At Home Ab Workout
With gyms closed, there has never been a better time to get into an at home ab workout routine. Not only will an at home ab workout have you looking great but it will also have you feeling great. Whether you realise it or not, your abdominals play a huge part in your day to day life and the stronger they are, the more efficient you will become. Don’t just take it from me, there’s a reason why fitness gurus everywhere preach about the benefits of a strong core and with these at home ab workouts, you will soon understand why too.
At Home Ab Work Out
At Home Ab Workout: Why core strength is so important
A solid at home ab workout routine is essential for so many reasons, notably core strength. Your core is at the centre of your body and encompasses your abs as well as your hips, back, and chest. A strong core has many benefits, including:
At Home Ab Workout = Improved balance and stability
Daily activities such as walking, running, and even sitting will become much easier and pain-free if your abs are strong. Improved balance and stabilisation will make you less prone to injury and fatigue by keeping your body better aligned and minimising strain on your joints and muscles.
At Home Ab Workout = Eliminates back pain
It goes without saying that the more aligned and upright your body is, the less susceptible you will be to back pain. Your abs are at the centre of your body and are key in supporting both the neck and the back. If they are not strengthened then other parts of your body will have to work overtime in supporting you, leading to back pain and muscles strain.
At Home Ab Workout = Better posture
The better your posture is, the less wear and tear your spine will experience which in turn will allow you to breathe more deeply. This allows for more oxygen to travel to your muscles so they are able to contract. An upright posture can also help you survive sitting or standing for long periods of time which is so important if you spend 5 days a week or more sitting at your desk.
At-Home Ab Workout: For Beginners
If you are at the beginning of your fitness journey then it’s important to start off easy. Overloading your body on the first day will lead to terrible muscle soreness the next day and you won’t be able to exercise as efficiently. Experts recommend doing an at-home ab workout around 2-3 times a week, either at the end of your normal workout or as a separate one.
The one I have linked below has over 36 million hits on Youtube and for good reason. It’s catered specifically towards beginners and involves no equipment. It is also only 10 minutes long meaning it can easily be squeezed around your daily routine. The video consists of 15 moves that last 30 seconds each followed by a 10 second rest period. I have listed the exercises within the video below with a short description of how they are done.
Note: While it is important to push yourself to optimise results, make sure you do so carefully. There is no shame in pausing the videos and taking a slightly longer break. Always incorporate a warm-up and cool-down into your routine as well.
Crunch middle
Lie down on your back. Plant your feet on the floor, hip-width apart. Bend your knees and place your hands on your temples. Contract your abs and inhale.
Exhale and lift your upper body, keeping your head and neck relaxed.
Inhale and return to the starting position.
Crunch left
Keeping your torso straight, bend your knees and bring them to the right so they are resting on the floor.
Clasp your hands together behind your head. Lift your shoulders off the floor in a crunch motion.
With control bring your shoulders back down. Repeat.
Crunch right
The same as crunch left but on the other side.
Heel touches
Lay down with your back on the ground and your knees bent and pointed towards the ceiling.
With your arms on your side raise your shoulders slightly off the ground.
Using your abs rotate your right hand down to your right foot and then back up.
Then do the same thing with your left hand.
Ab hold
Lay down with your back on the ground and your shoulders slightly raised.
Lift both your legs up straight in front of you at a 45-degree angle, keeping them as close together as possible.
Keep your hands straight out in front of you on either side of your legs. Alternatively, keep them beneath your bum if this is too challenging.
Russian twist
Sit with bent knees and your feet pressing firmly into the floor.
Sit back slightly, keeping your spine straight.
Hold your hands loosely together in front of you and gently tap either side of your hips.
Lean back hold
Sit with bent knees and your feet pressing firmly into the floor.
Sit back slightly, keeping your spine straight and hold your arms out in front of you in a straight line with palms facing up.
Slow mountain climber
Start in a traditional plank — shoulders over hands and weight on just your toes.
