Want to look like Cristiano Ronaldo this summer? We asked some of the
country's best trainers to share their favorite abs exercises to get
there.
The recipe for six-pack abs isn’t all that complicated: Crank out an abs workout, eat a nutrient-rich diet, and consume fewer late-night pizzas in a single sitting. The undisputed holy grail of men’s fitness is good for more than just an extra boost of confidence whenever you have cause to peel off your shirt, too. “The best way to avoid injury, whether in the gym, at home, or at the workplace, is by building a strong core,” says Edwin Wealth, NASM-CPT and trainer at Equinox. Want to do yoga better? Run faster? Squat heavier? Carry the groceries without wincing? It all begins with your core.
But alas, this process doesn’t happen overnight. And by now, the washboard abs industrial complex has produced such a dizzying volume of exercises, tricks, and gizmos promising to transform your midsection into a Hemsworth brother’s midsection that even after you’ve settled on a strategy, it’s hard not to wonder whether all that diligence and discipline is really making a difference.
Knee-In Crunch
Sit
on a mat by laying your legs straight on the floor and keeping your
half body at a 90-degree angle from the floor. Support your upper body
with your hands. Now bend your legs at the knee and move them closer to
your chest. Move your upper body also a bit forward to bring it closer
to your knees. Your knees must touch your chest. Keep on doing the
exercise for at least 15 reps.
Bicycle Crunch
To
do a bicycle crunch, lie on your back and keep your body straight. Put
both your hands on the back of your head. Lift both of your legs a bit
higher from the floor and bend your left knee. Make your left knee touch
your right elbow by bringing the knee and the elbow closer. Now let the
left knee and the right elbow go back to their original position and
bring your right knee and left elbow closer. Make sure you breathe
properly while you do the exercise. Continue to do the exercise just
like you pedal a bicycle. Do at least 15 reps.
High Knees
High
knees exercise will get your heart pumping while it will strengthen
your legs. Stand straight with the hip-width distance between your legs.
Bend your left leg by your knee and lift it upwards in the air as high
as you can. Now lower your left leg and do the same with your right leg.
Bend it at the knee and raise it higher as much as you can. Lower your
leg. You will have to do the exercise quite quickly. Take the help of
your hand and keep your palm near your stomach parallel to the floor to
ensure that your knee is raised higher. Do this exercise up to 15 reps.
Mountain Climber
To do this best ab workout without equipment,
get down on the floor on your hands and knees. Balance your body on
your toes and palms. Lift one foot bend it by the knee and bring it
closer to your chest. Try to make your knee touch the top of your chest.
Bring your foot back to its previous position and do the same with your
other foot. This will complete one set. Do at least 15 reps. You must
do the exercise as fast as you can.
Hollow Body Hold
To
do this exercise, lie on the floor in a straight position. Keep your
hands by your side. Raise your legs and your shoulder blades off the
floor. Do not take help from any other source other than your abs. Make
your abs feel the strain. This will get them worked up. Keep your legs and shoulder
in the air for almost 30 sec. After that, you may relax and bring your
body to its original position. But you must repeat the exercise again.
Do it up to 15 reps.
Boat Pose
This is a very effective no equipment ab workout.
You must sit on the floor. Your upper body must be perpendicular to the
floor while your legs must be parallel to the floor. Lift your legs by
leaning back slightly. Your legs must be at an angle of 45 degrees from
the floor. Keep your legs straight. Stretch out your hands and keep them
parallel to the floor. Stay in the position for 30 seconds and then
relax your body. Repeat the exercise 15 times.
These best ab workout without equipment will help you in toning your abs. Try to do these exercises consistently and reap its miraculous benefits.
Want
to look like Cristiano Ronaldo this summer? We asked some of the
country's best trainers to share their favorite abs exercises to get
there.
The recipe for six-pack abs isn’t all that complicated: Crank out an abs workout, eat a nutrient-rich diet, and consume fewer late-night pizzas
in a single sitting. The undisputed holy grail of men’s fitness is good
for more than just an extra boost of confidence whenever you have cause
to peel off your shirt, too. “The best way to avoid injury, whether in
the gym, at home, or at the workplace, is by building a strong core,”
says Edwin Wealth, NASM-CPT and trainer at Equinox. Want to do yoga better? Run faster? Squat heavier? Carry the groceries without wincing? It all begins with your core.
But alas, this process doesn’t happen overnight. And by now, the washboard abs industrial complex has produced such a dizzying volume of exercises, tricks,
and gizmos promising to transform your midsection into a Hemsworth
brother’s midsection that even after you’ve settled on a strategy, it’s
hard not to wonder whether all that diligence and discipline is really
making a difference.
Good news: Thanks
to some of the best trainers in the country, we’re going to help you
out. Below are their favorite abs exercises, along with a few pro tips
to ensure that you’re executing each one perfectly. Incorporate them à
la carte into your existing routine—or, if you’re feeling ambitious,
turn all six into an abs workout circuit. Try two sets of each movement,
resting for 30 seconds between each set.
7. Hardstyle plank
Do it:
Lying face down on the ground, prop yourself up into a forearm plank
position. Make sure your elbows are aligned underneath your shoulders,
and that your hands are balled up in fists. Your forearms should be
parallel to one another. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds per set.
Trainer tip:
You know planks, right? It’s easy to go through the motions here. Don’t
do it. “The key is to squeeze your entire body—quads, glutes, core,
back, and fists—as tight as possible while taking diaphoretic breathes
throughout the hold,” says Wealth. No matter how many times you’ve done
it, this exercise is as difficult as you’re willing to make it.
