Abs Strengthening Exercises

Abs Strengthening Exercises 

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Hanging Side Crunch on Bench

Works the oblique muscles of the abdominal wall. These muscles criss-cross your waist in two opposing layers.

Equipment
Gym bench and exercise buddy to hold your legs

Exercise Technique

• Lie sideways on a gym bench with your upper body hanging off the end. Place a hand on the floor to get yourself into position.
• Have an exercise buddy hold your legs down as you keep your upper body in a straight line with the bench and your hands behind your head.
• Curl sideways in a slow and controlled manner.
• Return slowly to the starting position.
• Do the desired number of repetitions then do the other side.

Performance Tips

• Keep your knees bent and your legs stacked one on top of the other.
• Make sure that your waist is free to curl sideways by placing your hip at the edge of the end of the bench.
• Focus on contracting your oblique muscles (visualize bringing the bottom of your ribcage to meet the top of your hip bone) to start the sideways crunch rather than jerking your head and shoulders.
• Needless to say, this is an advanced exercise that is not appropriate for beginner exercisers.

Horizontal Scissors on Mini Ball

Tightens and tones the abdominal and inner thigh muscles.

Equipment
Exercise mat and mini ball.

Exercise Technique
1. Lie on your back with the mini ball under your pelvis.
2. Bring your knees towards your chest then straighten them to the ceiling.
3. Rotate your legs so your heels are touching and toes are pointing
outward.
4. Open your legs wide and flex your feet.
5. Bring your legs back together.
6. Do the desired number of repetitions.

Performance Tips
1. Inhale when the legs open; exhale as the legs close.
2. Flex your feet when the legs open; point your toes when the legs close
but keep the
legs rotated with the heels touching.

Repetitions
Do ten repetitions

Letter-V Arms and Legs

This exercise strengthens the chest, inner thighs, and core muscles.

Equipment
Exercise mat and a pair of dumbbells. Ankle weights are optional.

Exercise technique

Repetitions
Do 10 to 15 repetitions

Equipment:
Exercise mat and one dumbbell. Ankle weights are optional.

Exercise:

• Lie on your back with your right leg and left arm straight above you.
• Simultaneously lower arm and leg halfway between the starting position and the floor.
• Bring your arm and leg back in together.
• Do the desired number of repetitions, then do the other side with your left leg and left arm.

Performance tips:

• Maintain control of your arm and leg muscles throughout the exercise.
• Avoid jerking or using momentum to raise or lower the weight.
• Keep your shoulders and hips stabilized on the mat as you perform the exercise.
• To maintain control of core muscles, imagine zipping up a tight pair of jeans.
• Inhale as you lower arm and leg; exhale on the return.

Repetitions:
Do 10 to 15 repetitions on each side.

Equipment:
Exercise mat and one dumbbell. Ankle weights are optional.

Exercise:

• Lie on your back with your right leg and right arm straight above you.
• Simultaneously lower arm and leg halfway between the starting position and the floor.
• Bring your arm and leg back in together.
• Do the desired number of repetitions, then do the other side with your left leg and left arm.

Performance tips:

• Maintain control of your arm and leg muscles throughout the exercise.
• Avoid jerking or using momentum to raise or lower the weight.
• Keep your shoulders and hips stabilized on the mat as you perform the exercise.
• To maintain control of core muscles, imagine zipping up a tight pair of jeans.
• Inhale as you lower arm and leg; exhale on the return.

Repetitions:
Do 10 to 15 repetitions on each side.

Exercise:
1. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on floor, with hands held lightly behind head.
2. Lift one shoulder and upper torso off floor, twisting toward the opposite knee.
3. Return to starting position slowly and repeat with the other side. This makes one repetition.
4. Do the desired number of repetitions.

Performance tips:
1. Keep elbows away from face to prevent pulling on head and neck
2. Keep the lower back pressed to the floor so hips do not roll from side to side.
3. Contract your oblique muscles to twist at the waist rather than jerking the head and shoulder up.

Repetitions:
Do 10 to 15 repetitions twisting to the right and left. Another option is to do all repetitions towards the right, then do the other side. 

Oblique Crunch with Mini Ball Lumbar Support

• Sit down with your knees bent. Place the ball on the right side of your lower back. Lean backwards against the ball and place your left hand on your left knee for support. Hold your right arm in front of you at shoulder level with the palm facing in.
• Contract your abdominal muscles as you reach across diagonally with your right arm towards your left knee.
• Return to starting position.
• Do the desired number of repetitions, then change sides.

