Trying to achieve killer abs can be frustrating, especially if doing countless traditional crunches doesn’t seem to pay off. Sometimes, the problem can be that your muscles get used to certain exercises, and switching up your routine may help improve your results. Here are a few new ab workouts that you can use to tone up those abs and challenge your core!
Side-Plank Crunches:
1. Start in a side plank position, resting your body weight on one hand and positioning your other hand behind your head so that your elbow is bent.
2. Bring your bent elbow toward your other elbow, keeping your supporting arm straight and engaging your core.
3. Return to the starting position. This is one rep.
Reverse Crunches:
1. Lay on your back with your hands behind your head, your back and feet flat against the floor and your knees bent.
2. While you lift your shoulders off the floor, engaging your core, roll back slightly so that your lower back rises off the floor and your knees tuck into your chest.
3. Still engaging your core, roll back to your starting position with controlled movement. This is one rep.
For an extra challenge: Instead of rolling back to the starting position, roll back so your lower back is flat against the floor, but don’t bring your feet back to the floor. Instead, straighten your legs out in front of you, not letting your legs touch the ground.
Swinging Boat:
1. Sit on your tailbone with your knees in a tabletop position and your arms above your head.
2. Twisting your knees slightly to the side and engaging your core, lower your arms to the opposite side of your knees.
3. Return to your starting position and then repeat to the other side. This is one rep.
Standing Laterals:
This workout can be done either with or without weights.
1. Start with either both hands behind your head, or holding a weight above your head with straight arms. Your feet should be a little more than shoulder width apart.
2. Tilt your upper body to one side, making sure to keep your hips still and engage your core.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat to the other side. This is one rep.
Now that you’ve added some new ab workouts to your arsenal, grab your yoga mat and start working toward your killer core