How to train your abs for the summer?
Back pain and a flabby belly are important warning signs that your body is showing about how fragile it is, did you know that?
In addition to helping you achieve the ideal six-pack abs, exercises that work your abdominal muscles are excellent ways to take care of your posture and ensure a stronger hip joint!
Abdominal exercises are a favorite among trainers for this reason: they ensure that your center of gravity, called your core, finds stability and also get rid of localized fat .
And if we think about the different types of abdominal exercises that exist, the list of benefits tends to encompass the entire body!
Come check out the complete content on abdominal exercises that the Epulari blog has produced and learn how practicing physical activity that focuses on the muscles in your torso can ensure a life with less pain in the lower back in the short, medium and long term!
What are the types of abdominals?
For those who are unfamiliar with the world of physical education, we have some news to tell you.
There are a variety of types of abdominal exercises that are much more dynamic than the classic position of lying on your back on the floor, bending your knees and forcing your core muscles to raise your chest!
In addition to working several muscle groups at the same time, the best abdominal exercises are also advantageous because they do not require you to practice them in a gym environment.
The series of exercises that help define the abdomen is a great option to be included in home weight training, for example.
Ideal for anyone who doesn't like working out with equipment - and who has medical clearance to do such an activity - should try the different types of abdominal exercises!
Check out the most effective types of abdominal exercises to work your body's muscles efficiently and create a diverse workout with our list below!
Remembering that it is important to choose up to 3 abdominal exercises and repeat them in the next 3 workouts before changing the routine again.
Another important factor is not to overdo the repetitions, especially when you are a beginner! This way, you will not overload your body and avoid possible injuries to the muscles you are working.
Start by doing 3 sets of abdominal exercises twice a week, alternating 15 movements and resting for 30 seconds.
With notes made, it's time to learn about the abdominal exercises most recommended by experts! Let's go!
Abdominal with Feet Elevated
Also known as Alternating Infra, the abdominal with feet elevated uses the natural weight of the legs to force the abdominal muscles during the movement.
The practitioner of this type of abdominal exercise must lie on the floor with their legs raised and close together.
When supporting your arms on the floor, positioning them at your sides, your right leg will be stretched down until your heel almost touches the floor .
Meanwhile, the left leg remains raised! Then, the right leg will be raised so that it returns to its original position.
Attention should be paid to the contracted muscles of the trunk, responsible for maintaining the alternating movement of the legs - while one goes down the other must be raised.
Abdominal Knife
The work of the posterior thigh muscles that contributes to the desire for abs has a name and surname: jackknife abs - yes, the position resembles the tool that is so common on keychains!
First, you should lie down with your arms next to your head and your legs stretched out.
The next step is to contract your core muscles to gain the strength that will help you lift your legs , while at the same time you stretch your arms forward.
The idea is that your body position resembles the shape of the letter V. Then, return to the starting position to start again.
Once you understand the step-by-step movement, you will be ready to do the 3 sets of repetitions with ease!
Abdominal Cross Knife
The cross knife crunch is a variation of the previous exercise that helps you in this mission of increasing your level of concentration during training.
In other words, this is the moment when you will work on your motor coordination while doing your series of abdominal exercises.
The steps of the movement are the same as the jackknife abdominal, the difference is in alternating the arms and legs when raising the limbs.
The right arm should rise together with the left leg, return to the resting position and then it will be the left arm's turn to rise together with the right leg.
And don't forget, concentrate your strength in your belly without straining your neck!
Abdominal Roll Up
The beginning of the abdominal roll up follows the standard position: lying with your back on the floor and your legs stretched out.
By placing your arms straight out, side by side with your head, you will need to contract your core muscles to lift your torso and upper limbs off the floor until they are as close as possible to the front of your legs.
Do the opposite movement to lie down completely on the floor again, still contracting your abdomen, ok?
As you repeat the movement, your core strength will be developed along with the improvement in flexibility and articulation capacity of your spine!
Abdominal Sprinter or Bicycle
Borrowed from the world of runners and cyclists, the word sprinter describes this type of abdominal exercise very well, as it imitates the movements we make when running or when we are on a bicycle.
Can't see it? Don't worry, we'll explain it in detail:
- Lay your body down with your arms at your sides and your legs stretched out;
- Force your stomach to raise your torso to 45º from the floor and bend your arms, bringing your wrists closer to the sides of your chest;
- Bend your right knee to bring it closer to your left elbow;
- Lower your torso and raised leg in order to lie down completely;
- Do the same movement, but now crossing your right elbow with your left knee.
Boxer Abs
Following the same level of difficulty as the previous exercise, the boxer abdominal repeats the first two movements of the sprinter abdominal to raise the torso with the legs stretched out on the floor.
It begins to differentiate itself from this point on, when the practitioner stretches out her left arm to punch the air towards her left side .
Afterwards, she must return to the lying position and do the same movement, but performing the punch with the other hand and crossing to the right side.
Abdominal with hip lift
Ideal for renewing your movements and making the most of that Pilates ball that's lying around at home, the abdominal exercise with hip elevation helps to strengthen the pelvic floor, the butt muscles and is a great activity for gaining more stability for the hip joint.
To do this, you will need to lie down with your stomach facing upwards and rest your feet on the ball.
The aim is to slowly raise your hips and bring them back to the starting position.
Use your arms on the floor to help with balance and do not rush the movement.
Take your time to master the exercise and do it accurately!
High Plank Crunch with Rotation
Are you ready for a challenge? Then come and learn about abdominal exercises that burn calories, tone your abdominal muscles and are an exercise that can be done anywhere!
The activity starts in the plank position, with the front of the body facing the floor and the support bases being the palms of the hands and the tips of the feet.
The next step is to turn your torso to your left side, raising your outstretched arm and supporting your body weight on the other support bases.
Return to the plank position and repeat the same movement, but now rotating your torso to the opposite side as you lift your right hand off the floor and reach it towards the sky.
Understand the benefits of alternating different types of abdominal exercises
We already said at the beginning of this post that abdominal exercises strengthen the muscles that support the spine, right?
With this in mind, excessive repetition of this movement can have the opposite effect and cause serious harm.
The nerves located in this region of the body are sensitive, so the extra pressure causes a sensation of back pain that becomes a great discomfort in the most routine activities.
One way to avoid this type of result is to vary the exercises in your workout.
The resistance of the auxiliary muscles will be increased along with that of the main core muscles.
Therefore, practicing different types of abdominal exercises is essential so that you can exercise while respecting your body's limits.
By putting together a workout under the supervision of a professional, with activities that work different areas of the body, you will have the perfect scenario to achieve the health and body aesthetics you desire!
Since any help is valuable, we recommend reading the post "What is the best time to work out?" available here on the Epulari blog!
This way, you have access to complete information that will help you train with more enthusiasm!
Find out what precautions to take during abdominal training
Preparing a sequence of abdominal exercises to do at home also requires precautions that are just as important as weight training at the gym!
First of all, go to the doctor to make sure your body is fit for this type of physical activity!
If you can, pay a physical education professional to guide you through the exercises and correct movements that you have difficulty doing.
Avoiding spinal injuries or overloading the muscle groups worked are priorities here!
To keep the excitement of working out at home, the idea of inviting your friends and setting up a training group is a way of sharing the costs of hiring a personal trainer .
Having company to do the incredible abs you learned today can be a great incentive, have you thought about that?
Keep following us here to receive more important tips that will improve your physical performance!
For your next read, we recommend our advice-rich guide on the best exercises to slim your waist.
