Is your goal to have great looking abs and be Oviedo, FL beach-ready? You can do it at home, without any equipment, just commitment and consistency. It starts with a healthy diet and if you’re overweight, losing those extra pounds. No matter how strong your abdominal muscles are, you won’t get “that look” if it’s hidden by a layer of fat. Most of these exercises use the plank position, a powerful ab strength builder.
You can do it all with one position, a plank.
Start with a traditional bodyweight exercise called a forearm or the more difficult straight arm plank. For the traditional straight arm plank, get into push-up position, putting your hands beneath your shoulders, toes pushing against the floor and neck in neutral position with the body straight. Hold the position for at least twenty seconds or as long as comfortable. The forearm plank it easier and the same, except you put your weight on your forearms that are on the floor with the elbows in line with the shoulders and forearms parallel to your body.
Modify the plank by doing a mountain climber with a twist.
If you’re doing a mountain climber, you start in plank position. Then bring one foot forward, as though you’re climbing, putting it back to start position, then bringing the other foot forward beneath you. The twist in this mountain climber is that you bring your knee up as you would with the regular mountain climber, but touch it to the opposite elbow and back down to plank. Then do the other leg.
Do a left side plank with a leg lift, then a right side plank with a leg lift.
This exercise has a similar form to the plank, but you do it on your side. Start with the left side with your right foot atop the left, and left forearm propping you up so your body is in a straight, diagonal line. Lift the right foot as high as you can go as you remain in plank form with your body straight. Do several and then switch sides.
- Crunches have always been great for the abs. Start with a traditional crunch by lying on your back, feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart and knees bent. Exhale as you lift your upper body, touching the knees. Inhale as you go back to the starting position.
- A bridge is another tough tummy tightener. You start in the same position as a crunch, but lift your hips off the floor until you form a straight line from your knees to your neck.
- A great stand-by is a leg lift. Lay on your back with your body straight with your knees together and hands under your hips. Slowly raise your legs until they are at a 90-degree angle to the body. Hold and lower.
- An isometric exercise is easy, but powerful. Stand up straight and inhale deeply, then exhale as you pull your stomach in as tight as possible. Hold as long as you can.
For more information, contact us today at BioFit Performance