With swimsuit season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get your abs into shape. Luckily, that doesn’t mean doing hundreds of sit-ups each day. Here are some of the best ab workouts you can do quickly and pretty much anywhere.
1. Abdominal Hold
“This is the sort of move that looks so wonky, you sure hope your roommate doesn’t catch you doing it — unless she also gets to see you look stellar in a bathing suit, in which case she just may pull up a chair,” says Fitness. Here’s how to do it:
- Sit on the edge of a chair, and make yourself as tall as you can. Place your hands on the edge with your fingers pointing toward your knees.
- Now tighten your abs and bring your toes two to four inches off the floor. Lift your butt off the chair.
- Hold this position for as long as you can, aim for five to 10 seconds.
- Lower yourself down and repeat.
- Continue this exercise for one minute. It may not seem like that long, but it certainly will when you’re doing it.
2. Spiderman Plank Crunch
This exercise will hit your entire core, writes Men’s Fitness. You’re working your front and back of your abdominal area at the same time. It also requires zero equipment, so it can be done anywhere.
- Start in a traditional plank position with your forearms on the ground and your body totally straight.
- Bring your right knee forward toward your right elbow and then return to the plank position.
- Repeat by bringing your left knee toward your left elbow. You’ve officially completed one rep.
- Alternate sides for a total of 10 reps.
3. Bridge Opposite Arm-Leg Reach
According to Health, this move is guaranteed to shed inches off your waistline.
- Without moving your hips or shoulders, open your raised leg to the right and raised arm to the left. “Now, concentrating on your abs, return your raised leg and arm to the center. Do 10–12 reps, then switch sides and repeat,” Health writes.
4. Walkout From Pushup Position
This exercise involves full-body movements, while incorporating resistance to strengthen your core, Shape says.
- Start in a pushup position. Make sure your hands are two inches wider than your shoulders.
- Walk hands out as fast as possible, and then walk back. Do 10 to 12 reps.
Tip: If you want to increase the intensity of this exercise, lift one leg in the air before you walk your hands out and back.
5. Side Crunch
According to Fitness, “A deceptively difficult move, the side crunch tests your balance while it teases your oblique muscles.” Follow these steps:
- Kneel on the floor and lean all the way over to your right side, placing your right palm on the floor.
- Keep your weight balanced and slowly extend your left leg, pointing your toes.
- Place your left hand behind your head, pointing your elbow toward the ceiling.
- Now, slowly lift your leg to hip height as you extend your arm above your leg. Make sure your palm is facing forward.
- Look out over your hand while bringing the left side of your rib cage toward your hip.
- Lower to your starting position, and repeat six to eight times.
- Do two sets of six to eight reps, and switch sides.
P.S. Don’t forget the most important part of getting a sculptured midsection is doing cardio exercises — specifically interval training. Just three days per week is all you need to get rid of that layer of subcutaneous fat.
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