With your core engaged, bring your right knee forward under your chest, with the toes just off the ground. Return to your basic plank. Switch legs, bringing the left knee forward.
Keep switching legs and begin to pick up the pace until it feels a little like running in place in a plank position.
Plank
Ensure your elbows on the ground directly underneath your shoulders with your feet hip-width apart.
Make sure your back is flat and your head and neck are in a neutral position.
Drive your elbows into the floor, and squeeze your quads, glutes, and core.
Toe touches
Lie on your back on an exercise mat on the floor with your legs touching and fully extended and your arms extended outward with palms down.
With your knees slightly bent, raise your legs straight up in the air until your feet are parallel with the floor.
Reach your arms toward your feet, forming a 45-degree angle. Your head should still be on the floor. This is your starting position.
Roll forward as you exhale, lifting your torso off the floor as you try to touch your toes with your fingers.
Inhale as you slowly reverse the motion back to the starting position.
Bicycle crunches
Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground.
Put your hands behind your head, then bring your knees in towards your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the ground, but be sure not to pull on your neck.
Straighten your right leg out to about a 45-degree angle to the ground while turning your upper body to the left, bringing your right elbow towards the left knee. Make sure your rib cage is moving and not just your elbows.
Now switch sides and do the same motion on the other side to complete one rep.
Hip lift
Lay down on the floor with your upper back pressed to the ground.
With your arms laying flat on either side of you, lift up your knees to a 90-degree angle and bend your legs so your calves are parallel with the ground.
Raise your bum up and down extending your legs above you as you do. Make sure your legs remain in the air throughout the exercise.
Ab hold
Same as above.
Spider plank
Begin in your full plank position.
Pull the knee toward the outside of your elbow and then push it back to return to a plank position.
Exhale as the knee rounds forward and inhale as you push back.
Plank
Same as above.
At-Home Ab Workout: Advanced
If the above at-home ab workout seems too elementary for you, then perhaps this advanced one will be more to your liking. Featuring 12 exercises lasting around 30 seconds each (sometimes longer or shorter) but with little to no rest period this time, this will certainly put you through your paces. Six-pack incoming!
I have once again listed the exercises below for those of you who don’t wish to watch the video.
Sit-up pulses
Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat. Take hold of the area behind your knees with your hands and pull in your abs while tilting your pelvis forward. This will create a C-shaped curve in your spine. Now, raise your arms and press them toward the back of the room in little pulses.
Leg extensions
Lay down flat on your back and raise your knees to a 90-degree angle.
Rest your hands on either side of you on the ground.
Extend one leg out at a time but don’t touch the ground.
Leg extension pulses
Above exercise but once the leg is extended, pulse for 15 seconds at a time.
Leg presses
Remaining on the floor, bring your knees up to your chest and extend your legs in and out at the same time.
Leg drops
Lay on your back and lift your legs up to a 90-degree angle.
One leg at a time, lower down the ground and slowly lift back up.
Rocking plank
The same as a normal plank but slowly rock forwards and backwards.
Plank hip twists
Remaining in a plank position, gently twist your hips from side to side.
Slow sit-ups
Normal sit-ups but much slower and more controlled.
45-degree arm-pulses
Keep your feet planted and knees bent and lean back till you can feel your abs engage.
Extend your arms out in front of you and pulse slightly up and down.
Leg circles
Laying with your back firmly on the ground, lift your legs straight up to a 90-degree angle.
Rotate your legs simultaneously in a circle - 30 seconds in each direction.
Leg press extensions
Lay down flat on your back and raise your knees to a 90-degree angle.
Rest your hands on either side of you on the ground.
Extend your legs out in front of you then bring them in and move them out to the side. Repeat.
Leg pulses
Remain on your back, lift your head and shoulders slightly off the ground, and extend your legs out in front of you, fairly low to the ground but not touching.
Place your hands underneath your bum and slowly pulse your legs up and down for 45 seconds.
