What are the exercises for abdominal muscles?

Having 6 or 8 pack abdominal muscles is the goal of every fitness enthusiast. In fact, it is not an easy thing for every fitness enthusiast to train 6 or 8 pack abdominal muscles. Because many beginners cannot persist in exercising, and cannot reasonably arrange exercise movements that suit them. So what are the exercises to train your abdominal muscles? I believe everyone wants to know, so let me introduce to you a set of exercises suitable for training abdominal muscles.

1. "Yuanbao" Crunch

Movement essentials: Keep your back against the mat, lift your legs with your knees at 90 degrees, keep your thighs perpendicular to the ground, and gently stroke your hands behind your ears (do not cross your fingers and move your head). Exhale and roll up your upper body, keeping your back against the mat, and lift your shoulders as far off the floor as possible. Inhale and straighten one leg to about 50 degrees from the ground. At the same time, turn the arm and torso on the same side of the straightened leg to the other knee joint on the opposite diagonal side. Exhale and return to the original position and switch to the other side. Once you are familiar with the movements, you can perform them alternately and continuously.

Advantages: You can train the entire abdominal muscles and make the abdominal muscles develop in a comprehensive and balanced manner

Disadvantages: The neck muscles and iliopsoas muscles are more involved, and poor back flexibility will make it difficult to achieve the standard of the movement.

Number of sets: Complete 15-20 times alternately as a set, for a total of four sets. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets

2. Supine Crunches

Key points of the movement: Lie on your back on the mat, with your arms perpendicular to your body twice, palms facing down, and your legs naturally straight and perpendicular to the ground. When exhaling, use your abdomen first to roll and lift your pelvis, lift your hips off the ground, control and pause for 1-2 seconds, inhale and slowly lower your body (Note: your arms play a role in stabilizing the body and controlling the balance). Do not lift your head during the whole process.

Advantages: You can focus on the abdominal muscles, and the target muscles are obvious

Disadvantages: None. Weak abdominal strength will make it difficult to control the range of motion.

Number of sets: Complete 15-20 times as a set, four sets in total. Rest for 30-60 seconds between sets.

3. Leg raise and abdominal crunch

Key points of the movement: Lie on your back on the mat, lift your legs and control the height, pull your arms forward so that your shoulder blades are as far off the ground as possible, retract your jaw slightly, use your arms to pull while exhaling, and slowly lower your back while inhaling, keep your legs still, and repeat.

Advantages: It actively mobilizes more abdominal muscles and the target muscles are obvious.

Disadvantages: The iliopsoas muscle is more involved, which may cause excessive force on the waist.

Number of sets: Complete 15-20 times as a set, four sets in total. Rest for 30-60 seconds between sets.

4. Side-lying crunch

Action essentials: Lie on your side on the mat, chest up and eyes straight ahead, elbows bent directly below shoulders for support, legs raised off the ground, exhale, use oblique abdominal muscles (internal oblique muscles are more important) to roll your knees upward, inhale to return to the original position.

Advantages: Focuses on the internal and external oblique muscles, stimulates weaker abdominal muscles, and balances core strength.

Disadvantages: More leg muscles are involved, making it difficult to control the range of motion.

Number of sets: Complete 15-20 times on each side as a set, then switch to the other side, for a total of four sets. Rest for 30-60 seconds between sets.

5. Prone plank

Key points of the movement: Lie prone on the mat with your body parallel to the ground, and support your forearms with parallel support on the ground. Raise your arms slightly above your head to increase the angle between your upper arms and body. Increased torque will increase the involvement of your body's core muscles. Keep your breathing smooth and perform static control.

Advantages: Increase the participation of weak core muscle groups of the body, increase the strength of core muscles, and make abdominal muscles obvious.

Disadvantages: None.

Number of sets: Each set increases the support time gradually, until exhaustion, for a total of four sets. Rest for 30-60 seconds between sets.

The above-mentioned movements are for exercising the abdominal muscles. If you insist on doing these movements after running or other training, the benefits brought by them are not only a perfect external body shape. Strengthening the abdominal muscles can also protect your abdominal organs. When contracted, it can shrink the abdominal cavity, increase abdominal pressure to assist with defecation, childbirth and vomiting, and can also make the spine flex and rotate. In addition, you should also pay attention to the combination of work and rest when exercising to avoid excessive exercise. I wish you success.