No matter if you are training for weight loss, sports performance or muscle gain, performing ab exercises has a variety of benefits. According to strength coach Keith Scott, strong abs, or core muscles, help support and stabilize your spine, reduce your risk of injuries and make you stronger. You don't need lots of equipment. You can get results by training your abs three times a week in your room.
Plank
One of the main roles of your abs is to stabilize your entire midsection, so start your ab workout with a stabilization exercise. Lie on the floor and support yourself using your forearms and feet. Suck in your stomach and tense your abs while holding your torso and hips in a straight line. Don't arch your lower back. Hold the position as long as you can with proper technique. Perform three maximum holds and try for a longer cumulative time every session.
Reverse Crunch
Reverse crunches effectively target your abdominal flexor muscles. Lie on your back with your entire upper body on the floor and your legs held straight in front of you. Raise your heels 1 to 2 inches off the floor and bring your knees in toward your upper body by squeezing your abs. Lift your hips off the floor slightly to extend your range of motion, pause for a second and extend your legs again. Aim for three sets of 12 repetitions and gradually increase your range of motion to make the exercise more difficult.
Curlups
While regular situps and crunches are popular ab exercises, according to spine specialist Dr. Stuart McGill, author of "Low Back Disorders," they can be detrimental to your spinal health. Instead, try curlups. Lie on your back with one leg straight and the other bent. Place your hands under your lower back to ensure you don't arch your spine too much, then lift your head and shoulders off the floor. Do this movement slowly and with control. Do eight reps, switch leg positions and do eight more reps. Do this four times.
Side Plank
The side plank is similar to the regular plank, but places more emphasis on the oblique muscles at the sides of your core. Lie down and place one forearm on the floor with one foot on top of the other. Push yourself up and try to get your hips as far away from the floor as possible. Hold for as long as you can, switch sides and repeat. Do two maximum holds. To make this exercise more difficult, you can try lifting your nonweight-supporting arm and leg as high as you can.
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