Achieving a flat and toned ABS may seem like an impossible task, but we all know that it is possible. Though, this may come with a lot of hard work and patience. It will require a lot of teeth gritting and cursing in the wind. Getting a stronger core doesn’t require you to be in the gym 9 hours a day and packing on protein shakes. It simply comes down to strengthening and toning the stomach.
One of the easiest ways to strengthen your core is through bodyweight exercises. Your ABS isn’t designed to make fitting jeans and bikinis look good. The core or the abdominal area works as a muscular protection for the internal organs. A strong core can also help improve stability, balance and movement to the whole body.
Below are some bodyweight exercises that you can do at the gym or at home.
Crunch
The basic crunch will help tone the upper abdominal muscles. Lay flat on the floor and bend your knees. Keep your feet firmly on the ground. Place your hands folded in front of your chest. Now, slightly lift your upper back from the ground and contract your abdominal muscle. Lower you back into the ground and repeat. Perform this for 3 sets of 20 reps.
Vertical Leg Crunch
Lie flat on the ground and place your hand behind your ears. Slightly raise your feet straight up from the ground. Cross your ankles and slightly bend your knees. Contract your muscles and start lifting your upper back towards your knee. Don’t bend your neck when performing this. Just raise your upper back to contract the abdominal muscles. Lay your back onto the ground. That is one repetition. Perform this in 2 sets of 10 to 23 repetitions.
V-Ups
Lie flat on the ground and extend your arms above your head and keep it straight. Extend your legs and keep it straight. Lock your knee and elbow. Start the exercise by raising the upper body and lower body. Try to touch your fingers to your toes. Return to original position. Do this for 2 sets of 20 repetitions.
Raised Knee-In
Lie on your back and place your arms firmly on your sides, palms facing down. Place the small of your back firmly on the ground and extend your legs. Take your left leg and bend it. Lift your left leg towards your chest. Return your leg and back to the ground and switch with your right leg. This will be one rep, perform this for 2 sets of 15 reps.
Reverse Crunch
Lie flat on the ground and place your hand behind our ear. Cross your ankles and bend your knees. Lift your feet about 2 to 3 inches from the ground. Slowly lift your upper and lower back off the floor. Contract your abdominal muscles. Try to extend your knees towards your chest. Go back to original position and repeat this for 10 to 15 reps of 3 sets.
Flutter Kicks
Lie face up on the ground. Legs extended and hands tucked just beneath the lower. Start lifting your lower body and use your hands to balance your body. The only part firmly on the ground should be your upper back. Now, start performing kicking motions with your extended leg. As if you are riding an invisible unicycle. Repeat this for 2 sets of 15.
Side Plank
Lie on your side and place your lower elbow beneath your shoulder and lift your body. Your body should create a diagonal line. Place your other hand on your hip. Align the head, shoulder, hip and ankles. Push your body upwards and balance on the edge of your bottom shoe and your elbow. Maintain this position as long as you can and repeat for 3 sets.
Russian Twist
Sit on the ground and bend your knees, feet firmly on the ground. Cross your arms in front of your chest. Lift your upper body for about 45 degrees from the ground. Start by twisting your body from side to side. If you want, you can place your hands behind your head. Repeat each side 15 times for 2 sets.
You can increase the sets and reps to your workout as you progress. When your core becomes stronger, the more your body will be able to adjust to your workout. This will make the sets above, so easy that you won’t even break a sweat. These exercises can help improve your core area, but without proper nutrition and rest then it is useless. Get the most out of your exercise by having a balanced diet and good healthy habits.
