10 Exercises for Rock-hard Abs
Provided
by American
Council on Exercise
On the list
of most coveted body parts, a set of rock hard abs ranks at the top. While a
six-pack is certainly attractive, its importance goes far beyond vanity. The
stronger our core, the more functional our bodies will be in our daily lives
(and not just on the beach!). A solid core is important for athletics when we
are younger, helpful for getting our body back after a baby, crucial for
improving our ability to do everyday tasks and critical in preventing injury in
the aging process.
So how do we train our core to become
stronger and function properly? Simple—by training smarter, not harder. Before
you hit the mat, put your student hat on for five minutes and make sure you
understand the anatomy of the core. There are four main abdominal muscles and
all four need to be worked on the road to rock hard
abs. The rectus abdominis runs vertically, flexes the
core and is the muscle we typically know as the
“crunching muscle.” The external and internal obliques
run diagonally on the sides of the torso. They flex the trunk forward, back and
sideways, and are responsible for the rotation of our trunk. Lastly, the
transverse abdominis is a deep muscle that runs horizontally around your body
and often is referred to as your low abs. I call
it a “human girdle” that helps to secure and protect the low back while
stabilizing and tightening the low belly, which is a common “trouble spot.”
Locating your transverse abdominis is as simple as placing your hand below the
belly button and coughing. That coughing muscle you feel is your transverse
abdominis. It may take time to remember to engage that muscle when performing
core exercises, but it becomes easier with repetition.
Don’t forget your back is part of your core,
too! The back is made up of 24 vertebrae with seven
vertebrae in your neck (cervical spine), 12 vertebrae in your mid back
(thoracic spine) and five vertebrae in your low back (lumbar spine). There are many back extensors and stabilizers that activate
when you challenge your torso to work against gravity.
Now that you know the science, don’t forget that healthy nutrition is half the equation.
Eating a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and unprocessed
complex carbohydrates helps reduce belly bloat. It
also helps your body run more efficiently, which keeps your metabolism revved.
Try combining a healthy diet with these
10 exercises, performed three times a week, and rock-hard abs and a fully
functional core will be yours for the taking.
Stott Pilates Half Roll
Back
How
To: Start seated on the mat, tall and lengthened with knees bent. Inhale to
prepare and then exhale as you curve your spine and roll back as far as
possible while keeping your feet on the mat. Inhale and return to the starting
position. Do 10 reps for warm-up.
100's
How
To: Begin by lying on your back with feet long and extended at an angle. To
modify, bend your knees into tabletop. Engage your abdominals as you lift your
shoulder blades off the floor. Extend your arms towards your heels. Pump your
arms up and down with a small range of motion. Inhale for five pumps and exhale
for five pumps. That equals one cycle. Focus on engaging the transverse
abdominis. Repeat the cycle nine more times for a total of
100 pumps.
Full Body Roll-Ups
How To: Lie flat on your back with your
arms extended overhead. Inhale arms to the sky, exhale and slowly roll up into
a “C” curve while reaching for your toes. (Think about threading your belly
button to your spine as you activate your transverse abdominis.) Inhale and
start to slowly go back in a C curve. Exhale as you
uncurl your body one vertebra at a time back into the mat. The key is to
keep your feet on the ground. Use your abs and back to gracefully articulate
down to the mat and avoid using your hip flexors and glutes. Do five to eight
reps.
Sprinter Sit-Ups
How
To: Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and legs extended.
Explosively sit up as far as you can while driving your right arm forward and
your left knee to your chest. The motion looks somewhat like you’re
sprinting. Repeat 10 times on this side and then switch to the other
side.
V-Ups
How
To: Lie on your back and extend your arms behind your head. Keep your feet
together and toes pointed. Keep your legs straight and lift them up as you
simultaneously raise your upper body off the floor. Keep your core tight as you
reach for your toes with your hands. Slowly lower yourself back down to the
starting position. Do 10 reps.
Russian Twists
How
To: Start seated with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, holding one weight
or a medicine ball with both hands in front of chest. Keeping the spine long
and the abs tight, lean back slightly and lift the feet a few inches off the
floor. (To modify, keep the feet on the floor.) Slowly twist the torso to the
left and bring the weight beside the left hip. Return to center
and then slowly twist to the right and bring the weight beside the right
hip. That’s one rotation. Do 10 full rotations.
Oblique Crunches
How
To: Start with your left hip and left forearm touching the ground (think of it
as if you’re lying on one back packet of your blue
jeans). With straight legs and an extended right arm, contract your core as you
reach your toes up to your hand. Do 10 times. Repeat on the other side.
Bird Dog Crunch
How
To: Start on all fours, keeping your spine and neck in a neutral position while
looking at the floor. Extend your left leg behind you and reach your right arm
forward. Hold for one count. Then, bring your elbow to the knee as you round
your back and engage your core. Return to the extended position. Do 10 reps,
and then repeat with the right leg and left arm.
Spiderman Plank Abs
How
To: Start in plank position with hands under the shoulders and the abs engaged.
Your body should form a straight line from head to hips. Pull the left knee
toward the outside of your left elbow and hold for one count. Return to the
starting and repeat on right side. Do 20 alternating reps.
Swimmers
How
To: Lie on your stomach with the legs and arms extended. Engage your abs so you
feel your transverse abdominis contract. With your arms and legs extended and
lifted off the floor and nose toward the mat, flutter your arms and legs,
moving from the hips and shoulders (not the knees and elbows). Swim for 30
seconds.
AUTHOR
Chris Freytag
Chris
Freytag is an accomplished blogger, author, speaker, and the
ACE senior consultant for health and fitness. A long-time ACE
Certified Professional, she has been training and teaching fitness classes for
over 20 years. Chris is the founder of GetHealthyU.com,
a fast-growing digital publishing company within the healthy living space
and is a contributing editor for Prevention Magazine.