8 exercises that will tone your abs in just a month - Pinoria
Here are 8 exercises to help you start transforming your abs in just 30 days.
1. Pilates double leg stretch
2. Pilates crisscross
4. Caliente kicks
Similar to the traditional bicycle kick crunches with a twist, Rossell’s signature Caliente kicks are a perfect for working both your upper and lower abs.
“Lay flat on ground and with both hands, grab one ankle,” explained Rossell. “Then switch to [the] other ankle and repeat this motion on [the] opposite side for a total of 20 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest. Repeat the same exercise for another 20 seconds until you complete one full minute.”
For a total core workout, Marks recommends adding some V-ups to your life. “V-Ups are a fantastic way to burn the rectus abdominis,” he told me. “They are more challenging than a traditional crunch and work all the way from upper to lower abs. They also challenge your hip flexors, inner thighs and quads.”
Lie flat on your back on your workout mat with your arms extended behind your head, palms facing up. Keeping your legs and your feet pointed, lift your lower body up toward the sky, while also lifting your upper body off the floor. Squeeze your core as you reach toward your feet. Slowly lower yourself all the way back down. Repeat.
According to personal trainer Chris Cooper, NSCA-CPT, LMT, who shared his favorite ab moves with me in an interview, “The most effective ab exercises are ones that resist movement instead of creating it.” Instead of doing exercises like crunches, sit-ups, and side bends, Cooper says you’re going to get better results from moves like the ab roll out.
Start in a kneeling position, grasp either side of the Ab Wheel and position yourself in a kneeling plank. Brace your core, squeeze your glutes and roll out as far as you can safely handle, keeping tension throughout your entire body. “Once you have extended as far as you can while keeping that modified plank position” said Cooper, “Pull yourself back up to the starting position.” Repeat.
When I asked Jenay Rose, a yoga teacher and wellness influencer based in Los Angeles, CA, what exercise she recommends to clients with ab goals, she said, “The absolute single most (hated) effective core move is a plank. It’s simple, yet incredibly strengthening. A plank works every muscle in the body by contracting the muscles over a long period of time.”
There are two keys to a perfect plank, according to Rose. First, it’s remembering to breathe. “Slow, steady, even inhalations and exhalations will steady your mind and improve your form. Keep the belly engaged and abs tight throughout your breath,” she told me.
The second: pull in. “In a plank you want to have the motion of pulling your elbows to your toes as if you wanted them to meet, but you won’t actually move them,” said Rose. “This will cinch your entire body in and up. Another key point here is to push through the shoulders, spreading the shoulder blades down your back to increase stability.”
To work those traverse abs (deep stomach muscles), Marks recommends scissor kicks. “These muscles are key for posture, balance and stability,” he told me. “Scissor Kicks are also great for strengthening your hip flexors.”
Lie on your mat with your hands at your sides. Lift your right leg in front of you in a 90-degree angle to the floor. At the same time, raise your left leg behind you, creating another 90-degree angle. Engaging your abdomen, legs and gltues, cross your legs over each other in a scissor-like motion. Repeat.
Tags: abs, fitness