The ab muscles include the rectus abdominus and transverse adbominus, two muscles that stabilize your trunk. The obliques are also abdominal muscles, though they criss-cross on the sides of your stomach instead of running down or across the center of your stomach like the rectus and transverse abdominus muscles. Work all your abdominal muscles together with simple core exercises.
Toe Tap
The toe tap core exercise works not just your abs and obliques but also your hip flexors. It is easiest to do the toe tap on a bench, but you may use an aerobic step or piano bench instead. To do toe taps, sit on the edge of a bench and place your hands next to your sides on the bench. Point your fingers forward and bend your elbows as you lean back slightly, but keep your spine straight. Bend your knees and lift your legs so your knees make right angles with the bottoms of your feet about 6 to 12 inches from the floor. Then, lower one leg at a time to the floor and back up without allowing any other part of your body to move.
Afata
The afata is an exercise that uses your abs to move your pelvis in a controlled motion to trace a box in the air, which means that your pelvis will move as if there were a box around your waist and the pelvis needs to touch each corner. The afata exercise is performed standing up straight with your feet together. You put one hand on your hip and lift the other toward the ceiling. Bend the elbow of the arm that is lifted and position it so your elbow is in line with the side of your shoulder. Then lift your left heel and bend your left knee as you tuck your tailbone to move your hips forward. Shift your left hip back and place your left heel on the floor. Your lower back arches as you do this. Shift your right hip back next and lift your right heel. Move your hips forward again to finish tracing a box with your hips.
Standing Single-Leg Cable Rotation
The standing single-leg cable rotation exercise utilizes a resistance cable to train your abs. Standing on one-leg requires a high level of balance so prepare to tap the floor with your raised foot any time you feel yourself tipping over. To begin the exercise, secure a resistance cable to a stationary object at waist level. Then, stand to the side of the object with your left side closest to it. Grasp the ends of the cable with your palms together. Your left arm is extended straight from your side and your right arm crosses the front of your body. This is the starting position for one side. Next, twist your shoulders and arms all the way across your body while keeping your hips still. Return your arms to the left to complete one repetition. Turn around with your right side closest to the object to work the other side.
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