10 Exercises Aimed For Your Stomach
With 2020 quarantine continuing to push on, I think it is safe to say, we’ve all been loosening up when it comes to staying on our workout routines and eating. I hate to say it, but I’ve gained some weight since all of this has started. But, I have looked at the mirror and sighed the last time. And I am going to first start on stomach exercises.
If you are feeling it too and are looking for exercises that aim for the tummy, I have looked up ten stomach exercises and am going to walk you through them! Enough with the negatives of this quarantine, now is the time to get some motivation and get to work!
Stretching
First and foremost, you need to make sure you stretch before and after all workouts. If you do not, you are going to wake up to nasty muscle pain that will feel like you cannot use your limbs, and or, you could pull something and that hurts even worst.
Before your workouts, stretch your arms and legs. Then, after stretching, start doing a few warm-up exercises to get your body ready for the real deal. It is good to get the main muscles warmed up, so do five to ten push-ups, five to ten squats, and for these stomach exercises, in particular, do five to ten sit-ups.
1. V Ups
Up first for stomach exercises is the V ups. This stomach exercise works external obliques and obliques, as well as, your rectus abdominus. V ups help strengthen your core muscles while also giving you core and bottom balance. Don’t feel bad if you cannot get more than ten or twelve V ups as they are a difficult stomach exercise.
To do a successful V up, lay down on the ground with your arms straight up above your head. In one movement, pull your legs and arms together while lifting up off the ground. Your body will be making the v shape. Make sure your legs and arms stay straight with each repetition.
2. Mountain Climbers
These stomach exercises are great because they not only work your stomach muscles, but they also work your leg and arm muscles and many of your joints. They specifically target your triceps, abs, deltoids, hamstrings, hips, and butt.
For these stomach exercises, you will want to get in the push-up position with your feet and hands shoulder-width apart. You will bring your left leg up to your right arm, and then back. Then, you will bring your right leg up to your left arm, and back. Make sure you do each repetition at a consistent speed and rhythm.
3. Bicycle Crunch
One of the best stomach exercises is the bicycle crunch. With this stomach exercise, you will be working out the rectus abdominus, hip, and oblique muscles. By keeping your legs off the ground you will be targeting your lower abs and with the twisting movement, you will be targeting your obliques.
This movement requires you to lay on the ground and bring your hands up behind your head. Bring your left knee up to meet your right elbow, and then your right knee to your left elbow. Make sure to remember to keep your legs up off the ground.
To make things a little more difficult for these stomach exercises, use a Bosu ball while doing the movement. This will create instability and force you to use your core muscles to stay balanced while also working them.
4. Flutter Kicks
Flutter kicks start off easy, but only get harder the longer you do them. These stomach exercises focus on the lower rectus abdominus and the hip flexors. To make sure you are really getting your core muscles, keep your legs off the floor.
Lay flat on the grown. I usually have to sit on my hands so that I don’t use them to try and pull my legs up. But bring one leg up at a time while keeping your back on the ground.
5. Planks
Planks suck so much, but they are one of the best stomach exercises. They work not only your core muscles but your arm and back muscles as well. This is the kind of exercise that you can increase your time with as you keep doing this movement. Like many other skills, with practice, you can stay in this position for a long time.
Move into a push-up position, but lower your arms so you are on your elbows. Then, hold that position for a certain amount of time. A good place to start off is thirty seconds and then take a rest. Make sure to keep your head up. That is the hardest part.
6. Side Squat Reach
These stomach exercises are actually kind of fun. They work your obliques the most as you twist to each side. You will also be working your glutes and outer thighs so toned butt maybe…?
For these stomach exercises, you will want to stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Point your arms straight above your head to the right. Then, bring yourself down into a squat, making sure your back is straight and your knees do not go over your toes. Twist your body to the left and bring your arms down to the left. Do this movement for both sides of your body.
7. Russian Twists
Russian twists are very similar to bicycle crunches, but I do think these stomach exercises are a little harder. For this exercise, you are working multiple core muscles as well as your back and your leg muscles. These stomach exercises also help you practice balance.
To do this exercise right, bring your body to a v shape while sitting on the ground. Your back should be off the ground, but not 90 degrees. Keep your legs off the ground. Then start to twist your body from left to right. Keep a steady pace while you do this movement. It becomes very difficult after just a few twists.
8. Reverse Dumbbell Chop
Stomach exercises that work other muscles as well are actually the best. This movement is not as difficult as the other stomach exercises, but it still works your core, arm, and leg muscles. To do this movement right, you will want to stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in both of your hands and keep your arms stretched out in front of you.
Keeping your back straight and clenching your core muscles, bend your knees, and twist to the left, bring the dumbbell down to the left point towards the ground. This is the first movement. The next movement will be twisting to the right.
9. Reverse Crunch
Reverse crunches work all of the stomach muscles, making it one of the best stomach exercises. The secondary muscles that it reaches are the obliques and the transverse abdominus which is the deepest abdominal muscle that helps with stability for the spine and core.
For these stomach exercises, lay down on the ground and bring your legs up, bent at the knee to a 90-degree angle. Then, raise your legs up into the air that will result in your butt and lower back raising in the air. Keep your arms straight at your sides.
10. Supermans
This is another one of those stomach exercises that work muscles other than your core muscles. They also work your upper and lower back muscles, your hamstrings, and many of the core muscles that are worked while doing sit-ups and leg raises.
To do these stomach exercises, lay on the ground on your stomach. Keep your arms straight above your head with your palms to the sky. Then, raise your arms and legs a couple of inches off the ground and hold for a certain amount of time. For beginners, I suggest thirty seconds. Increase time as you continue this movement.
