Firm abs can be yours quickly with challenging ab exercises. Doing exercises that use free weights and/or are performed standing up will tone your abs more quickly than body weight-only floor exercise. Standing core exercises works your muscles through a greater range of motion so more muscles are used. Using more muscles burns more calories, though increasing your physical activity and reducing your calories also slims your waistline.
Liquid Strength Plank
The liquid strength plank exercise begins in a plank position, but moves into a bent-knee, spinal flexed position that challenges your abs in a different way than a classic plank. The muscles of your triceps, deltoids (shoulders), pecs and erector spinae (lower back) are also strengthened by this exercise. To perform a liquid strength plank, place your hands flat on the floor and step your legs straight back to assume plank position. Adjust your body so your hands are slightly in front of your shoulders with the arms straight. Then, bend your knees to an inch from the floor as you step your feet forward six inches. Tuck your chin and your tailbone to flex your spine, an action caused by engaging the rectus abdominis muscle of the stomach. Maintain this flexed position for 30 seconds and then return to plank position.
Raised Knee Barbell Crunches
The raised knee barbell crunches works your upper and lower abs, though emphasis is placed on the upper abs because they must lift a barbell toward the ceiling. Your pecs, triceps and deltoids also work to press the barbell above you, but flexing your spine to raise the weight of your upper body and the barbell off the floor works your abs. Lie face up on the floor to begin a raised knee barbell crunch. Hold a barbell with your elbows bent at your sides on top of your chest. Bend your knees at right angles and lift them above your hips. This is the starting position. Next, raise your head and shoulders off the floor and press the barbell up and above your knees by straightening your arms. Return to the starting position.
Cross-Country Abs
The cross-country abs exercise works your core with a motion similar to the swinging movement of the arms during cross-country skiing. Maintaining proper posture by standing up tall and twisting your body without leaning to either side is the key to firming your abs. A pair of dumbbells in used in place of poles, though weighted poles could be used instead as long as you do not fully rotate your palms. To do the cross-country abs, stand up straight with your tummy tight and your feet hip-width apart. Slightly bend your knees. Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands with your arms straight at your sides. Then, rotate your shoulders to the left and look over your left shoulder. Do not move your hips. Swing your left arm behind you and rotate your palm to face the ceiling. Also, swing your right arm forward and turn your palm up. Both arms lift about as high as your navel and are in line with your shoulder. Stay twisted for five seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
The twisting motion engages your obliques, the ab muscles on the sides of your stomach. The arms, glutes and erector spinae are also worked during this exercise.
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