Admit it:you're probably not good at chaining a series of 50 abs, right now...
Don't panic, there are other solutions to strengthen your abs easily.
What is important is not to have steel "chocolate bars" but to build enough muscle in them to strengthen your spine.
This keeps your chest and back straight, which relieves your back pain.
Haven't done any sport in a while?
That's good, because these exercises are simple , suitable for beginners and in addition, they will considerably improve your sense of balance .
Do you think that without an expensive weight machine, you can't build your abs? Think again!
Here is an abs program for beginners man or woman to do at home.
It's a little abs for dummies. But rest assured, they are easy, quick and effective.
If you follow the program, you will quickly have a flat and muscular stomach.
Discover 6 simple exercises that require no equipment .
Follow the videos and instructions to see how to do it and thus bring more variety to your muscle building sessions:
Muscles targeted by exercise: abs, hamstrings, glutes and shoulders.
Let's face it:abdominal muscles don't get stronger overnight.
When you are a beginner, it is essential to strengthen your core muscles. Here is the perfect exercise for beginners:
- Get on all fours:your hands are placed directly below your shoulders. Your hips are perfectly aligned with your knees. This is the initial position.
- Raise your right hand and extend your right arm in front of you, level with your shoulders.
- At the same time, lift your left leg and extend it, straight behind you.
Note: Your whole body should form a straight line, from your fingertips to your toes.
- Tuck your left leg and right arm under your body, until your knee and elbow touch.
- Then extend your left leg and right arm again, in one motion.
- Return to the initial position.
- Repeat these movements, but on the other side of your body (left arm and right leg).
- Do 5 repetitions of this exercise, for each side of the body.
Alternative method: Is this exercise too difficult for you? Eliminate the folding leg and arm step. Limit yourself to a simple extension of the arm and leg. And try to maintain this position for 3 seconds on each side.
Muscles targeted by exercise: oblique muscles, muscles related to rotation.
Are “traditional” sit-ups too hard and hurting you?
Here is a variation more suitable for beginners:
- Stand in a standing position with your feet below your hips and your hands behind your head.
- Contract your trunk muscles, keep your back straight and relax your shoulders:this is the starting position.
- Raise your right leg and lower your left arm in one motion, until knee and elbow touch.
- Return to the initial position.
- Repeat the same movement, but on the other side (left leg and right arm).
- Do 5 repetitions of this exercise, for each side of the body.
Muscles targeted by exercise: Abs, hamstrings.
This exercise may look easy, but don't be fooled by appearances!
Even people who train regularly will feel their muscles working after only a few repetitions of this exercise:
- On the floor, assume a seated position with your legs extended in front of you.
- Contract the abdominal and core muscles. Lean back slightly. Your hands are placed next to your buttocks.
- Take a deep breath and raise one leg 15cm off the ground.
- Hold your leg elevated, for 5 seconds.
- Alternate the lifts between your right leg and your left leg.
- Continue these movements for 1 min, followed by a break of 20 s.
- Do 5 sets of 1 min of this exercise.
Muscles targeted by exercise: abs, hip flexors (depending on range of motion).
The sit-up is the standard exercise for strengthening the abs.
But if not performed correctly, this exercise can cause serious pain.
Here is the correct way to perform this exercise:
- Take a seated position on the ground:your legs are bent, your heels are touching the floor and your hands are behind your head.
Your shoulders should be completely relaxed. This is what will help you avoid neck pain.
- Without raising your feet, lie down until your back is flat on the floor.
- Straighten your upper body.
- Repeat this movement for 1 min, followed by a break of 20 s.
- Do 5 sets of 1 min of this exercise.
The alternative method: If your abdominal muscles are not yet strong enough for this exercise, there is a variation for beginners. Try to lean back as far as possible — even if your back is off the ground. Then, try to improve with each training session, until you can hit the ground without too much effort.
Muscles targeted by exercise: Oblique muscles, muscles related to rotation.
- Take the same initial position as the sit-up exercise:knees bent, heels on the floor and hands behind your head.
- In a single rotational motion, raise the right knee and lower the left elbow, until they touch.
- Return to the initial position.
- Complete the movement on the other side, with the left knee and the right elbow.
- Continue these movements for 1 min, followed by a break of 20 s.
- Do 5 sets of 1 min of this exercise.
Note: This exercise is even more demanding than the sit-up. If these moves are too difficult for you, keep doing sit-ups.
Muscles targeted by exercise: lower abs, gluteal muscles.
Alright, are you still holding on? :-)
So let's go for the last exercise, that of the spider-man!
- Get into a plank position. The arms are stretched in the axis of your shoulders, the legs extended backwards and the tips of the feet on the ground.
Make sure your body forms a straight line.
- Bend your right leg and bring the knee up to the level of the right elbow.
- Return to the initial position.
- Perform the same movement on the other side of the body (left knee to left elbow).
- Do 5 repetitions of this exercise, on each side of the body.
Alternative method: Is this exercise too strenuous for you? Just try to hold the plank position for 30 seconds, followed by a short break. Repeat this movement 3 times. And if it hurts your wrists too much, you can also put your elbows on the ground (instead of your hands).
There you go, now you know 6 simple exercises to tone your stomach! :-)
Have you tried these exercises? Do you find them quite easy? Tell us in the comments. We can't wait to read you :-)
