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Trainer's Favourite Ab-Strengthening Exercises

I'm a Trainer, and These Are My 10 Favourite Ab-Strengthening Exercises

Sep 30 2020

As a trainer, it's my job to understand how the body works, explain it to people, help them improve imbalances and achieve their fitness goals, and move and feel better in their day-to-day. I particularly love teaching people about their core (and debunking myths and inaccurate information out there). The misunderstanding is you should care about abs and ab workouts because you want a six-pack, which is totally fine, but your abs actually play a big role in how you move.

Your internal and external oblique muscles are important for trunk rotation and side flexion. Your rectus abdominis muscles (aka your six-pack muscles) help you maintain an upright posture and also help you flex your lumbar spine (lower spine) and are used every time you cough and laugh. And your transverse abdominis muscles (your deep core muscles) help stabilise your pelvis and lower spine before upper- and lower-body movements occur. Long story short: your abdominal muscles are extremely important.

There are numerous exercises you can do for a stronger core, and I've rounded up my favourites, which will also help you improve your athletic performance and posture and make things like carrying numerous bags of groceries at once a lot easier. This list isn't intended to be done as a workout, but feel free to add a few exercises to your next one, or you can make up a quick ab workout with a few of them. If you're ready to work your way to stronger abs, continue reading.

Image Source: Getty / Viktor_Gladkov

1. Bear Hold

  • Start in a quadruped position with your wrists directly underneath your shoulders and your knees directly underneath your hips. Your core should be engaged and your spine should be in a neutral position.
  • With control, lift your knees one inch off the ground. Be sure to keep your back flat and your abs engaged.
  • Beginners should hold for 10 seconds and those more advanced should hold for 30 seconds.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

2. Reverse Plank

  • Begin lying on a yoga mat in a supine (facing up) position.
  • Bend your elbows, moving them directly underneath your shoulders; avoid angling your elbows out to the sides.
  • With control, brace you abs (you should still be able to breathe normally), squeeze your glutes, and lift your body up off the mat. Be sure to keep your head/neck in a neutral position by looking up at the ceiling. Don't let your hips drop down to the ground at any point.
  • Beginners should hold for 10 seconds and those more advanced should hold for 30 seconds.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

3. Toe Touch

  • Lie on your back on the floor, raising your arms and legs to a 90-degree angle. Lift your head and shoulder blades off the floor as you reach your fingers toward your toes.
  • Pull your abs to your spine as you lift your pelvis an inch off the ground, bringing your toes toward your fingers. This is a small, concentrated movement. Then lower your pelvis to complete the rep.
  • Complete 20 reps.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Studios

4. Seated Knee Tuck

  • Start seated on the ground or on a weight bench. Place your hands about an inch behind your back with your fingers facing forward. Your feet should be on the ground.
  • Lift both feet up off of the ground and extend both legs as you simultaneously lower your upper body. Be sure to get full extension at your hips and legs.
  • With control, bring your legs back to your chest without touching the ground with your feet and return to the starting position.
  • Beginners should complete 10 reps and more advanced people should complete 30 reps.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

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5. Stir the Pot

  • Begin in an elbow plank with your forearms resting on the top of a ball.
  • Keeping your core strong and your body still, use your arms to roll the ball in a small clockwise circle. This completes one rep.
  • Complete 10 reps going clockwise and 10 reps going counterclockwise.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

6. Elbow Plank

  • Start face down on the floor resting on your forearms and knees.
  • Push off the floor, raising up off your knees onto your toes and resting mainly on your elbows.
  • Contract your abdominals to keep yourself up and prevent your butt from sticking up.
  • Keep your back flat — don't let it droop or you'll be defeating the purpose. Picture your body as a long straight board, or plank.
  • Beginners should hold for 10 seconds and more advanced people should hold for 30 seconds.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

7. Bear Hold With a Plank

  • Start in a quadruped position with your wrists directly underneath your shoulders and your knees directly underneath your hips. Your core should be engaged, and your spine should be in a neutral position.
  • With control, lift your knees one inch off the ground. Be sure to keep your back flat and your abs engaged.
  • From this position, extend your right leg straight behind you, then repeat with the left leg. Your back should remain in a neutral position the entire time, and the only movement should come from your legs. You should be in a high plank position.
  • With control, bend your right knee and slowly return your right leg to the starting position followed by the left leg. Be sure to keep your core engaged and your spine in a neutral position.
  • This counts as one rep.
  • Complete 10 reps.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

8. Bicycle Crunch

  • Lie flat on the floor with your fingers laced behind your head.
  • Slowly raise your shoulders and neck off the ground (without pulling with your hands); lift your legs so they're a few inches off the floor.
  • Crunch forward and to the left, at the same time bringing your left knee up until it meets your right elbow just above your lower abdominals.
  • Slowly return your arm and leg, then perform this same movement on the other side so your left arm meets your right knee. That's one rep.
  • Beginners should complete 10 reps and more advanced people should complete 20 reps.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Studios

9. High Knees

  • Stand up straight and place your feet about hip-width apart.
  • Place your hands palms down facing the floor, hovering just above your belly button.
  • Quickly drive your right knee up to meet your right hand, bring the same leg back to the ground immediately bring the left knee coming up to meet your left hand. This counts as two reps.
  • As you are alternating knees, you want to do it with a hopping motion, staying on the balls of your feet the entire time.
  • Make sure you are engageing your abdominal muscles as each knee comes up to meet the hands.
  • Complete 30 reps.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

10. Side Plank

  • Begin by lying on your left side. Bring your left elbow directly under your left shoulder. Engage your core, press your left elbow into the floor, and rise into side elbow plank.
  • Place your top foot in front of your bottom foot, or stagger your feet if your balance feels off.
  • If you feel discomfort in your bottom shoulder, place your right hand on your left shoulder and pull the left elbow down across the chest.
  • To make this more challenging, place your right hand on top of your left hip.
  • Beginners shoud hold for 10 seconds on each side and more advanced people should hold for 30 seconds on each side.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

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