Abs are the quickest muscle group to recover, so these exercises can be done daily. Build a stronger core and achieve your stomach goals by doing these exercises everyday! Here are three of my favorite ab routines to help build and maintain a strong core! Let's #GETUPANDGLO
The Pilates Series of 5
-Single Leg Stretch
Laying on your back aiming to get your scapula off the floor use the abs to hug your knee into your chest, switching sides.
-Double Leg Stretch
Scooping the legs into table top moving the arms overhead as the legs extend to 6 inches, aiming to keep the belly button going towards your spine so that there is no space under your lower back each extension.
-Single Straight Leg Stretch
Lifting up in your crunch position grab behind your thigh using the abdominals to stretch the legs closer to your face, switching legs without movement using control from the abs.
-Double Straight Leg Lift
Holding your crunch position arms crossed behind your head, starting with your legs at 6 inches bring your legs vertically up to the ceiling and repeat.
-Bicycles
Lift up in your crunch position aiming to meet the opposite elbow and knee, switching sides while keeping the abs engaged and lower back touching the floor.
2. Lower Abs
-6 inches (1min 30 secs)
Holding your crunch position bring your legs 6 inches above the ground keeping your legs straight while holding them together.
-Mountain Climbers
Starting in a plank position take your knee to your chest switching sides, aiming to lift the knee towards your chin. Be sure to keep the hips in line with your spine to maintaining a straight line from your head to heels.
-Leg lifts
While holding your body up vertically using your upper body strength, allow the legs to lift up towards to ceiling. Use the lower abdominals to prevent the legs from swinging and the use of momentum throughout this exercise.
-Forearm plank (1 min 30 secs)
Place the forearms on your mat and get into your plank position, maintaining a straight line from your head to heels
-Reverse Crunches
While laying on your back lift the legs up vertically, then lift the hips up in the air. Smoothly come down to your starting position while keeping the abs engaged and repeat.
3. Obliques
-Wide leg cross sit ups
Start with your legs in a V laying on your back, then sit-up twisting aiming to touch the opposite foot and repeat to the other side.
-Side crunches
Laying on your side with the knees bent, twist to have your upper body flat on the mat and crunch keeping the hands crossed behind your head.
-Side plank oblique twist
Lift your body up into a side plank position with the forearms keeping the opposite arm behind your head. Reach the arm behind your head towards the ground with a goal of the elbow touching the mat.
-Forearm plank hip twist
Begin in a forearm plank and twist the hips to the side aiming to touch the mat while maintaining control when switching from side-to-side.
-Leg circles
Lay on your back and place the hands underneath your lower back for support, start with the legs straight out 6 inches above the ground and begin circling your legs. It is important to use the abs to minimize movement in the truck to strengthen the core with this exercise.
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