Resistance bands are portable and vary in tension levels. Use them to increase intensity and add resistance to your abdominal training. Do resistance band abdominal exercises at home, in the gym or when you travel. Strong abdominal muscles are essential for core endurance, strength and power. The American College of Sports Medicine encourages you to maintain your exercise program when you travel by bringing resistance bands with you.
Crunches
A basic crunch strongly engages your rectus abdominus or your "six pack" muscle. It is the muscle you feel when you place your hands on your abdomen and tighten your tummy. Ensure you move through the full range of motion. Paul Chek of the Corrective High-Performance Exercise Kinesiology Institute warns partial range of motion abdominal exercises leads to poor posture, pelvic floor dysfunction and predisposes you to incontinence.
Loop the band around the leg of a bed post. Lie with your back flat on the floor and grab a handle in each hand. Straighten your arms beside you and shimmy away from the post until there is tension in the band. Curl your spine, drawing your rib cage and pelvis toward each other. Complete three sets of 15 reps. Use a heavier tension band to do six to 10 reps per set.
Diagonal Crunches
Diagonal crunches focus on your internal and external obliques. These muscles run diagonally around your lower back and the front of your abdomen and pelvis. Stay on the floor and grasp both handles in your right hand. Then, straighten your right arm across your body. Place your left hand behind your head for support. Complete a diagonal crunch by drawing your right shoulder and left hip toward each other. Complete three sets of 15 reps then use a more difficult band to increase your strength.
Standing Side Bends
Side bends also engage your obliques. Use your right foot to step on three-quarters of the band. Hold one handle in your right hand, ensuring your feet are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. There should be tension in the band as you stand up. You will be working the external oblique on your left side and the internal oblique on your right side. Lower your body into a semi-squat position and bend sideways toward your right foot. Move only at your waist; your legs must be immobile. Contract your obliques to raise your trunk to an upright position. Suck your navel toward your spine to maintain a stable trunk. Perform a set of 15 reps then switch sides.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine: Exercise while Traveling
- "Equal But Not The Same, Considerations for Training Females"; C.H.E.K. Institute; 1997
- "Anatomy & Physiology"; Gary Thibodeau, Ph.D. and Kevin Patton, Ph.D.; 2007
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