What’s not to love about a sound body – when you look good, you feel good. Exercise not only helps your physique but also keeps you healthy. According to the NHS, it reduces coronary heart disease and stroke risk by up to 35%. The best part about exercise is, you can do it anywhere. Since abs can never go out of season, several exercise regimes can help you look good. Through this article, you can find the best regime for you and get the body you want. Here’s how:
1. Plank
It is a classic core engaging exercise. It helps you strengthen your core and is also an excellent exercise for beginners. To do this, hold yourself straight from your shoulders to your ankles and use the forearms and toes to support yourself. The advantage of doing a plank is you can start at a minimal mark and work your way up. This entails, you can choose to do this position for 20 seconds and gradually raise yourself to 60 seconds. Just make sure that you tilt your pelvis back and keep your lower back flat.
2. Reverse Crunch
You may know the standard crunch for working your abs. However, a reverse crunch is far better for your abs. A reverse crunch keeps your muscles under tension for a longer time, which is necessary to strengthen them. It also helps you work on your lower abs which may get neglected while performing your abs regime. It also supports your neck by keeping it in a flat position and saves it from being in a vulnerable position. You can look into investing in an ab bench.
Part of exercising is ensuring you have the right equipment. However, the benefits of ab benches are limitless. They prevent your body from getting any injuries by allowing a risk-free regime. To do this exercise, lie down and raise your legs so that your thighs are vertical and your knees are at a ninety-degree angle. Contract your abs by bringing your knees to your chest and also raise your hips off the floor. Slowly bring your legs down to the original position to redo this move.
3. Russian Twist
If you’ve ever attended a fitness class, you may have come across this technique. However, you should know its most basic version and build yourself up from there. That is, once you’re good at twisting your body, then look into incorporating weights. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your heels firm on the ground. You need to lean your body enough for your torso to be at 45 degrees. It would help if you also kept your chest up to prevent your back from hunching. In this pose, interlock your fingers and stretch your arms in front of you. As you turn your body left or right, let your hands touch the ground in the same direction. Your movement should follow this sequence, rotate either left or right, then back to the center before twisting in the opposite direction.
4. Bicycle Crunch
Working on your abs also includes working on your extremities. It is by far one of the best exercises for your abs. To do this, choose an even and flat surface to lie down. Lie on your bag and hold your legs above the ground. Gently place your fingers on your temples. As you bring one knee up towards your chest, twist your torso so that the opposite elbow goes over it. Your elbows and knees don’t have to touch. You’re simply moving your body and giving it a good stretch. Lower your leg at the same time and repeat the movement for the opposite side. Keep this movement continued for a duration of 30 to 60 seconds.
5. Abs Roll Out
To do this exercise, you will need the proper equipment. Purchase either an ab roller or a barbell that has weight plates. You will need to kneel on a soft surface to prevent your knees from an injury. You should firmly grab the roller with your hands ensuring they are at least a shoulder-width apart from each other. You need to slowly roll the equipment away from your knees and shift your hips forward so that your knees, hips, and shoulders all align. Make sure your hips and spine are in a stable position to avoid any injuries. This exercise is good for improving the strength of your core muscles. As always, start slow with short, manageable goals before increasing your target.
What Else Can I Do?
As you work on getting the body you want, along with your exercise, don’t forget to take care of these factors:
- Include Protein In Your Diet: It is necessary to build your muscles as they are pure protein.
- Choose Your Carbs Wisely: Learn about what carbs you need and what you should discard.
- Hydrate: Replace all lost electrolytes either by drinking water or any sports drink.
Wrap Up
If you wish to have abs, you will have to make some lifestyle adjustments. Invest in the proper equipment that would help you do your exercises. There are some exercise regimes you can follow either in a gym or at home. Plank, reverse abs crunch, Russian twist, bicycle crunch, and an abs roll out to strengthen your core muscles and give your muscles the work they need to get toned. It is best to do these exercises with an instructor before handling them on your own to avoid any injuries. Make some dietary changes such as having more protein, fewer carbs, and more water.