Effective Abs Exercises: Description, Video, Tips

How to build abs cubes
Body stabilization exercises
Relief exercises
Muscle stretching exercise
How to get a flat stomach
Expert advice

How to build abs at home

It is enough to devote 15-20 minutes of exercise a day to see good results in two weeks. First of all, the relief of the "upper press" appears - the zone above the navel. The lower the body stores more fat, so it will take a little longer to exercise for the relief to appear. Abdominal exercises involve the rectus, transverse, oblique external and oblique internal abdominal muscles.

For beginners, it will be enough to perform 5-10 repetitions with a small amplitude, gradually increasing the number of approaches. If you need to not only build muscle, but also burn excess fat, focus on multiple repetitions. Check with your doctor to make sure there are no contraindications. So, many exercises cannot be performed with spinal hernias, prolapse of internal organs, osteochondrosis, malignant tumors and after recent operations. Any load is prohibited during the period of illness with fever and pain. Women need to avoid doing abdominal exercises during menstruation, during pregnancy and for several months after giving birth. If there is diastasis - a divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles, then classic abdominal exercises can aggravate the situation,therefore, you first need to get rid of it by choosing a suitable complex with a doctor or trainer.

12 simple and effective exercises for beautiful posture

Effective core stabilization exercises

1. Leaning forward

Perfect exercise for beginners. It helps develop the flexibility of the spine, engages the muscles of the abs, buttocks and back. In addition, hamstrings and thigh muscles are trained. Exercise can be included in a complex for stretching or morning exercises.

Execution technique

The legs are shoulder-width apart, the back is straight, the shoulder blades are brought together, the shoulders are raised to the ears. Tighten your abs and bend down. Try to reach with your chest to your hips, not your hands to the floor. It is more important to keep your back straight rather than touching your toes. Hold in the lower position for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position.

2. Balance on one leg

Abs exercises can be performed without changing the position of the spine. It helps to not only pump your abdominal muscles, but also to work on the buttocks and arms, as well as improve balance and coordination of movements.

Execution technique

Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Inhale and at the same time lift your right arm and left leg upward, bending your left knee and keeping your right arm straight. Pause with the fingers of your right hand pointing up and your left hip parallel to the floor. Exhale and release the limbs, repeat on the other side.

3. Access to the bar

A multifunctional exercise that allows you to pump several muscle groups at once, including the abs, thighs, latissimus dorsi, deltoid and pectoral muscles. You can start with a static bar without going up. It is done on straight arms or on the elbows if you have contraindications for exerting stress on the wrists.

Execution technique

From a standing position, lower yourself forward, touching the floor with your hands. Pull them out so that at the bottom point you reach the classic static plank: the body is tense, the abs are tucked up, the back is straight, strong arms and legs. Hold this position for a few seconds and gradually move your hands in the opposite direction. Perform the complex smoothly, without jerking. Returning to a standing position, repeat the exercise a few more times.

4. Side bar

The exercise provides a tangible load on the oblique abdominals and rectus abdominis. It can be performed both with a straight arm and with a bent arm. Control your speed and range of motion without leaning forward.

Execution technique

Elbow under the shoulder, legs extended or crossed at the feet. The body forms a straight line from head to toe. Lift your hips up, extending your left arm toward the ceiling. Lock in the top position for a few seconds and return to the starting position. After 5-15 repetitions on one side, repeat on the other side.

5. Plank with turn

Complicated dynamic endurance bar. The initial position can be on the elbows or on straight arms. Watch your body, try not to overwhelm your back.

Execution technique

Pivot from the plank position by extending your left arm up towards the ceiling. At the same time, the legs pass one above the other, the lateral surface of the feet is pressed to the floor. Return to starting position and repeat on the other side.

6. "Deadbug"

The name dead bug is translated as "dead beetle". This popular exercise is aimed at building a large muscle group, including the abs. Keep your lower back flat on the floor to avoid stress on your spine.

Execution technique

Lying on the floor, extend your arms toward the ceiling and bend your legs at a 90 ° angle, lifting your hips. Slowly lower your right hand behind your head and straighten your left leg until it touches the floor. Return to starting position. Repeat the exercise alternately on both sides.

7. Crunches from the knees

Good abdominal and back exercise. Make sure that the lower back does not sag.

Execution technique

Get on all fours with your palms directly under your shoulders. Keep the body still, at the same time stretch your right arm forward and left leg back. Then round your back without pulling your shoulders to your ears, and bring your right elbow and left knee together at the abdomen.