• Exhale as you curl diagonally; inhale as you return to starting position.
• Visualize your oblique muscles going across your abdomen and waist in a criss-cross pattern. Focus on moving the bottom of your right ribcage towards the top of your left hipbone.
• Keep your hips and knees steady as you curl diagonally at the waist.
  

Repetitions
Do 5-10 repetitions each side.

Oblique Ab Crunch on Mini Ball

This exercise firms and strengthens the abdominal muscles, particularly the oblique muscles that criss-cross the waist.

Equipment
Exercise mat and small rubber ball.

Exercise Technique
1. Place the mini ball behind your shoulder blades.
2. Legs should be hip distance apart. Place one hand behind your head and the other arm straight by your ear. This is your starting position.
3. Diagonally curl your torso and reach for the opposite knee.
4. Slowly return to the starting position and do the desired number of repetitions.

Performance Tips
1. Exhale as you curl; inhale on the return.
2. Support your head lightly with your fingertips to avoid pulling on your neck.
3. Stabilize your hips on the mat. Do not allow the hip on the side of the extended arm to lift as you curl diagonally.

Repetitions
10 repetitions.

Oblique Curls

Exercise technique:

1. Lie on back, knees bent, feet on floor, with hands held lightly behind head.
2. Lift one shoulder and upper torso off floor, twisting toward the opposite knee. Do this by contracting the muscles at the sides of your torso rather than jerking the head, and shoulder up. Be careful not to pull on your head and neck with your hands.
3. Return to starting position slowly and repeat with the other side. This makes one repetition.
4. When you first start, do only as many repetitions as your strength allows you to. Build to 15 repetitions per set. One to three sets.
5. Repeat a few times.

Tip:

1. Keep elbows away from face to prevent pulling on head and neck.
2. Move slowly to get the full benefit from the exercise. A common mistake is to move rapidly.
3. Keep the spine pressed to the floor so hips do not roll from side to side.

One Leg Abdominal Crunch

Strengthens and tightens the abdominal muscles

Equipment
Exercise mat

Exercise Technique

• Lie on your back with hands under head and one leg straight, the other bent.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles and lift the straight leg a few inches off the floor.
• While you hold the raised leg stationary, curl your upper torso.
• Slowly lower both the leg and upper torso at the same time.
• Do the desired number of repetitions, then do the other leg.

Performance Tips

• Raising the leg a few inches off the floor is harder than raising it higher. Choose the height at which you can still maintain control over your abdominal muscles. If you feel your lower back overarching or your belly "popping" out, you need to modify the movement by raising the leg higher.
• Try the following variation: · Lift the torso first, then the leg. Lower the torso, then the leg.

Repetitions
Do ten to twelve repetitions per leg

One-legged Abdominal Plank

Equipment
Exercise mat.

Exercise Technique

1. Lie face down on an exercise mat with your elbows below your shoulders and your toes on the mat. Place one hand on top of the other so your forearms form a triangle.
2. Tighten your abdominals and lift your entire body so it is now as straight as a plank and supported by your toes and elbows.
3. Keeping your torso straight, place the toes of the right foot on top of the heel of your left foot. Hold for ten seconds.
4. Lower your body to the mat. Rest. Repeat with the other leg.

Performance Tips

1. If you have never done this exercise before, build your strength gradually by keeping the toes of both feet on the floor. When you are strong enough to maintain your torso in this position for ten seconds, you are ready to place one foot on top of the other.
2. Avoid hunching your shoulders. Keep your shoulders open by pulling your shoulder blades together.
3. Do not allow your lower back to sag. Keep your abdominal muscles tight.
4. Keep breathing as you hold the position.

Open Leg Reverse Curl

Exercise Technique
1. Lie on your back, elbows bent and in line with shoulders, forearms on the floor, palms up.
2. Keeping the buttocks on the floor, bend at the hips and knees, pointing knees out toward hands so your feet are up.
3. Squeezing your abdominal muscles, use two slow counts to smoothly curl your buttocks off the floor, keeping your knees pointing toward hands.
4. Hold this position for four slow counts, breathing the whole time.
5. Take two slow counts to lower your buttocks to the floor. Do not allow your legs to rock back and forth.

