Calisthenics are any exercise performed using just your body weight -- no weights, machines, cables or specialized equipment. While this may initially sound easy, there are a wide variety of calisthenic exercises, ranging from very easy to seemingly impossible. Calisthenic training is one of the best ways to work your abs. All you need is your own body weight and some bars -- either in the gym, at a playground or a local park.
Reverse Crunch
Reverse crunches are a simple but effective exercise for introducing you to calisthenic ab training. Lie on the floor on your back with your legs straight out in front of you. Place your hands at your sides and tense your abdominals. Lift your legs off the floor and bring your knees in toward your chest as far as you can go while raising your glutes and hips off the floor. Straighten your legs out again slowly. Start with three sets of 10 repetitions.
Plank
Lie on your front with your forearms and knees on the floor, then lift your knees up so your body weight is supported by your forearms and feet. Keep your shoulder blades, lower back and hips in a straight line, and tense your abs to keep your position as steady as possible. This trains the stabilization function of your abdominals and is a test of core strength. Strength coach Mark Young says you should try to build up to holding the plank for two minutes before progressing to more complex exercises.
Hanging Leg Raises
Hanging leg raises are a difficult exercise with considerable benefits. You can do them two ways, depending on the apparatus available to you -- either hanging from a chinup bar or supporting yourself on parallel dip bars. Keep your body straight and still, with your legs off the ground. Squeeze your abs and lift your legs straight up in front of you. Keep a slight bend in your knee and raise them until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause for a second before lowering them again. Start with three sets of six reps and try to increase this every session.
Dragon Flags
According to Jim Smith of Diesel Crew Strength and Conditioning, dragon flags are the hardest core exercise. Do not attempt them until you have perfected the three easier exercises. Lie on your back and hold onto a sturdy support behind your head. Lift your legs, hips, lower and mid-back off the floor as high as you can at the same time, while keeping everything in a straight line. Keep going until your toes are straight up in the air, over your hips. Hold for a count of five, then go back down as slowly as possible. Start with two sets of three reps in every workout and increase the number as you improve.
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