If you're looking for an alternative to crunches in an attempt to flatten your stomach or achieve the ultimate six-pack, using dumbbells to exercise your abdominals is a great way to add some resistance in your workout, while challenging your muscles.
Start off using light weights, then go heavier as you build strength and endurance using dumbbells.
Standing Side Bends
In a standing position, place a dumbbell in your right hand, and put your left hand behind head. Slowly lean to your right while engaging your abdominal muscles, until you feel a good stretch. Slowly release, and return to standing. Repeat 10 to 15 times, then switch to the left side. You should feel a good stretch on the opposite side of the body, as well as in the back, as you drop the dumbbell toward the floor.
Overhead Side Bends
In a standing position, hold a dumbbell above your head, and slowly bend as far as comfortable to one side, and hold briefly. Repeat 10 to 15 times on each side. AllAboutAbs.com suggests inhaling before bending, and exhaling when you return to the starting position, before bending in the opposite direction. This exercise challenges the oblique muscles more than the standing side bend.
Ab Exercise Duo
Find a comfortable, firm place to lie flat on your back. Raise both legs to a 90 degree angle, while holding a dumbbell over your head. As you exhale, slowly bring the dumbbell over your head while lifting your upper back, and attempt to touch the dumbbell to your feet. Hold for a moment, then slowly release your back, head, and dumbbell down to the floor. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
Dumbbell Crawling
This tough exercise requires a fairly large area of unobstructed floor space, and two dumbbells. Place the dumbbells on the floor several feet in front of you. Squat, and get into the position a sprinter takes before starting a race, placing your hands on the dumbbells, and balancing on your toes. Proceed to move the right dumbbell forward as you step with your left foot, then the left dumbbell as you step with your right foot --- without your knees touching the floor. Attempt to move the dumbbells 10 feet from where you started. CriticalBench.com notes that this exercise strengthens core muscles in in the same way running or jumping would.
Member Comments