Performance Tips
1. This is an advanced exercise.
2. All the movement in this exercise is done in between your hip bones and ribcage. The legs should not be rocking back and forth.
3. Do not expect to lift the buttocks very high off the floor.
4. Move slowly. Avoid jerking the body to get the buttocks off the floor. Use the contraction in the abdominal muscles to do this.
5. If this bothers your lower back in any way, avoid this exercise.
6. As you get stronger, you can do this exercise with straight legs.

Repetitions:
Do eight repetitions of two counts slowly up, four counts hold, two counts slowly down. Rest. Do one more set.

Over and Under

Works the abdominal muscles (as stabilizers) and muscles of the front of the thighs (hip flexor group)

Equipment
Medicine ball (or any other ball of the same size) and exercise mat.

Exercise Technique

• Sit with straight legs wider than hip width..
• Start with the ball in the middle. Lift your right leg by bending it as you pass the ball under (on the inside) and over (on the outside).
• Do the same on your left leg. This now counts as one repetition.

Performance Tips

• Maintain a straight back. As much as possible, do not slouch. If you feel you cannot maintain your posture, start the exercise already with bent legs.
• For a harder variation, lean back in a V-sit position and keep your legs straight as you raise them to pass the ball over and under.

Repetitions
Do 10 slow repetitions (right and left leg counts as one repetition). Rest. Do another set if you want to.

Pelvic Tilt

This is a good exercise for women after they give birth and anyone who is just starting to do abdominal exercises. It works the straight middle portion of the abdominal wall (rectus abdominis) with a bit of emphasis on the lower part of the muscle.

Equipment
Exercise mat.

Exercise Technique

1. Lie down with the knees bent, feet flat and arms beside you.
2. Contract and tighten the abdominal muscles so the pelvis tilts upward. You should feel the lower back flattening against the floor.
3. Hold for a few seconds.
4. Lower the pelvis down to the floor. Now you should feel a slight curve in the lower back.

Performance Tips

1. To make sure only the abdominal muscles are doing the work and not the buttocks, hold your buttocks with one hand. There should not be any tightening or contracting of the buttocks muscle.
2. For another “body check”, put one hand on the lower abdomen with the thumb on the bottom of the ribcage and the little finger on top of the hipbone. When you tilt the pelvis, you should feel the two fingers coming closer to each other.
3. Avoid pressing down on the floor with your feet when you tilt the pelvis.

Repetitions
Do fifteen repetitions. Rest. Do one more set if you want to. 

Pilates Double Side Leg Lift with Circles

This Pilates-inspired exercise strengthens the abs, hips, buttocks, and inner thighs.

Equipment
Exercise mat

Exercise Technique
1. Lie on your side with your legs together in line with your hips and shoulders.
2. Rest your head on your bent bottom arm and place your top hand in front of your chest on the mat with your palm flat and your fingertips facing your head.
3. Lift both legs and hold your upper body steady as you make five circles forward with your legs, then five circles backward.

Performance Tips
1. Always contract your abdominal muscles first before you lift your legs to protect your lower back.
2. Keep your shoulder and hip from rolling forward or backwards as you make the circles by contracting your abdominal muscles and visualizing a glass of water on your shoulder and hip.
3. Lengthen and elongate your legs as you make the circles.
4. Try to keep your knees and ankles together.
5. This is an advanced exercise. Do not attempt this if you have a history of lower back problems. Ask your doctor first.

Repetitions
Do five to ten circles forward, then five to ten circles backward.

Pilates Side Leg Lift Series 1

This Pilates exercise strengthens the obliques (muscles that crisscross the waist) as well as the hips and inner thigh muscles.

Equipment
Exercise mat

Exercise Technique

• Lie on your side with your legs together in line with your hips and shoulders.
• Rest your head on your bent bottom arm and place your top hand in front of your chest on the mat with your palm flat and your fingertips facing your head.
• Lift the top leg and hold it steady. Then, lift the bottom leg.
  Slowly lower both legs back to the mat.

