To get beach-worthy abs for bikini season, focus on exercises that target multiple abdominal muscles and use your abs for balance and stability. Incorporating planks, V-ups, exercise ball jackknifes and medicine ball twists into your routine can help you achieve flat, toned abs. Combine your abdominal workouts with regular cardiovascular exercise and a healthy diet to see best results. Perform your abdominal workout at least three times a week to reveal toned abs when you hit the beach.
Planks
The plank is a tried and true move to work multiple abdominal muscles and tone your midsection quickly. To begin, get into a push-up position on your exercise mat. Place your wrists directly under your shoulders and keep your back flat and not arched. Hold this position for at least 30 seconds. To make the move more difficult, hold the plank position for longer periods or perform alternating arm or leg raises while holding the plank.
V-Ups
The V-Up is a difficult Pilates move that works to tone the midsection and improve your balance at the same time. Begin by lying on your exercise mat with your arms over your head. Next, contract the abdominal muscles and bring your upper body and lower body off the mat and up toward the ceiling. Reach your fingertips toward your toes. From head to toe, your body should form a V shape. For a greater challenge, circle your arms while in the position. Hold the V-up for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat five times.
Exercise Ball Jackknifes
This advanced move targets multiple core muscles while forcing you to use your abdominal muscles for stability, according to Craig Ballantyne, CSCS. Get into a push-up position with your feet resting on top of an exercise ball to begin. Raise your hips and use your abs to pull the ball in, toward your chest. Extend your legs back into starting position. Repeat 15 times.
Medicine Ball Twists
The medicine ball twist is an effective move to work the oblique muscles and the lower abdominal muscles. To begin, sit on an exercise mat and hold a medicine ball or dumbbell with both hands. With your knees bent, lift your feet a few inches off of the mat and lean back with your upper body. Hold this position as you slowly twist to your right, return to center, twist to your left and return to the center in one fluid movement. Repeat 15 times.
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