Of all the areas of the body, the abdominal muscles are one of the most important. Every time you get up out of a chair, put a glass in a high cabinet or place a bag of groceries in the trunk of your car, you are using your abs. They can be worked by using a stability ball and by using the weight of the body alone.
Planks
Planks are an intense body weight exercise that doesn't require movement. Lie on your stomach on the floor with your hands directly under your shoulders. Push yourself up in the air until your arms are straight. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds and release. When you do these, make sure your back is straight and your toes are on the ground. If this is too intense, do a modified plank by placing your forearms on the ground. If this is still too difficult, place your knees on the ground as well. You can also make this exercise more intense by placing your hands on a stability ball.
Crunches
Crunches are one of the most basic yet effective ab exercises. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Place your hands on the sides of your head and lift your shoulders and head off the ground slightly by contracting your abdominal muscles. Squeeze at the top for a second, then slowly lower yourself back down. To make these more challenging, use a stability ball. Do them the same way as on the ground except place the ball under your lower back.
Leg Lifts
Leg lifts put more focus on the lower abs. To do these, lie on your back with your legs straight in front of you and your hands placed under your tailbone to take pressure off your lower back. Lift your legs about 4 inches off the floor. From there, lift them up in the air until the bottom of your feet are parallel to the ceiling. Slowly lower to the starting point and repeat.
Scissor leg lifts are a more intense variation. Start in the same position with your feet about 4 inches off the floor. Alternate lifting one leg and lowering the other in a scissor fashion. These are also called "flutter kicks."
Side Crunches
Side crunches are done on a stability ball and focus on the obliques. Lie on the ball sideways so it is right around the area of your hips. Place your feet against a wall for leverage. Place your hands on the sides of your head and lower your body laterally over the ball. Lift yourself back up by engaging your oblique muscles.
Pull-ins
Abdominal pull-ins also go by the name "jackknifes." To do these, place your toes on the ball and your hands on the floor. Your body should be in a straight line with your back straight. Pull your knees in toward your chest by contracting your abs, then straighten your legs back out to the starting position. If this is too intense, place your shins on the ball instead of your toes.
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