Performance Tips

• Always contract your abdominal muscles first before your lift your legs to protect your lower back.
• Breathing: Inhale as you lift the top leg followed by the bottom leg. Exhale as you lower both to the mat.
• Foot position: Point your feet as you lift top and bottom leg. Flex your feet as you lower the legs down.
• Avoid jerking. Move slowly with control as you lift and lower legs.
• Keep your shoulder and hip from rolling forward or backwards as you lift your legs by contracting your abdominal muscles and visualizing a glass of water on your shoulder and hip.
• Always lengthen and elongate your legs as you lift.
• Try to bring your ankles together when you lift the bottom leg to join the top leg. This makes you strongly contract your inner thigh muscles.
• This is an advanced exercise. Do not attempt this if you have a history of lower back problems. Ask your doctor first.

Repetitions
Do five to ten repetitions on each side.

Pilates Side Leg Lift Series 2

This Pilates-inspired exercise strengthens the obliques (muscles that crisscross the waist) as well as the hips and inner thigh muscles.

Equipment
Exercise mat

Exercise Technique

• Lie on your side with your legs together in line with your hips and shoulders.
• Rest your head on your bent bottom arm and place your top hand in front of your chest on the mat with your palm flat and your fingertips facing your head.
• Exhale as you lift both legs. Inhale as you lower them to the mat.

Performance Tips

• Always contract your abdominal muscles first before your lift your legs to protect your lower back.
• Foot position: Point your feet as you lift the legs. Flex your feet as you lower the legs down.
• Avoid jerking. Move slowly with control as you lift and lower legs.
• Keep your shoulder and hip from rolling forward or backwards as you lift your legs by contracting your abdominal muscles and visualizing a glass of water on your shoulder and hip.
• Always lengthen and elongate your legs as you lift.
• Try to bring your knees and ankles together.
• This is an advanced exercise. Do not attempt this if you have a history of lower back problems. Ask your doctor first.

Repetitions
Do five to ten repetitions on each side.

Pilates Side Leg Lift Series 3

This Pilates-inspired exercise strengthens the obliques (muscles that crisscross the waist) as well as the hips and inner thigh muscles.

Equipment
Exercise mat.

Exercise technique:

• Lie on your side with your legs together and in line with your hips and shoulders.
• Rest your head on your straight bottom arm and place your other hand on top of your hip.
• Exhale as you lift both your legs and upper body (slide your hand down your leg). Inhale as you lower down.

Performance Tips:

• Always contract your abdominal muscles first before your lift your torso and legs to protect your lower back.
• Point your feet as you lift the legs. Flex your feet as you lower them down.
• Avoid jerking. Move slowly with control as you lift and lower.
• Keep your shoulder and hip from rolling forwards or backwards by contracting your abdominal muscles and visualizing a glass of water on your shoulder and hip.
• Lengthen and elongate by stretching your upper body and legs in opposite direction.
• Try to keep your neck and head parallel to the floor when lifting. Try to keep knees and ankles together.
• This is an advanced exercise. Do not attempt this if you have a history of lower back problems. Ask your doctor first

Repetitions:

Do five to ten repetitions per side.

Pilates Side Leg Lift with Circles

This Pilates-inspired exercise strengthens the abs as well as the hips and buttocks.

Equipment
Exercise mat

Exercise Technique
1. Lie on your side with your legs together in line with your hips and shoulders.
2. Rest your head on your bent bottom arm and place your top hand on the mat with your palm flat and your fingertips facing your head.
3. Lift the top leg and make eight small circles going forward, then eight small circles going backward.
4. Slowly lower your leg to the mat. Rest. Repeat on the other side.

Performance Tips
1. Breathe normally as you perform the circles.
2. Keep your shoulder and hip from rolling forward or backwards by contracting your abdominal muscles and visualizing a glass of water on your shoulder and hip.
3. Lengthen and elongate your leg as you make the circles.

Repetitions
Do eight circles forward and eight circles backward.

Praying Mantis on Stability Ball

This advanced exercise strengthens the trunk muscles (abdominals and lower back) as well as the sides of the upper back and shoulders.

Equipment
Stability ball and exercise mat. As a substitute, you can use a sturdy chair with rollers. Position the chair 12 to 18 inches away from a wall so that when you roll forward on top of it, the chair will be held steady by the wall.

Exercise Technique
1. Kneel down behind the ball and place your fists on top.
2. Roll the ball forward as you simultaneously lean forward and place your
body weight on top of the ball. You will be supported by your forearms.
3. Hold for five to 10 seconds.
4. Return to the starting position by contracting the muscles at the sides of your upper back and pulling your arms backwards to roll the ball towards you.

