Abs Exercises - My favs

by Jasmine
(Iowa, USA)

1. Plank - This is probably one of my favorite ab exercise because it works my whole core and builds upper body strength.

2. Crunches with the stability ball - Laying with your back on the floor and your legs resting on the top of the stability ball. I like this exercise because it helps me keep my back pressed to the floor.

3. Reverse crunches with stability ball - Laying on your back, place your arms to the side of your body. Place the ball between your legs and lift up. I like to do the extra push and lift my hips at the same time while pulling my knees in.

4. Drawing in Maneuver This is a pretty basic exercise but one that is very important. I didn't know anything about the tva before I read about it on this very website. When I read about it, I knew it was exactly what I needed. Now I try to think about tightening up the TVA or drawing it in when I am doing ab exercises. Laying flat on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor, draw in the space below your belly button, hold. Visuals that help with this exercise is thinking about someone pulling a string that is attached to the back of the belly button, or pretending there is a hundred dollar bill under your back and you aren't going to let anyone pull it out.

5. Climbing the tree Flat on your back, knees bent and feet on floor. Raise your legs straight into the air, now lift up and reach for the toes, like you are climbing a tree with a rope. Alternate left to right side.

6. Moving side planks Great for the obliques. Go into the side plank position and slowly lower the hips down and back up to starting position.

7. Boat pose Begin in a sitting position with feet on the floor, move upper body back as you lift your feet off of the floor until you are balancing on your sits bones. Hold your hands out to the sides.

8. Bicycle crunches I like this exercise because it works for all of your abs and the obliques.

9. Leg raises on a Captains Chair Step up to the machine an place your arms on the side rests step off of the side steps and lift your legs. I actually like to bend at the knees and lift my knees in and lower and twist to the sides and pull in towards yourself.

10. Stability ball crunches Sit on a stability ball and walk your feet out until your back is on the ball. Holding your core tight raise up to do the crunches. I like this exercise because it takes pressure off of my back and the movement of the ball seems to help me get more of a "crunch."