6 Moves For
STRONG ABS
Lost your abs and need to find them? You’ve come to the right place.
Try today’s 6 moves on a consistent basis to get your midsection firing from all angles for a stronger, more defined midsection.
There are almost countless benefits to training your abs. Here are just a few:
Helps prevent back pain – A study found that runners with lower back pain alleviated their symptoms by strengthening their deep core muscles.
Upright posture – Perfect posture is the new six pack! A strong core can help you stand a little straighter.
Better balance – When your core is strong, your midsection stays more stable when you move in every activity throughout the day.
An adventurous life starts with a strong midsection, because it makes all activities throughout the day a little easier. Let’s get toning!
Windshield Wipers
How to do it:
- Lie on your back, hands on the floor, and legs lifted up.
- Using your core, keep your knees over your hips as you slowly drop both knees to the right side, forming a 45-degree angle with the floor.
- Return to starting position.
- Repeat on the other side.
- 10 reps each side.
Cannonball
How to do it:
- Start on your back with your arms reaching out overhead, legs lifted slightly off the floor, and toes pointed.
- Press the lower back into the mat or floor to ensure the back doesn’t arch. If this feels like too much tension on the back, try lifting the legs a little further away from the floor.
- Imagine that, as you’re stretching the fingers and toes away from each other, the core is a strong magnet working to pull them back in. Using the force of that imaginary magnet, bring the knees in toward the chest. At the same time, reach your arms toward the legs.
- Return to starting.
- 10 Reps.
Ceiling Stamp
How to do it:
- Lying on your back, squeeze your abdominals and lift your legs off the floor. Extend them up straight, feet facing the ceiling.
- With your hands on the floor for balance, use your lower abdominal strength to push your feet up 1-2 inches toward the ceiling. It’s a quick movement, almost a ˙pulse,” as if you’re stamping the ceiling with the bottom of your feet.
- 10 reps.
Side to Side
How to do it:
- Sit upright and lift your feet off the floor, tucking your knees into your chest. Interlace your fingers.
- Slowly swivel your knees side to side.
- 10 reps.
Roll-Overs
How to do it:
- Lying facedown on the floor with your arms and legs extended, lift your upper body and legs off the floor, making sure to keep your feet together.
- Without moving your shoulders or legs, use the strength of your abs to roll to your right side until your back is on the floor and you’re facing the ceiling. Remember, your hands and feet never touch the floor!
- Slowly roll back, keeping the belly button pulled in toward the spine throughout the entire movement.
- Aim for 10 repetitions on each side.
Forearm Plank with Swivel
How to do it:
- Start in plank position, resting on your elbows instead of your hands.
- Keep the shoulders back and down and the neck long.
- Keeping your abs engaged, slowly swivel the hips underneath you side to side in a slow, controlled motion.
- BEGINNERS: Modify this movement by resting on your knees instead of full plank position.
- ADVANCED: Keep your feet stacked and move your toes as you rotate. So as you swivel the hips to the side, rest your weight primarily on the bottom toe, with the top foot resting on top of it.
