The Mayo Clinic says that having a strong and stable core helps improve posture, reduce potential back and muscle injuries, and facilitates almost any type of movement from sports to simple household chores. Ab exercises feature prominently in any core fitness routine and, best of all, they’re perfectly suited for doing at home.
Double-leg Thrust
The double-leg thrust, sometimes known as a D-leg thrust or V-thrust, forces your abdominals to help stabilize your spine against the force of your hip flexors and help you hold your balance against gravity at the same time.
To do a basic double-leg thrust, sit down and lift both legs together, knees slightly bent. You’ll need to lean back to help keep your legs up; the weight of your torso will counterbalance the weight of your legs. Support yourself with your hands placed behind you if need be. Squeeze your abs tight to keep your lower back from flexing as you slowly extend both legs away from you–you’ll need to lean back accordingly to maintain your balance–then slowly bring both knees back in toward your chest. As you get stronger you’ll be able to balance on your hips with no help from your hands, and to extend both legs and torso further out and down without flexing your back.
Front Planks
Front planks are the quintessential isometric (holding your muscles in a static contraction, no movement) ab exercise. Isometrics strengthen your body at the particular joint angle you work to hold yourself at; in this case, you’re training your abs to help hold your body in good posture.
Assume a modified pushup position; instead of balancing on your hands and toes, bend both elbows and balance yourself on your forearms and toes. Your body should be in a straight line from head to heels. Hold this position for as long as possible.
Side Planks
Side planks are to the obliques what front planks are to the rectus abdominis, the long strap of muscle that runs down the front of your torso.
To do a side plank, bend your left elbow and rest your left forearm on the ground. Balance your body over your forearm, with your right shoulder “stacked” directly on top of your left. Your body should been in a straight line from feet to head; you may stack both feet one on top of the other and balance on the outside of your left foot, or slide one foot slightly forward and one foot slightly back, letting the edges of both feet contact the floor, if you need the extra help with balance at first. Don’t forget to repeat on the other side.
Bicycle Crunches
Bicycle crunches help work both your rectus abdominis and your obliques, the ab muscles responsible for both flexing and rotating your torso.
To do bicycle crunches, lay flat on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Place your hands to either side of your head, elbows sticking out on each side. Squeeze your abs slightly to bring your head and shoulders just off the floor, as if you were doing standard crunches, then bring your right knee and left elbow toward each other (they won’t quite touch). Lower, then repeat with the left knee and right elbow.
About this Author
Marie Mulrooney has written professionally since 2001. Her diverse background includes numerous outdoor pursuits, personal training and linguistics. She studied mathematics at the University of Alaska Anchorage and contributes regularly to various online publications. Print publication credits include national magazines, poetry awards and long-lived columns about local outdoor adventures.