Performance Tips
1. Pull your belly button towards your spine to keep a straight line from your head to your knees. Don't allow your spine to sag downwards.
2. Make sure to keep breathing as you hold the position.
3. Pull up and away from your shoulders. Don't allow yourself to sink into your shoulders.

Repetitions
Three to five repetitions.

Reverse Bench Curl

Strengthens abdominal muscles with a slight emphasis on the lower portion of the rectus abdominis.

Equipment:
Gym bench.

Exercise Technique:
1. Lie down on a gym bench with your knees bent directly over your hips and your hands holding the top of the bench behind you.
2. Contract your abdominal muscles to curl your buttocks a few inches off the bench.
3. Slowly lower your buttocks down.

Performance Tips:
1. Pull your hips into your ribcage.
2. Avoid swinging your legs backwards. Move slowly.
3. Concentrate on curling your spine instead of just jerking your legs.
4. If this bothers your lower back in any way, don't do the exercise.

Repetitions:
12 to 15 repetitions. Rest. Do one or two more sets.

Reverse Curls

Muscles worked:
Rectus Abdominis, front part of the abdominal wall, with more emphasis on the lower portion of the muscle.

Exercise position:
Lie on the mat, facing the ceiling with your legs up in the air. Legs can be bent at 90 degrees (easier) or straight with the knees only slightly bent (more challenging) ... whichever position you choose, keep the legs directly over the hips so that you keep the lower back safe.

Hands can be on the floor beside you (easier), or holding the mat above your head (more challenging).

Contracting the abdominal muscles, slowly lift the tailbone off the floor.

Performance tips:

• This is a very small movement. The legs are used only to add weight to make the exercise harder.
• Start the movement by using the abdominal muscles to curl the pelvis, instead of jerking the legs or trying to swing the legs back and forth.
• If curling upper body simultaneously, keep your elbows diagonally to your sides. Keep them away from your face. Keep your chin about a fist distance from your chest.
• Rest when you feel a burning sensation in the muscles or when you feel yourself getting tired. It is better to rest and start over again rather than continuing in poor form which will lessen the effectivity of the exercise or place you at risk for injury.

Common mistakes:

• Thrusting or swinging the legs instead of starting the movement with a contraction in the abs.
• If you have the hands on the floor pushing with the hands to help push your body up.

Warning:
If you have a history of a slipped disc or a chronic back problem which is bothering you, it would be better not to do this exercise.

Reverse Curl with Ball

Strengthens the abdominal muscles

Equipment
Exercise mat and 12 inch rubber or plastic ball

Exercise Technique

1. Lie down with the ball between your bent knees and your feet on the floor.
2. Keep your abdominal muscles tight as you slowly lift your bent legs toward your chest. This is the first part of the exercise.
3. Complete the second part by using your abdominal muscles to curl your spine and lift your tailbone a few inches off the floor.
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Performance Tips

1. Do not swing your legs. Move slowly and with control.
2. During the first part of the exercise, you are using muscles in the front of your thighs to bring your knees to your chest. It is important to keep the abdominal muscles tight to protect your lower back.
3. In the second part of the exercise, you are using your abdominal muscles to lift your tailbone off the floor. You should be feeling your spine curl and your lower back flattening against the floor.
4. Exhale as you lift the legs and curl the spine. Inhale as you return to the starting position.
5. The ball keeps your legs together and your focus on your abdominal muscles. If you don't have a ball, you can use a small throw-pillow.

Beginner Modification
A modification for beginners is to do only the first part of the exercise avoiding the second part with the reverse curl.

Repetitions
Do ten to fifteen repetitions.

• Stand with feet about shoulder width apart, medicine ball at left hip, body weight shifted over the left leg.
• Move the ball diagonally from your left hip to your right shoulder while simultaneously shifting body weight over to the right leg.
• After desired number of repetitions, repeat on other side.

• A more advanced variation of the exercise is to move the ball in a diagonal pattern with straight arms.
• Be sure to shift weight from one leg to the other as you transfer the ball from down to up, otherwise you won't work the abs as effectively.
• In the beginning, move slowly without any sudden moves. As you become more advanced, you can move more strongly (but with control) to create more movement to challenge your core muscles.