Abdominal muscles along with back muscles make up the body's core. Stability, balance and strength are related to how strong the body's core muscles are. A strong core reduces back pain, keeps the body upright and supports movement. Expensive equipment is not necessary to reap the benefits of abdominal exercises. Numerous abdominal strengthening exercises require no equipment at all.
Plank
Position your body in a pushup stance with your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your body raised off the floor. Contract your abs, keeping your back straight and in alignment with your head. Hold this position for 30 seconds to begin, then longer as your strength increases.
Abdominal Hold
Sit on a straight-backed sturdy wooden chair with your palms on the seat, fingers facing forward. Tightening your abs, lift your feet 2 to 3 inches off the ground while raising your rear off the chair. Hold this challenging position for as long as possible, relax and repeat for one minute or up to 10 repetitions.
Squat Thrust
Extend your arms straight in front of you with your feet shoulder-width apart. This exercise incorporates a torso twist with a standard squat. Twist your upper body at the waist to one side while lowering yourself into a squat position. Knees are at a 90-degree angle and not extending past the toes. Toes are pointed forward, and the movement feels similar to sitting into a chair. Torso moves back to start position as you stand back up. Twist to the opposite side as you repeat the squat. Complete 10 repetitions on each side.
The Hundred
Lie on a mat with your knees bent and arms facing down at your sides. Extend your legs straight out, and lift them to a 45-degree angle, tucking your chin in towards your chest. Raise your head and shoulders off the mat while engaging your abs. Keeping your arms straight, raise them about 6 inches off the ground and quickly pump them up and down as you reach forward. Keep your low back on the floor. Complete 100 arm pumps.
Single-Leg Stretch
Lie on your back with knees bent. Raise shoulders and head off the mat, and tuck your chin into the chest. Bring the left knee into the chest grasping the ankle with the left hand and the knee with the right hand. Extend right leg out at 45-degree angle. Keep your abs engaged. Switch legs, repeating the exercise 10 times on both sides. The upper back and neck stay raised off the mat throughout the entire exercise.
Trunk Curl
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Arms are crossed over the chest and your eyes are looking towards the ceiling. Curl your torso up until your shoulders come slightly off the ground. Hold the position for a count of five, and return to start position. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
Segmental Rotation
Lie comfortably on your back with the spine in a neutral position. Bend knees, placing feet flat on the ground. With shoulders remaining on the ground and abdominal muscles tightened, let your knees drop slowly to the right as far as you can. Rotate both knees back to the middle, then drop them to the left side. Complete 10 repetitions on each side.
Bridge
Lie on your back in a comfortable position with the knees bent. The feet are flat on the ground and shoulder-width apart. Engage the abdominal muscles as you lift your hips off the floor, keeping your upper back on the floor, until a straight line from the knees to the shoulders is formed. Hold this pose for three seconds, return to the start position and repeat 10 times.
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