Abdominal exercises

abdominal workout routines:
Choose an abdominal workout exercise that you wish to perform,

This exercise helps develop core strength and both spinal strength and stability, as well as working the muscles that retract the shoulder blade retractors and the gluteals.
1 Kneel on all fours with your knees under your hips and hip-distance apart and put your hands on the floor a shoulder-width apart under your shoulders. Put your spine into the neutral position. Activate your core by drawing your abdominal muscles back toward your spine.
2 Without any sideways movement and keeping your abdomen pulled in, exhale and slowly raise an opposite arm and leg until they are parallel to the floor - be careful to follow the tempo you have set.
3 Inhale and slowly return your arm and leg to the starting position.
4 Repeat for the desired number of reps, then repeat the exercise using the other arm and leg.


Prone Cobra

This exercise helps develop the strength of the spinal muscles and the muscles that retract the shoulder blades, and also improves spinal mobility - it is a useful exercise for anyone who sits at a desk for long periods.
1 Lie face down on the floor with your arms beside your hips and your palms facing up. Activate your core muscles by drawing your abdominals toward your spine and squeezing your gluteals.

2 Slowly exhale and lift your chest off the floor and your arms up and backward toward your hips. Rotate your thumbs toward the ceiling as you carry out the movement.

3 Pause at the top of the movement for two seconds, then return to the start position.


Reverse Crunch



1 Lie on your back on the floor and raise your head and upper shoulders off the mat slightly. Lace your fingers from both hands together behind your inclined head for support while keeping your elbows wide apart. Do NOT bend your head toward your chest, keep it perpendicular to your torso but bend your knees 90 degrees, and raise your feet 1-2 inches off of the floor.

2 Then, lift your knees in a smooth arc toward your head while keeping everything else as still as possible. Once your knees are directly above your upper abdomen, pause, contract the abs, and then lower your feet back down slowly in reverse. Do not let them touch the floor though and ensure you continue to maintain tension in your abdominal muscles.


Crunch Twist



1 Lie on your back on the floor and raise your head and upper shoulders off the mat slightly. Lace your fingers from both hands together behind your inclined head for support while keeping your elbows wide apart. Do NOT bend your head toward your chest, keep it perpendicular to your torso but bend your knees 90 degrees, and raise your feet 1-2 inches off of the floor.

2 While twisting your torso to the left so that your right elbow moves toward your left knee, contract your stomach muscles. Ensure that you are lifting your left shoulder off the floor. At the height of the movement, pause, then slowly return to your starting position without relaxing your muscles. Alternate between leftward and rightward twists.

Traditional Twist



1 Keep your legs straight and extend your right arm along the floor (for balance) while lying on your right side. Cup your left hand behind your head while holding your head a few inches above the floor with your elbow pointing toward the ceiling, as shown. Remember to keep your head still (do not bend it toward your feet) throughout the movement phase.

2 Contract your stomach muscles so that your upper torso curls toward your knees. Then, raise your shoulders off the floor but ensure that your lower back is flat against the floor. Prohibit placing stress on your neck by not pulling your head toward your chest using your hands. Instead, keep your head fixed perpendicular to your upper torso throughout the movement.

3 When you have reached the full phase of contraction, briefly pause and return to the starting position without letting your abdominal muscles to completely relax.