crunch
Start- Have a seat on the stability ball. Place your knees over your ankles, and separate your knees so that they are hip width apart.
Go For It- Begin to lean the upper body back. Stop at a 45 degree angle. Pause for a second and return to start.
Tips and Techniques-
- Inhale as you lower back. Exhale as you move back to start.
- Putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth will help with any neck strain.
- The closer your feet are to one another the harder this exercise is.
- You can do this ab exercise many ways. Try leaning back and holding there for 10 seconds.
Oblique Crunch On Ball
Start- Begin by sitting on a stability ball and leaning back until your lower back is supported by the ball. Your knees should be hip width apart and directly over your ankles. Hands can be where you feel most comfortable.
Go For It- Begin to lift the upper body. However, instead of lifting straight up, we want to lift up and to the right. Pause here for a second and return back to start.
Tips and Techniques-
- Exhale as your lift up. Inhale as you lower back to start.
- Pull your belly button into your spine.
- Putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth will help with any neck strain.
- Remember to do an equal amount of sets and reps on the opposite side.
180 Ball Crunch
Start- Begin by sitting on a stability ball and leaning back until your entire body is supported by the ball. Let the head relax too. Hands can be where you feel most comfortable.
Go For It- Begin to lift the upper body to an almost-sitting position. Pause here for a second and return back to start.
Tips and Techniques-
- Exhale as your lift up. Inhale as you lower back to start.
- Pull your belly button into your spine.
- Putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth will help with any neck strain.
- The further your feet are apart from one another, the easier this ab exercise becomes.
Ball Rock
Start- Begin by laying on your back. Place a stability ball between your palms and the tops of your feet.
Go For It- Begin to rock back and forward.
Tips and Techniques-
- BREATHE.
- Putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth will help with any neck strain.
- This is NOT an ab exercise for beginners.
If you experience back pain at any point, stop immediately, try another exercise, and consult your doctor. Remember: For the best all-around health benefits, include these exercises as part of a well-rounded strength training routine that includes muscle-toning, bone-building upper and lower body exercises.
Bicycle Maneuver
Lie with your lower back pressed into the floor and your hands clasped lightly behind your head. Bend your knees to about a 45-degree angle from the floor. Simultaneously, lift your shoulders off the floor, and bring your left knee to your right elbow, while straightening your right leg. Then using a bicycle-pedaling motion, straighten your left knee, while bringing the right knee in toward the left elbow. Extend your legs out only as far as is comfortable without arching your back. Continue alternating, keeping the movement slow and controlled.
Captain's Chair
At the gym: Using a captain's chair, stabilize your upper body by gripping the handholds and lightly pressing your lower back against the back pad. Start by holding your body up and letting your legs dangle below. Tilt your pelvis forward, and slowly bring your knees toward your chest. Lower your legs only until they form a 90-degree angle with the floor, before lifting them again. Keep the motion of raising and lowering your legs very controlled.
At-home version: Sit up straight in a firm, armless chair. Grab the chair's edges just in front of your hips. While supporting yourself with your hands, slowly draw your knees up toward your chest, keeping your lower back pressed against the chair. Hold, then slowly lower. (To make this move more challenging, start by using your arms to hold yourself suspended in the air.)
Reverse Crunch
Lie on the floor with your arms at your sides, feet off the floor, and hips and knees bent at 90-degree angles. Slowly contract your abs, and press your back into the floor, tilting your pelvis and lifting your hips 2 to 4 inches off the floor. Keep your upper body relaxed. Hold, then slowly lower.
Crunch on an Exercise Ball
Lie back on an exercise ball so that the ball is supporting your lower back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands loosely behind your head. Slowly raise your shoulders to no more than 45 degrees up from horizontal. Hold, then slowly lower. For better balance, spread your feet wider. To make the exercise more challenging, move your feet closer together.
If you do invest in a piece of equipment, choose the highly rated exercise ball, recommends the American Council on Exercise in San Diego. Inflatable exercise balls are available in most major sporting goods stores and cost around $30.
Vertical Leg Crunch
Lie on your back, and extend your legs straight up in the air, feet crossed at the ankles, with a slight bend in the knees. Place your hands loosely behind your head. Contract your abdominals, and slowly raise your head, shoulders, and upper back about 30 degrees off the floor. Hold, then slowly lower. Keep your legs still. (This move can also be done with your lower legs resting on a chair or bed.)
Long Arm Crunch
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms overhead. Slowly raise your arms, head, shoulders, and upper back about 30 degrees off the floor. Hold, then slowly lower. Keep your arms straight, by your ears, and in line with your head. Do not throw them forward to help you.
Back Extension
(If you have lower-back pain, consult your doctor before doing this exercise.) Lie on your belly, keeping your hips and pelvis flat. With your hands under your chin, contract your lower back muscles, and lift your chest about 30 degrees, or 3 to 5 inches off the floor. Hold, then slowly lower. (For an easier version, rest your arms by your sides, palms facing up. For a more challenging version, extend your arms straight overhead.)
Hip Flexor Stretch
Stand with your feet a few inches apart, then move one leg about 1 to 2 feet forward. Bend your knees, making sure your front knee is directly over the ankle, and your back heel is off the floor. Hold in your belly, and tuck your butt by tilting your pelvis. You should feel the stretch at the front of your hips. Hold for 15 to 60 seconds, then switch legs.
Make Every Crunch Count
There's nothing wrong with the traditional crunch. In fact, mastering proper technique with this basic exercise is one of the most effective things you can do to strengthen your abdominals, since so many exercises are based on this single move. Go slow, focus on using just your abdominal muscles, don't pull on your neck or tuck your chin, and lift only until your shoulder blades clear the floor. According to Prevention advisor Wayne L. Westcott, PhD, the following two steps are often neglected, but are crucial to fully activate the abdominal muscles. On every repetition you must do the following:
Diet and Exercise: Still Key
We're not going to kid you: You still need to do your share by eating a sensible diet and doing regular aerobic activity. Otherwise, no amount of crunches will help you trim the layer of fat that may be hiding the fabulous abdominal muscles you'll be building with this program. And although you can't "spot train" one area (you burn fat all over your body), any aerobic exercise that involves rotating your torso, pulling, or swinging offers the double punch of blasting calories as it works your waist muscles. Try one of these:
For best results, do the aerobic activity of your choice for 45 to 60 minutes, at least 5 days a week.