Abdominal Exercises for Men and Women

Having toned abdominal muscles is probably one of the most sought-after goals of exercise. This article will consider the many different exercises that will help you reach this goal, for both men and women. The abdominal region actually has two different parts to it: the lower abs and the upper abs. Let’s begin with the lower abs.

Abdominal Exercises for Men

Lower Abs:
4 times abs: Lie down on your back, and keep your hands behind your head. Now begin by lifting one leg upwards, and then lift the other leg upwards a few moments after the other leg started going up. Once they’re as high as they can go, bring them down in the same delayed sequence.

Leg Push: Lie down on the floor, facing up. Now bend you knees and bring your legs up, then push upwards with your legs and straighten them out. This is actually one of the most effective lower abdominal exercises for men in particular.

Leg up touch: Lie down on the floor, facing up. Now bring your legs up towards your torso, but keep them straight. Now keep your arms out to your sides and lift your torso upwards towards the ceiling and bring your hands together.

Corkscrew: Lie down on the floor, facing upwards but with your palms out to the side, facing downwards. Lift your legs up towards your body by bending your knees a bit, then lift your hips and your legs up and to the side. Hold this position for a minute or two and then slowly lower back down before trying the other side.

Upper Abs:
One Sided Crunch: Lie down on the floor with your feet flat on the ground and your knees completely bent. Now keep your hands on your chest and bring your torso up for a crunch but twist to one side, come back down, then twist to the other side, and repeat this sequence.

Side Bend: This exercise begins with the same position outlined in the previous one, except with the side bend you must keep your hands behind your head. Now bend yourself to one side without actually lifting your torso, then bend to the other side. Make sure you keep your lower body still as you’re doing this, the movement you’re making will not be very pronounced but you should feel the muscles that are being worked on.

Butterfly Crunch: Once again you begin in the same position as the previous exercises. This time keep your hands behind your head and spread your knees apart. Now keep your eyes fixed on the ceiling and lift your torso up towards your legs.

Supported Crunch: Begin by sitting in a chair with your feet firmly on the ground. Now hold the seat with both hands and bring your legs up without bending your back. Be careful to bring your legs up slowly and try to hold them elevated for as long as you can before letting them back down.

Abdominal Exercises for Women

V Crunch: Sit on the edge of a chair and grip the seat with your hands. Lean back until your self is at a forty-five degree angle. Now slowly contract your abs and lift your legs up towards your chest, but keep your back straight. Hold the position for awhile before slowly coming back down.

Alternate Sit Ups: Lie down on the floor and stretch out your legs and arms in opposite directions. Now lift your torso up and touch your right foot with your left hand, then slowly lower yourself back up. When you touch your foot try to hold the position for about five seconds. Alternate sides every time, and repeat the exercise about a dozen times for each side.

Abs Plank: Lie face down on the floor, and keep your hands at the sides of your chest. Your toes should be pressing on the ground as you slowly lift yourself off the floor until all your weight is on your hands and toes. Hold the position for at least five seconds before slowly lowering all the way back down and repeating again.

Leg Lifts: Lie down flat on the floor with your legs straight. Keep your hands at your sides up underneath your buttocks. Now keep your back on the ground as you lift your legs up high until they are perpendicular to the floor. Now keep your back perfectly straight as you slowly lower them back down until they are about six inches off the floor. Repeat this movement about ten times, and try to hold the positions for longer and longer. The longer you can keep your body strained in one position the more fat you will burn and the harder your abs will have to work.

Don’t forget that building muscle takes time, so do not get discouraged with your progress after just a week or two. If you keep doing these exercises regularly and keep eating well, it’s a guarantee that you’ll eventually have the abs you’ve always dreamed of having.