There are many effective standing abdominal exercises you can do without fitness equipment. You can do these strength-training exercises at home, when you travel, even perhaps at work. The Centers for Disease Control recommend that healthy adults do eight to 12 repetitions for each strength-training exercise.
Forward Lunge
The forward lunge tones your abdominal muscles as well as your butt, thighs and calves. Stand with your feet together and your arms relaxed at your sides to get in to the starting position. Look forward and take a big, but controlled, step forward with your right foot. Land softly and bend your knee as far as 90 degrees. In the downward phase, your right foot should be flat on the floor and only the toes of your left foot touch the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat on your left side to complete one repetition.
Squats
Squats strengthen your abdominal muscles along with your butt, inner thighs and calves. Stand with your feet a bit wider than hip-width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides to get into the starting position. Slowly lower you body into a squat by leaning back slightly and bending your knees up to 90 degrees. Return to the starting position and you have completed one repetition.
Standing Leg Extension
The standing leg extension targets your abdominal muscles as well as your thighs, back, butt and inner thighs. Place your feet hip-width apart and relax your arms at your sides, or hold onto the back of a chair for balance, to get into the starting position. Lift your right foot out to your right side, as high as your comfort level allows without moving your torso. Slowly return your right foot to the starting position to complete one repetition. Finish the reps on your right side before switching to the left to finish one set.
Tree Pose
The tree pose from yoga is a balancing pose that tones your abs, glutes, thighs and calves. Balancing poses tone your core muscles, a muscle group that includes your abdominals. Stand at the front of your mat with erect posture. Step your feet together, rest your arms at your sides and gaze forward. Shift your weight onto your right foot and lift your left foot off the mat. Place the sole of your left foot on your right inner thigh with your heel as close to your perineum as comfortably possible. Place your hands in prayer position in front of your sternum and take three to six deep breaths. Return to the proper starting position and repeat on the other side.
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