8. "Bear" ("Square")

A dynamic plank compounded by bent knees. This exercise increases the load on the abs, so it is especially important to follow the technique so as not to transfer more body weight to your arms and not to overextend your back. Pay attention to the neck: there should be no creases, look down.

Execution technique

Get on all fours, keep your palms under your shoulders, raise your knees. The hips are flush with the head, the body is in a straight line. Take steps in different directions with one arm and the opposite leg alternately. You can do the same by walking back and forth.

Effective abdominal exercises

1. Side slopes from plie

An excellent exercise for the oblique muscles of the abdomen with additional stress on the hips and buttocks. If there are contraindications for plie, such as knee injuries, bends can be performed from a standing position by pulling the knee over the side.

Execution technique

Legs wider than shoulders, deep squat, knees to the sides, hands behind the head. Keep your back straight. As you inhale, bend to the right, as you exhale, return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. Try not to round the spine forward, move using the oblique abdominal muscles.

2. Lying crunches

This versatile exercise helps build all your abs. Twisting must be performed without fully unbending. Thus, during training, the abdominal muscles do not relax and the load is transferred from one side to the other.

Execution technique

Lying on your back, hands behind your head, legs bent at the knees, feet on the mat. On exhalation, the shoulder blades rise, the lower back remains pressed to the floor. Try to do the exercise as smoothly as possible. You don't have to fully raise your core, which will put more strain on your hip flexors and iliopsoas rather than your abs. To make it more difficult, you can raise your bent knees at an angle of 90 °.

3. Bilateral body lifts

Try to make the exercise harder by lifting your lower body. So you pay attention to both the "upper" and "lower" abs, spending more energy and increasing the fat burning effect.

Execution technique

The legs are bent at the knees, the feet are on the mat. Hands behind the head, lower back in a natural position - not pressed to the floor, but not arched either. Using the abdominal muscles, lift your upper body three times to your legs, then lower your shoulders to the floor. Straighten your legs towards the ceiling, lifting your pelvis a few centimeters from the rug.

4. Turns of the trunk

In this exercise, the legs remain fixed, only the upper body moves. If balance is difficult, you can place your feet on the floor with your heels touching the mat.

Execution technique

Body weight on the tailbone, legs raised above the floor, arms bent at the elbows and joined in front of the chest. Make sure the back is not rounded. Rotate the body to the right and then to the left. To increase the load, you can use dumbbells or move your arms to the sides, touching the floor with them.

5. Simultaneous lifting of arms and legs

This is a challenging exercise available to those who have already mastered standard abdominal techniques. The body needs to be lifted by the abdominal muscles so as not to overload the back and lower back. You may need to twist the rug or put a soft blanket under the buttocks so as not to experience discomfort in the tailbone area.

Execution technique

On the back, arms are extended along the body. Raise your upper body, arms, and legs in one fluid motion, balancing in a V-shape. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds and return to the starting position. Vary the number of repetitions depending on the effort.

6. Twisting the cyclist

Almost like an exercise "cyclist" from school physical education lessons. For a beautiful press, it must be complicated by focusing on twisting. This will target all abdominal muscle groups. Make sure that your neck is not tense, and that your lower back is pressed to the floor.

Execution technique

Lying on the mat, put your arms bent at the elbows behind your head. Hold your head, but don't pull it. Raise your right knee toward your chest, twisting your upper body until it touches your elbow. This will keep your left leg parallel to the floor. Then smoothly change the legs and arms, increasing the load on the other side of the body.

Exercise to stretch the abdominal muscles

In order for the worked out muscles to recover faster, it is worth doing a stretch. This exercise primarily uses the rectus abdominis muscle. The side bends with traction also engage the obliques and help shape the waist.

Execution technique

Feet shoulder width apart, hands on the hips behind. Bend back slowly, contracting your glutes and pushing your pelvis forward.

Feet shoulder-width apart, arms at the sides along the body. Inhale and raise your right arm above your head, bending to the left and thus extending your right side. As you exhale, return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.

A flat stomach: is there enough abs exercise?

To achieve the perfect abs, just loading the muscles is not enough: if they are hidden under a layer of fat, the relief will not be noticeable. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to nutrition and skin care, especially if you are not only working on pumping your body, but also normalizing your weight. Pay attention to home self-massage, contrast shower and natural oils.

Additional cardio workouts can help increase endurance and get closer to your desired results. Keep track of your diet, drink clean water, give up bad habits and stay asleep. Everything is good in moderation, so it is important to choose the right exercise so that self-care does not escalate into fitness addiction.