Whether you have some extra pounds or not, keeping your core strong is very essential because it is that part of the body that holds your entire weight. That is why I often hear from people who don’t exercise complaining for lower back pain.
In this post, I will give you 5 exercises to strengthen your abdominals, that you can easily do at home. It should not take you more than 10 minutes, so try to do them as often as possible. You will notice an improvement in your overall posture.
Of course keep in mind that when you exercise one side of the body, you should also exercise the opposite part. So in another post of mine you will find easy exercises to strengthen the back. Try to combine them together for better results. These exercises work great whether you are overweight or not. So let’s begin.
1. Crunches
The most common and simple exercise for abs. Lie down on your mat with the knees bend. Put your hands on the back of the head to support the head and neck.
Take a breath in and as you exhale lift the head and upper torso from the floor. As you inhale go back down and repeat.
Tips to keep in mind so you perform the exercise with good technique: Imagine holding an apple with your chin while lifting up. This way you should always have some space between your chin and your chest.
The most common mistake I see is pushing your head inwards towards your chest. This puts a lot of stress on the neck, which should be relaxed when coming up. Imagine your abdominal muscles lifting you up, instead of lifting by using your hands.
Also, your elbows and chest should be open, and you should be looking a bit diagonal on the ceiling, not straight up. Perform 20 repetitions.
2. Side Crunches With Knee Lift
Same position and technique as exercise 1, but instead of lifting straight up, you turn to one side, and you lift the knee on the side that you turn.
Again remember to keep the chest open, as well as the elbow that turns, do not close the elbow in towards your ear.
Another tip that might help you with this one is to keep one shoulder blade on the floor, and push on that shoulder blade to lift the other. Then do the same on the other side. Whether you alternate sides or do one side and then the other is up to you. It does not make much difference.
Perform 20 repetitions, 10 on each side.
3. Leg Extensions
Lie on the floor like in exercise 1, but this time lift your legs up in 90 degrees.
Very important tip, whenever you have both legs in the air, you need to engage your abdominals and put your lower back down, so there is no space between your lower back and the floor. This rule goes for all exercises that have both legs in the air.
Now inhale, and as you exhale extend one leg. Inhale as you bring back in, and exhale as you extend the other leg. Perform 20 repetitions, 10 on each side.
Always remember, when extending the leg, you only lower down to the point where your lower back does not lift off the floor. If you feel your lower back lifting, then you should extend a bit higher.
4. Crunches With Elevated knees
Lie on the floor in frond of your couch (or bed) and put your legs on it. Try to only touch your heels on the couch instead of the calves. Your knees should be at 90 degrees.
Now with the same technique as exercise 1, perform 20 repetitions. From the same position you can also go for side crunches, like in exercise 2 but without the knee lift. Perform 20 side to side repetitions, 10 on each side.
5. Incline Plank
If you are new to this exercise or if you have some extra pounds then the regular plank on the floor might be too difficult to perform, at least at the beginning. So instead, we do the plank in an incline position, which makes it easier. You can either go to your kitchen bench, or you can use the bed or couch. The lower you go, the harder it gets.
Put your lower arm (from elbow to fingers) on the bench of your choice, and keep your entire body in a straight line, head to toes. The most common mistake you will make is to lift your pelvis up, because it makes the exercise easier. So try to keep your body in a straight line.
If it is too difficult at first, start on your kitchen bench, and as it gets easier over time, you can go to your bed or couch, and finally on the floor. The lower you go, the harder it gets. Try to hold still in this position for a minute (use the timer on your mobile). If a minute is too much at the beginning, start with 30 seconds and slowly work your way up to 1 minute.
Feeling Strong…
Yes, after exercising you should feel stronger and with more energy. You will walk with more confidence and your overall posture will improve.
So don’t let those extra pounds you carry make you feel any less of you. Always remember, YOU ARE AMAZING.
Let exercise be a part of your daily life to help you not only be strong, but also a lot more positive about everything in life.
I would love to hear your comments or questions below. I hope you are having a lovely day.