Abdominal Exercises to do at Home
Abdominal exercises, commonly known as exercises for the abs, are the core of many training routines. One of the biggest advantages of doing abdominal exercises is that they can be carried out pretty much anywhere at the gym or at home. If you want a firm and flat stomach, keep reading because everything you need to know is here! Discover the best abdominal exercises to do at home. Take note and include them in your training routine!
Your abdominal muscles are part of your abdomen, as you could have guessed. And although your abs are located in your belly, ab exercises train your whole upper body. You see, abdominal exercises include the pelvic muscles, hips, and muscles that support the spine. Once you begin to improve the stability of the abdomen, the benefits translate into both sports performance and daily life.
To carry out abdominal exercises easily at home, as with the ones we propose here, you don’t need any kind of fancy equipment. At most, you can use a mat to support your back on the floor. Surely after a few sessions, you’ll get incredible results!
Discover more: Work Out Your Abs at Home
Best abdominal exercises to do at home
Next, we’ll explain some of the best abdominal exercises to carry out at home:
1. Vertical scissors
The first exercise that you should try out at home is scissors. The first step is to lie down, placing your back flat on the floor and placing the arms at the sides and legs stretched. Next, lift one leg up in a 90-degree angle. Then, as you lower the first leg, lift the other one alternating your movements, never letting your feet touch the ground.
You should do this exercise alternating your legs for 30 repetitions. Lower your legs, count to five, and then repeat. To get better results, you should do this at least three times.
Remember, the point of this exercise is to mirror the scissor movement, so you should focus on alternating your legs. When you master vertical scissors, try horizontal scissors, in which the legs intersect from right to left and vice versa.
2. Arm and leg lifts for abdominal exercises
For this exercise, you need to get on your hands and knees, in the classic ‘cat’ position. Be sure that you keep your back straight and aligned with your neck to avoid any possible injuries. Make sure you align your knees below the hips and your wrists below the shoulders.
Now, lift your left arm at shoulder height and your left leg at hip height. Hold the position for a few seconds, before lowering your limbs and returning to the ‘cat’ position.
Repeat this exercise on the opposite side. Do 15 to 20 repetitions to complete the exercise, alternating both arms and legs. A variation of this exercise consists of lifting opposite limbs.
3. The mountain climber, one of the best abdominal exercises
The climber is one of the best full body exercises. This exercise is excellent for working and toning the abdominals and, in addition, provides complete abdominal and cardiovascular training.
To start the exercise, place yourself in a plank position. Your wrists should be straight below you at shoulder level. This will make your body create a straight line from your shoulder to your feet.
Next, bring your right knee under your chest, with your toes barely raised off the ground. Return to your basic plank and now bring your left knee forward. Keep changing your leg and start to accelerate the rhythm. Do this for one full minute before stopping.
4. Hip lifts, a great choice for abdominal exercises
To perform hip lifts, you should lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your arms straight by your sides. Then, extend your right leg towards the ceiling at a 90-degree angle.
Grounding your left foot and keeping your balance using both hands and shoulders, lift your hips as high as you can. Keep your right leg straight up while you do it. Slowly, lower your hips and repeat the exercise ten times on each side.
5. Plank, the classic abdominal exercise to do at home
The plank is one of the most popular abdominal exercises out there, recommended by doctors and personal trainers alike. It’s very easy: lie on the floor on your belly. Then, lift your weight on your forearms, keeping your elbows aligned with your shoulders. Place the tips of your toes on the ground. Then, lift your hips from the floor and keep a straight line from your shoulders to your feet.
Contract your glutes and always remind yourself not to bend your back, since doing so would risk an injury. Stay in this position for twenty seconds, inhaling and exhaling slowly and continuously.
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6. Leg Lifts
This last exercise is one of the best ones to work your lower abs. First of all, you must lie on your back with your arms straight by your sides. Then, raise your legs at a 90-degree angle, right above your hips. Let your legs fall to the ground and hold them just as they’re about to touch the floor. Repeat this at least 10 times before lowering your legs.
As you can see, the most important thing in doing this exercise is that your feet never touch the ground, engaging your core and lower abs in the process. You can do this exercise with the help of a training partner. Your partner should push your feet to the ground, creating extra resistance.
Remember, doing abdominal exercises at home is a great way to keep your abs flat. Still, it’s very important to complement these exercises with proper diet and nutrition. Plus, a healthy diet is advisable if you start carrying out cardio routines. What are you waiting for to include these exercises in your training routine?
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Fuentes García, J. P., & Gusi Fuertes, N. (1999). Valoración y entrenamiento de la fuerza-resistencia abdominal: validez comparativa y reproductibilidad en tres pruebas de evaluación en tenistas. Apunts: Educación Física y Deportes, (55), 55–59. Retrieved from http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=294713
- Heredia Elvar, J. R.; Ramón Costa, M. (2004). El entrenamiento de la musculatura abdominal: una visión integradora.
