Countless exercises exist for training the abdominal muscles, and more are being devised every time a new training apparatus is invented. Resistance bands are convenient because they allow you to perform many ab exercises in the comfort of your home, exercises that would normally require heavy equipment. Furthermore, because of their remarkable versatility, many high-quality abdominal exercises have been developed specifically for resistance bands.
Russian Twist
Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you, knees bent, feet together and heels on the ground. Wrap a resistance band around the soles of your sneakers and grasp the ends, one end in each hand. Clasp your hands -- and the ends of the band -- together. Lean back 45 degrees and lift your hands to eye-level. Twist your torso to the left, pulling the band down and past your left hip. Return to the starting position and repeat to the right side.
Elastic Teaser
Lie on your back with a resistance band wrapped around the soles of your sneakers. Hold one end of the band in each hand and keep your arms by your sides. Pull slightly on the ends of the band, lifting your legs 45 degrees in the air. Simultaneously crunch your abdominal muscles, lifting your shoulder blades 45 degrees off of the floor. Pause briefly in this position, and then slowly lower your torso and legs down to the starting position. Repeat until failure.
Standing Rotation
Stand sideways to a band attached to a secure surface beside you, slightly below chest-height. Stand with your feet at hip-width and hold the end of the band with both hands close to your torso. Your elbows should be close to your sides. Exhale and rotate your torso away from the band anchor. Avoid leaning and keep your head, chest and torso in line. Pause briefly at the end of the twist, and then slowly twist back to the starting position. Repeat until failure, and then perform a set facing the opposite direction.
Kneeling Ab Crunch
Attach the center of a resistance band to a secure object at approximately head height. Grasp the ends with both hands, and kneel down. Hold the ends of the band near the top of your forehead. Brace your core, exhale and curl your abdomen, lowering your head toward your pelvis. Pause at the bottom for one to three seconds, then slowly raise your torso back to the starting position. Repeat until failure.
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