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Your body as a whole could be long and lanky, or you could be round and short, but either way, if your core isn’t strong, you could be nursing a pudge that just won’t go away, no matter the size of the rest of your body. It’s that little bit of meat sitting at the front of your stomach, protruding over your favorite pair of jeans or making an appearance through that skintight dress you wanted to stunt in for your birthday. Wherever it shows up and shows out, it’s safe to say that the extra belly fat is quite the nuisance. And simply doing a massive amount of cardio without focusing on doing core work won’t get that area together. So, as someone trying to zap that last bit of pudge so I can wear crop tops Monday through Saturday once the weather gets above 75, here are five abs workouts that I “love” that you should try integrating into your routine. Three sets of 12 go a long way for each of these exercises.
Suitcases
Nike Training Camp calls this fancy sit-up a “suitcase,” but I call it pure struggle. Still, a suitcase is a wonderful way to get working on the rectus abdomini. Get on your back and set yourself up as though you’re going to do a traditional sit-up. Set a weighted slam ball or medicine ball in between your legs (between 10-15 is a good start). With your arms bent at the elbow and your hands by your ears, proceed to raise your torso and bend your knees toward your chest.
Side Plank Reverse Fly
I find that you feel the burn most when you’re tired and working out while doing side planks. And both oblique and rectus abdominal burn lets you know you’re working hard. To start, line your wrist right up under your shoulder (start on any side you want), stack one foot on top of the other, and with a barbell in the opposite hand (between 5 and 12 pounds is a good start), lift it all the way up before bringing it back across the chest. Ensure that you don’t twist your body when you bring the arm down, and keep your core lifted high to really feel all the burn and get the most out of this workout.
Stability Ball Knee Tucks
Follow Serena Williams’s lead and lift and tuck. You can start on your knees like the tennis star or get on all fours. With the ball under you, pull your body forward until it rolls from under your abs to right under your thighs or right on your knees. Once you are fully stable on the ball with your hands on the floor and your knees on the ball, tuck your knees, with the ball right under them, towards your chest. Keep your elbows straight and your shoulders right over your wrists. Keep your knees under your hips, your hips high, and your shins on top of the ball. Once you’ve done one full set, straighten your legs and roll the ball back, heading back to your starting position for a quick breather.
V-Ups
The V-up can either be done with elbows on the ground behind your back, or hands out to the side by your hips. Sit upright with your knees tucked into your chest and your feet off of the floor. When ready, extend your legs out in front of you and your upper body backward toward the ground at the same time. Keep legs low, but off of the ground the entire time. Crunch back into position (a.k.a., bring your legs and back upward) and repeat!
Lying Leg Raise
Probably the easiest of all these exercises to execute, but one tough cookie, the lying leg raise is all about building up that core strength. Lie down on the floor (or try a bench) with your arms underneath your backside, palms facing upward on your glutes. Slowly raise your legs up, perpendicular to the floor, and then slowly lower them back into the starting position.
