FitnessU
Core Strengthening Seated-Ab Sequences
Directions:
- Seated abs: Sit on a mat with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Position your tailbone so you are comfortable and lean back so your core is challenged. Keep your fingers laced in front of you and do 10 little pulses back and forth for 5 sets.
- Seated abs with inhales/exhales: In the same seated position with your knees bent and feet on the ground, lean back and inhale your arms up, then exhale your arms and push up to a normal seated position. Do 10 repetitions for 5 sets.
- Seated abs with leg pulses: In the same seated position with your knees bent and feet on the ground, lean back and extend one leg straight out in front of you. Keep your arms open by your sides and hold for 20 seconds and do 3 sets. To advance, pulse your leg up and down while it is held out. Switch and repeat on the other side.
- Seated abs with elbow dips: In the same seated position with your knees bent and your feet on the ground, lean back and twist to the right so your right elbow meets the ground then switch by twisting to the left and having your left elbow meet the ground. Do 30 repetitions for 2 sets.
-Eliza, University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Ab-Crunch Variations
Directions
- Leg Pulses: In a seated position with knees bent toward ceiling, lean back into your arms and sit on the fleshy part of your derriere (above hte bones). Engage the abdominals while lifting both bent legs. Pulse your legs slightly forward, tilting toward the right. Pulse them center and pulse them tilting toward the left and back to center. Do 10 reps of four pulses: right, center, left, center. Then double pulses in the same pattern for 10 reps.
- Alternating Knee Kicks: While staying in the previous position, alternate lifting and lowering each bent leg while keeping the abs activated and arms crossed slightly in front of the chest. To heighten the intensity, wave the arms out to the same side as the leg lift and then switch to the other side. Do 15 reps on each side for a total of 30.
- Ceiling Crunch: Lying on the back with knees bent hip-width apart, rest the neck and head in the hands and keep the elbows open. Focus your eyes on one point on the ceiling and scoop your hips inwards towards your ribcage. Crunch up while maintaining eye contact with the ceiling. Do 20 crunches.
- Bicycles: Lying on the back, take one leg into the chest and the other out to a 45 degree angle. Rest your head in your hands and keep your elbows open. Lift your shoulder toward the opposite knee, engaging the abdominals and then switch sides. Make sure the back of your shoulder comes off the ground. Complete 8 reps on each side for a total of 16.
- Crescent Crunches: Lying on the back, head in hands and elbows open, lift both legs together and then bend the knees. Shift your right hip towards your right shoulder in a sideways movement tightening the obliques. Shift to the other side without releasing the abdominals. Repeat 10 times slowly and 10 times fast.
- V-Sit Crunch: Continue in the position as the previous exercise. Crunch up, bringing your knees and elbows together. Steadily straighten the legs and arms out at 45 degree angles and hold for 2 seconds before returning to the ball crunch. Repeat 15 times.
-Airyn, Elmhurst College
Nontraditional Core Exercises
Directions
- Physioball Rollout: Place a physioball on the floor and kneel down with the ball in front of you. Place your hands on the front of the ball and, keeping your arms straight and a neutral spine, roll the ball out in front of you. Hold in a straight line between your hands and your knees for 5 seconds. Return to the starting position. Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps with 5 second holds each time.
- Paloff Press: Using a cable machine or band set to chest level, grab the single handle of the cable machine/band, standing perpendicular to the machine and parallel with the cable or band. Hold the handle at chest level with both hands. Take a large step out away from the machine/rack where the band is tied. Spread your feet out wide. Now, simply push out away from your chest while not letting the weight pull you into any rotation. You want to keep your body in perfect alignment during this exercise. Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps of this exercise, pushing away from our chest in both directions.
- Barbell or Dumbbell Suitcase hold: For this exercise, we can use a barbell, a dumbbell, or any other object, such as a backpack. First, place the barbell in a rack or the dumbbell or other object on a bench. Grab the weight with one hand, stand with your feet together, and hold. Make sure to use a weight that is a challenging hold for at least 10 seconds but no more than 20. Perform 3 sets of 20 second holds on each side.
- If you don’t have any equipment at your disposal, another example of an anti-lateral flexion exercise is side planks. To perform these, get on the floor with one elbow and one foot in contact with the floor on your side. Stack your feet and place your other hand on your hip. Keep a straight line between your chest and your feet and hold for 20-30 seconds.
-Nick, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
More Exercises
Bicycle crunches are my most effective core exercise. Planks and reverse crunches are really good for those with loose lower bellies because it's easier to build the upper abs faster than lower abs.
-Juliene D., Tarrant County College
I do sit-ups and crunches. I'm in the Air Force National Guard so I am tested on those exercises annually. To get better at doing push-ups, one must do push-ups. To improve at crunches, one must do crunches. Therefore, I routinely test myself against the standards to maintain fitness.
-Craig D., University of Connecticut
When doing core work, my best tip is: Relax your neck, but flex your abs.
-Katherine G., Valencia College
Do a set of push-ups and sit-ups each time a commercial comes on or even during the show being watched.
-Angelo V., Metropolitan State University of Denver
As you are walking, tighten your abs and firm your belly button back toward your spine, hold for five steps, release for five steps, and repeat. You can do this anywhere (walking your dog, walking to class, etc.).
-Elena C., San Diego State University
Yoga ball! Any type of sitting/balancing strengthens the core, so any movement on it is worthwhile. Also, I do 20 sit-ups of one variety, legs bent, then 20 with legs straight, then 20 bicycles, etc., so changing it up every 20 doesn't make it so bad.
-McKenzie V., Louisville School of Medicine
Hula hooping is great for the core and for strengthening the lower back. A great stress reliever is sit-ups, which also strengthen the core.
-Sarah S., Metropolitan State University of Denver
