By Louis DeNicola, Cheapism
HARD CORE
Strengthening your core is
about more than losing weight or getting defined muscles. A strong core
can improve the way the rest of the body works and help balance and
stability. Working out the abdominal muscles is an essential component
of increasing core strength. (It's important to work out the back and
hips, as well, to prevent injuries.) These 12 simple ab exercises go
beyond crunches or sit-ups and include a few variations to increase or
decrease difficulty. They can all be done from the comfort of home -- no
equipment or gym membership necessary.
LEG RAISES
[post_ads]Lie on your back and place your
hands on the floor beside your hips. Slowly exhale and raise your legs 6
to 12 inches off the ground. Lock your legs and hold the position. To
intensify the exercise, try to lift both legs to a 90-degree angle so
your knees and feet are above your hips. Lower the legs, but don't quite
touch the ground, and then raise back up.
FLUTTER KICKS
Similar to the leg raise, this
exercise calls for lying on your back and bringing both feet about 6 to
12 inches off the ground. Raise and lower the legs in a quick scissor
motion. Focus on using your core, not your legs.
AB VACUUM
Many ab exercises focus on
outer abdominal muscles, but the ab vacuum works the inner abdominals,
which can lead to a tighter core and help support the back. Start by
kneeling and placing your hands on the ground below your shoulders. Keep
the back straight and look slightly forward. Exhale heavily through
your mouth and suck in your stomach as if you're lifting your belly
button to your back.
[post_ads_2]
Try to force all the air out of your lungs. Hold your breath and the position for five to 15 seconds. Inhale through your nose while slowly lowering your belly. Take one resting breath in through your mouth and out through your nose, then repeat. This exercise can be done while standing, sitting, or lying down.
[post_ads_2]
Try to force all the air out of your lungs. Hold your breath and the position for five to 15 seconds. Inhale through your nose while slowly lowering your belly. Take one resting breath in through your mouth and out through your nose, then repeat. This exercise can be done while standing, sitting, or lying down.
HIGH PLANK
There are several variations
of the plank, a standard and effective core exercise, with the "high
plank" being one of the most common. Lie on the ground facing down and
lift the body as if doing a pushup -- with hands and toes supporting the
body, keeping the hands below the shoulders, arms fully extended, and
toes below the ankles. (Spreading your fingers can help maintain
balance.)
Hold the position while focusing on keeping your back straight, your core pulled back toward your spine, and your glutes engaged. You can make the plank easier by resting on your elbows or knees (or both). Make it more difficult by adding alternating leg raises.
Hold the position while focusing on keeping your back straight, your core pulled back toward your spine, and your glutes engaged. You can make the plank easier by resting on your elbows or knees (or both). Make it more difficult by adding alternating leg raises.
SIDE PLANK
Start by lying on your side.
Support yourself on an elbow and lift your body so only the elbow,
forearm, and side of the foot are touching the ground. Hold the position
and focus on keeping your core engaged and body in a straight line. For
extra intensity, incorporate side plank dips into the routine: While in
a side plank, drop your lower hip to the floor and bring it slowly back
up.
PLANK WITH KNEE TO ELBOW
[post_ads]Start from a high plank
position with arms fully extended below the shoulders. Lift your right
foot and bring the right knee forward to the right elbow or slightly
outside. Extend the leg back -- without dropping your foot to the floor
-- and repeat the exercise. Finish a set with one leg, then repeat with
the other.
RUSSIAN TWISTS
Start in a sitting position
with your heels on the floor and knees bent. Keeping the core engaged,
lean back to a 45-degree angle. Holding your hands behind your head and
keeping the elbows wide apart, twist slowly from left to right. To
increase the difficulty, clasp your hands above your head and try to
keep your palms together. Lower your hands to tap the ground on one
side, bring your hands back above your head, and lower and tap the
ground on the other side.
V-SITS
Like the Russian Twist,
V-sits start with sitting down and bending your knees at a 90-degree
angle. Raise your feet off the ground while leaning back slightly so
your body creates a V. Extend your arms toward your feet to help
maintain balance. Hold the position and return to the start, then
repeat.
For a harder variation, get into the V position and lower your body toward the ground while straightening and lowering the feet to about a 45-degree angle. Don't let shoulders or feet touch the ground. Return to the V position and repeat.
For a harder variation, get into the V position and lower your body toward the ground while straightening and lowering the feet to about a 45-degree angle. Don't let shoulders or feet touch the ground. Return to the V position and repeat.
TOE DIPS
Start the same way you would
for the Russian Twist or V-sits -- lying on your back with knees bent
and feet on the ground. Lift both feet off the ground so your knees are
almost above your hips. Exhale while lowering one foot to tap the
ground; then raise it and tap the floor with the other foot. Make this
exercise easier by leaving one foot on the ground and toe tapping with
the other, or harder by tapping and raising both feet at the same time.
ROLL-UPS
Lie on your back and extend
your arms over your head. Keep your legs together and exhale while
lifting your torso and arms into a sitting position. Try to keep your
arms above your head on the way up, and end with your hands reaching out
parallel to your legs. Reverse the motion slowly until you're lying
down.
SUPERMAN
Flip over and lie on your
stomach. Exhale and reach your hands out in front of you, lifting your
arms, shoulders, and legs -- as though flying through the air like
Superman. This exercise engages the core and lower back.
[post_ads_2]
EAT LESS
If the goal is to have clearly defined abs
-- perhaps the often sought-after six-pack -- you may need an exercise
of willpower rather than strength. Although increasing core strength can
help define abs, you'll need to get into an athletic body-fat range
first. For men, that's about 6 percent to 13 percent; for women, it's 14
percent to 20 percent. Working out can help burn calories, but a diet
plan often needs to be incorporated as well.
