Most girls want slim, toned abdominal muscles. Exercises that work for a male's abdominal muscles, work for female's abdominal muscles as well. One difference noted by the American Council on Exercise is that girls are hesitant to use weights for fear of becoming bulky, but this is not possible because of a girl's lack of testosterone. However, there are several weight-free exercises that work out the lower abdominals, if this is still a concern for you.
Step 1
Do lying leg raises. Lie face-up on your yoga mat and extend your legs through the balls of your feet. Place your hands palms down under your butt. With your legs together, use your lower abdominal muscles to lift your legs off the floor to a 45-degree angle. Hold for a moment, then slowly lower your legs back down, as close as you can get to the floor without your back lifting up off the floor. Do 10 to 25 repetitions.
Step 2
Do planks. Get down into a pushup position with wrist and elbows in line directly under your shoulders. Make sure your body is in line from your head, through your torso and legs. Now touch, but do not rest, your knees to the floor to really target your lower abdominal muscles. Hold for 30 seconds, and build up to one minute.
Step 3
Do single leg stands. Stand up straight, with your ears, shoulders, hips and ankles aligned. Pull your shoulders down and back slightly. Use your abdominal muscles to lift one knee so that your thigh is parallel to the floor. Try to hold this position for 15 seconds. Repeat this movement with your other knee. To make this more advanced, extend your foot out so that the whole leg is parallel to the floor. Do 10 to 25 repetitions on each leg.
Step 4
Do crunches. Lie on your back, with knees lifted so that the feet are flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your head, and rest your head into your hands to help prevent neck strain. Now, use your lower abdominal muscles to lift your shoulders and head off the ground. Hold this position for a second and lower back down. Do 10 to 25 repetitions.
Step 5
Do one to three sets of lower abdominal exercises. Allow your abdominals to rest for one to two days. The American Council on Exercise says that this group of muscles needs to rest, repair and rebuild.
Tips and Warnings
- Do exercise your back so that you aren't hunched over from the imbalance of tight abdominal muscles and loose back muscles.
- Consult your health-care provider before making major changes to your exercise routine.
Things You'll Need
- Yoga mat
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