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Even though summer is over, it’s never too late to work on your body. The most common goals when it comes to belly exercising are losing the inches and having the visible abs. The rectus abdominis muscle is responsible for flexing the lumbar spine and it plays an important role in respiration. This muscle can be viewed externally as a 4, 6, 8, or even 10 pack.
Bright Side would like to share a set of exercises with you for different parts of your stomach.
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If you want to have great results, it is really important to train all muscle groups. Simple crunches should be complemented with other exercises.
Upper abs
One of the best exercises for the upper ab muscles is sprinter sit ups. Lay on your back. Sit up with an explosive movement, bringing the right knee to the chest and swinging the left arm forward as if running. Return to the initial position. Repeat the exercise for the left knee and the right arm.
Lower abs
The scissor exercise is a great choice for training your lower abs. Lay on your back, place your hands underneath your hips, and lift your head off the ground. Lift your left leg as high as you can, the right leg should be hovering just off the ground. Lower your left leg, and lift the right leg. Repeat several times.
6-pack
Reverse crunches is an exercise you can add to your training regimen. Lie on your back and put your hands beneath your hips. Bend your knees and lift them toward your head, drawing them upward slightly at the end of the movement. Lower your feet back down just above the floor. Repeat several times.
Oblique muscles
Russian twists are a common exercise for training your oblique muscles. Sit on the floor with bent knees, your feet should be slightly above the ground. Your back should be off the ground at 45°. Arms should be locked together and held away from the body. You can hold some weight to make the exercise more efficient. Swing your arms from side to side in a twisting motion. Repeat several times.
Abs
Plank is the exercise which involves a lot of different muscle groups. Get in an upper pushup position with bent elbows. Maintain this position for as long as you can.
Core muscles
Sliding pike: Start in a plank position but keep your arms straight. Make sure that the floor is smooth and not carpeted. If it is carpeted, you can use paper plates as sliders, or just buy professional sliders. Slowly raise your hips and pull your toes up toward your hands without bending your knees. The final position should look like an inverted V. Hold the pose and slide your feet back to the initial position.
Have you tried any of these exercises before? Do you know other effective exercises for different muscle groups? Share your experience with us in the comments!
Illustrated by Ekaterina Gapanovich for BrightSide.me