The core is the most important muscle group of the body. The core is responsible for proper posture, prevents injuries that can result from improper balance and helps make you stronger overall. If you suffer from back pain. Building a stronger core can help you get rid of that as well. Hence, it would only make sense to train your abs not only for aesthetics but to build a stronger core. Without further ado, here are the 5 Abs workouts you can do today in the comfort of your own home.
The Bicycle Crunch
The bicycle crunch is an excellent abs workout as it not only works your abs but your obliques as well, which are commonly referred to as the “side abs”. The obliques are an important muscle group as well as they aid you in rotating/ bending your torso. The Bicycle Crunch targets both abs and obliques while requiring no equipment at all.
The way to perform this movement is quite simple. Lay down flat on the floor. Your abs need to be flexed while doing any abs workout as this is crucial if you actually want them to get worked on. Hold your head in your hands and tighten your core by contracting your stomach.
Lift your feet up and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. At the same time, perform a pedaling motion by twisting your torso while rotating your left elbow to touch your right knee while keeping the left leg straight. Now, twist your torso to the other side while extending the right leg straight and bringing your left knee closer to your right elbow.
The Russian twist
The Russian twist is an abs workout that targets your entire core. Hence, it is an amazing workout to include in your workout regime. The Russian twist strengthens your lower back and could help relieve lower back pain over time. Additionally, it helps improve balance, posture and stability.
The Russian twist is one of those exercises that you can progressively overload on. You can do it without any equipment at all or with any form of weight that you can hold in your hands. The weight acts as a progressive overload, allowing you to get stronger than you normally would doing it without any resistance.
To perform the movement. Start from lying on the ground with your feet planted on the ground but your upper body at a 45-degree angle and your arms in front of you. Clamp your hands together or grab some form of weight. Tighten your abs and make sure your spine is straight. Now, twist your torso from left-to-right in a slow and controlled motion while keeping your abs flexed at all times and your core engaged to feel the muscles being worked. You can do as many repetitions as you can physically for a set of 3-5.
There is an advanced variation of this exercise if you want to challenge yourself. It requires you to lift your feet up and cross them together while doing the exact same movement. This increases the impact the exercise has on your core and abs and is a harder but a more effective variation of the exercises due to the increased stability demands needed to perform it.
Hanging Crunches/ Leg raises
Now you can do this at a local park or get a pull-up bar at home and do hanging crunches and hanging leg raises on it. The effect on your core with this exercise is significantly higher when compared to any other Abs workouts .
The way to perform these movements requires you to hang from a bar. Now, flex your entire core and lift your knees up to your lower chest and hold for a few seconds before going back down. That’s 1 rep. Try doing as many repetitions as you physically can for a set of 3-5. For hanging leg raises, all you need to do is once your knees are up, extend your legs straight or you can do it from a hanging position as well.
The force of gravity from the ground up acts as resistance for your entire core, allowing you to progressively overload your core just like you would any other muscle. This Abs workout is the best one that you can do for your entire core, including your abs.
However, the difficulty level of both these variations requires one to have stronger shoulders and arms to hand on to the bar itself. You can keep trying to do pull-ups and build up strength for that or for more on what exercises you can do to build stronger arms and shoulders with weights.
If you do not have access to a pull-up bar you can do hanging raises on two parallel-bars or a monkey-bars at a park as well.
PLANK
The plank is an excellent core engager when it comes to abs workouts that engage the entire core. To do the movement simply. Place your forearms along with your elbows on the ground while straightening your legs as you rise up on the balls of your feet. Tighten your core and flex your abs as hard as possible and maintain this position for as long as possible. When you cannot stay in the position any longer. That’s one set. You can do sets of 3-5 for as long as you physically can per set.
The core has to be tightened and the spine straight at all times. Make sure you are not bending to compensate for the lack of core strength. Keep your back straight while doing planks, as there is no point in doing a plank if it’s not straight.
Wheel crunches
This is the only abs workout that requires you to purchase an Ab wheel. It can be bought for as cheap as 5-10$ USD. The benefits, however, are worth it. The Ab wheel works not only on your entire core but your upper body as well. If done with proper form, wheel crunches are quite difficult to perform due to the stability demands, but are worth it when it comes to building a stronger core and abs. In fact, it’s one of the most recommended exercises when it comes to increasing flexibility, stability and building a stronger core & abs.
Conclusion
- The core is an important component of both building muscle as well as a healthy lifestyle
- Whether your goal is to build muscle or not. You should still train your core
- Every Abs workout should be performed with a flexed core.