The Internet is practically wall-papered with recipes for atomic ab exercises, hardcore, gravity-defying feats that promise to give you abs of steel. The truth is that you don't have to swing from a chandelier to get a sculpted midsection; you can start with easy ab exercises and, as you get stronger, slowly work your way up to more repetitions, or more difficult variations, of the same exercises.
Crunches
This timeless classic, familiar to almost all exercisers, works the rectus abdominus effectively without requiring any gravity-defying acrobatics. Simply lay down on your back, knees bent, feet either flat on the floor or up against a wall. Cross both arms over your chest and squeeze your abdominal muscles, thinking of bringing the bottom of your ribcage down to the top of your pelvis. Your head and shoulders will lift slightly off the ground. Lower and repeat.
Bridge
Like crunches, bridges work your rectus abdominus, but put more stress on the lower portion of the muscle (in front of your pelvis). Lay on your back, knees bent and flat on the floor. Squeeze your abs to flatten the curve of your lower back against the floor. Maintain this contraction as you contract your buttocks to lift your hips off the floor. Your body should form a straight, or nearly straight, line from knees to shoulders. Lower and repeat.
Supine Hollowing
Supine hollowing works the transverse abdominus, an often-neglected core muscle that supports your internal organs and assists with forceful breathing. Lay on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor, arms stretched straight out to form a "T." Contract your core and pelvic floor muscles together--in other words, do a Kegel, as if you were stopping the flow of urine--and try to bring your belly button in toward your spine without moving your hips or ribs. Once you're able to do these two things simultaneously, practice lifting the toes of one foot up off the ground and slowly sliding the heel of that foot a few inches away from your body. Pull your heel back and repeat on the other side. Concentrate on keeping your ribs, lower back and hips completely stationary throughout this movement.
Planks
While planks can actually be very challenging, they're also quite gentle because they don't require any movement of your core at all; all you have to do is squeeze your abs to keep your body in a straight line, from heels to head, while you support yourself on your toes and your forearms. If this is too difficult, hold your body in a straight line from knees to head as you support yourself on your bent knees and forearms.
The front plank described above works your rectus abdominus; a side plank focuses on your obliques. Support yourself, shoulders and hips stacked vertically, on one forearm and the outside of your lower foot. Squeeze your abs to maintain a straight body line from head to heels. You can also do this exercise from your knees if necessary.
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