There are so many ab exercises that even if you are familiar with basic exercises, such as the crunch, sit-up and plank, you have barely hit the tip of the iceberg. To tighten your abs, you should try some serious exercises using balance trainers and additional weights. Stability balls add an element of instability to your ab workouts, which will require more abdominal tightening to complete the exercises. Holding a medicine ball or other free weight during exercise will increase the challenge for your abs as well. Perform ab exercises three or more days a week for tighter abs.
Medicine Ball Woodchoppers
The medicine ball woodchoppers exercise works the sides of the abs, called your obliques, and the front muscles of the abs. The transverse abdominis muscle wraps around the front of the stomach and stabilizes your body. This muscle will become tighter as it is forced to stabilize your body while you are sitting on a stability ball and lifting a medicine ball.
Sit on the stability ball with your knees bent at right-angles and your feet on the floor. Then, holding a medicine ball next to your left hip with your arms straight, raise the medicine ball diagonally across your body toward your right shoulder. Lowering the ball back to your hip finishes one rep on this side. Perform an equal number of reps on the opposite side.
Crunches with Legs on a Ball
Doing crunches with your legs on a stability ball will work your rectus abdominis muscle as you crunch off the floor and will engage your transverse abdominis to stabilize your lower body so the ball doesn't roll away. The rectus abdominis is the "six-pack" muscle. You can hold a medicine ball or exercise plate on your chest to add work for your rectus abdominis.
Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your heels on a stability ball. Use your hands to hold a weight on your chest or bend your elbows and place your hands behind your head. Once you are in the starting position, all you have to do is squeeze your abs and lift your head and shoulders up off the floor. Lie back down to complete the rep.
Stability Ball Shoulder Bridge
The stability ball shoulder bridge puts a significant strain on your abs as they work to hold your body in place while balancing on a ball with your hips in the air and lifting one leg at a time into the air. You can add ankle weights to make this even more challenging.
Perform this exercise by lying on your back with your legs straight and your heels on the ball. Place your arms on the floor at your sides for balance, or raise them toward the ceiling to make more work for your abs. Lift your hips up into the air and raise one leg a few inches off the ball. Return your foot to the ball and your hips to the floor to finish one rep. Alternate the leg that you lift each time you raise your hips. Keep your head and shoulders in contact with the floor the entire time.
Member Comments