1) Crunches: This exercise mainly targets the rectus abdominis. How to do it: Get into the position shown, with feet flat on the floor and hands behind your head. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor as you exhale, hold for two seconds, then lower your body down slowly without relaxing until it is resting on the floor. Aim for 15 repetitions with perfect form. — 123rf
in this column, I’m going to focus on one exercise that you can do for every abdominal muscle.
It’s not to achieve a flat stomach, but to strengthen your core muscles to help stabilise your body, allowing you to move in any direction without losing your balance.
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1) Crunches: This exercise mainly targets the rectus abdominis. How to do it: Get into the position shown, with feet flat on the floor and hands behind your head. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor as you exhale, hold for two seconds, then lower your body down slowly without relaxing until it is resting on the floor. Aim for 15 repetitions with perfect form. — 123rf
1 Crunches: This exercise mainly targets the rectus abdominis. How to do it: Get into the position shown, with feet flat on the floor and hands behind your head. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor as you exhale, hold for two seconds, then lower your body down slowly without relaxing until it is resting on the floor. Aim for 15 repetitions with perfect form. — 123rf
2) Bicycle crunches: This traditional cycling motion packs a major punch for all your abdominal muscles, particularly the obliques, which are not as engaged when you do traditional crunches. How to do it: Lie on your back with your legs extended on the floor. Slowly bring the legs to a tabletop position (with the upper leg bent and the lower leg parallel to the floor), keeping the lower back firmly rooted on the floor. Lift your head, neck and shoulders up as you twist your body, bringing your left elbow to the right knee. Then switch sides. — Pexels
2) Bicycle crunches: This traditional cycling motion packs a major punch for all your abdominal muscles, particularly the obliques, which are not as engaged when you do traditional crunches. How to do it: Lie on your back with your legs extended on the floor. Slowly bring the legs to a tabletop position (with the upper leg bent and the lower leg parallel to the floor), keeping the lower back firmly rooted on the floor. Lift your head, neck and shoulders up as you twist your body, bringing your left elbow to the right knee. Then switch sides. — Pexels
3) Dead bug without arms: This works the transversus muscle, often referred to as the “corset muscle” because it wraps around your sides and spine. This exercise requires a tremendous amount of control from the entire core. How to do it: Lie on your back with your legs bent in the air so that your knees are stacked above your pelvis. Keeping one knee in place, exhale as you extend the other leg to the point where your lower back is still touching the floor. If your lower back starts to arch, you've gone too low and are unable to activate your transvervus muscle. Slowly, inhale as you bring the leg back to starting position and repeat on the other side. — 123rf.com
3) Dead bug without arms: This works the transversus muscle, often referred to as the “corset muscle” because it wraps around your sides and spine. This exercise requires a tremendous amount of control from the entire core. How to do it: Lie on your back with your legs bent in the air so that your knees are stacked above your pelvis. Keeping one knee in place, exhale as you extend the other leg to the point where your lower back is still touching the floor. If your lower back starts to arch, you've gone too low and are unable to activate your transvervus muscle. Slowly, inhale as you bring the leg back to starting position and repeat on the other side. — 123rf.com
4) Elbow plank: This targets all the abdominal muscles, along with the back, arm and shoulder muscles. How to do it: Lie on your stomach and place your elbows directly under your shoulders, with feet apart (this makes it easier). Lift your body off the floor, engage your abdominal muscles, squeeze your gluteal muscles and form a straight line from head to heel. Gaze slightly forward. Hold for as long as you can with good form. — Filepic
4) Elbow plank: This targets all the abdominal muscles, along with the back, arm and shoulder muscles. How to do it: Lie on your stomach and place your elbows directly under your shoulders, with feet apart (this makes it easier). Lift your body off the floor, engage your abdominal muscles, squeeze your gluteal muscles and form a straight line from head to heel. Gaze slightly forward. Hold for as long as you can with good form. — Filepic
