Too many people spend time doing countless crunches with little in the way of results. This is not only a waste of time, since it is only working one or two layers of the abdominal muscles, but it can also be the cause of many injuries, since most people perform crunches with poor form. The solution is to use exercises that work all the layers from a variety of directions.
This way of working the abs not only gives faster results and reduces injury, but also helps you to focus on body awareness, so that you can feel where the power of the move is coming from. Further, it can be more fun than repetitive crunches, and this keeps you motivated to keep going.
1. Burpees – This move is a whole body workout, but also concentrates strongly on the lower abs to get that nice cut along the hips. The basic move is to stand with feet hip distance apart, arms out, and begin to lower into a squat. Place your hands on the ground and jump back into a full plank, then jump your feet forward to come back to standing.
• Hint # 1– To make this move more challenging, you can also add a tuck jump as you return to starting position.
• Hint #2 – Performing burpees quickly gives you better cardio. If you slow down and try to get better hang time when jumping back to plank, you will build your lower abs more effectively.
2. Standing crunches – Even though this move is referred to as a crunch, it really works your whole core, front and back, as well as side to side. Stand with feet hip distance apart and hands behind the head. Keep the elbows out and also keep the chin lifted away from the chest. Bend forward and bring the right elbow to the left knee. Return to start and alternate sides.
• Hint – Moving faster gives you more cardio, but paying attention to your form in returning to start and your rotation puts greater focus on the back muscles and the obliques.
3. Side knees for core strengthening – Start with your weight balanced on the right leg, and extend the left leg to the side, with the toe touching he floor. Raise both arm over head and clasp the hands, so that you are creating a diagonal from the left leg, up through the body and to your hands. Bring your left knee up to the chest and your hands over to your left hip. Tap down to repeat, and then alternate the move to the other side once a set is done.
• Hint #1 – The higher you lift your knee, the more you are working your lower abs.
• Hint #2 – Bringing your hands further across the opposite hip will not only give you rotation in the obliques, but it will also add more of a side contraction.
4. Hip-Ups – This move starts on the ground, sitting with the hands on each side of the hips and touching the ground. The legs are straight out in front, with the feet just under hip width apart. Pressing down with the hands and the heels, lift the hips upward to come into a table top position, then return to start and repeat.
• Hint #1 – Drive your knees forward to get a better lift in the hips. This will also activate your glutes for more muscle tone.
• Hint #2 – Try to perform this move without sitting back down when coming to start. Keeping your butt lifted at all times will keep your abs more activated.
5. Side plank bends – Start in a side plank on the right side, with the left arm stretched overhead and feet stacked. Bring the left elbow to the left knee and then return to start. You can alternate sides only after a full set has been completed.
• Hint – Give the move more power by keeping the hips lifted.