When executing the exercises, concentrate on contracting your lower abdominal muscles and pushing yourself without going overboard. Before beginning any new fitness regimen, consult your doctor if you have any chronic conditions.
To safely perform these exercises, use deliberate, fluid movements. Use correct form at all times.
Between each exercise, you might want to perform a few light stretches.
1. Ab contractions
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Press your back into the ground, and draw your navel into your spine using a tiny movement, tightening your core.
- Engage your abdominal muscles like this for 30 seconds, and then relax.
- Rest for a few moments and repeat 1 to 3 times.
Tips: Take slow, deep breaths during the exercise. If 30 seconds is too long, start with 10 to 15 seconds and slowly increase your time.
2. Leg drops
- Lie on your back with your legs straight up and your arms alongside your body.
- Slowly lower your legs toward the floor before raising them back up again just before touching the floor.
- Make sure your lower back stays pressed into the floor.
- Do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 16 repetitions.
Tips: Stop there and raise your legs back to the starting position if your lower back begins to lift off the floor. For additional support, try forming a triangle with your hands and putting them under your sitting bones. These bones are located where the lower back and glutes converge.
Try single-leg drops (lower one leg, bring it back up, and then switch legs) or leg half-drops (lower your legs to a 45-degree angle and raise them again) as variations.
3. Hip lift
- Lie on your back with your arms extended alongside your body.
- Lift your legs up into a vertical position.
- Press your feet up toward the ceiling to raise your hips off the ground.
- Lower your hips back to the floor and repeat.
- Do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
Tips: It is crucial to use your lower ab muscles for this exercise rather than relying just on momentum. Breathe out with each lift and keep your hips in check when lowering yourself to the ground.
4. Boat pose
- Sit with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Roll back onto your sitting bones and extend your legs to 45 degrees, creating a “V” shape.
- Extend your arms parallel to the floor with palms facing up.
- Hold this position for up to 1 minute.
- Rest and repeat 1 to 2 times.
Tips: Press your lower abdomen against your back. Raise your torso. Try merely bringing your feet up to knee height, bending your knees, or supporting yourself with your hands on the floor behind you for variation.
5. Mountain climbers
- Come into a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders.
- Bend your right knee and bring it forward toward your chest.
- Bring your right knee back to the starting position, and bring your left leg forward.
- Continue this movement for up to 1 minute.
- Rest and repeat 1 to 2 times.
Tips: It’s not a competition! Perform these motions slowly and deliberately. Brace your core to keep your hips and shoulders in line.
6. Rocking plank
- Come into a low (forearm) plank position with your elbows under your shoulders.
- Shift your body forward and backward, rocking back and forth on your toes.
- Continue this movement for 1 minute.
- Rest and repeat 1 to 2 times.
Tips: Keep your neck, spine, and hips in one line. Focus on engaging your lower abs.
7. Scissor kicks
- Lie on your back with your arms alongside your body and your legs lifted straight up to the ceiling, forming a 90-degree angle with your torso.
- Slowly lower your right leg down, keeping your left leg raised.
- As you raise your right leg back up, slowly lower your left leg.
- Continue alternating lowering and raising your legs.
- Do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 16 repetitions.
Tips: Aim for 45 degrees when lowering your leg to avoid straining your lower back.
8. The hundred
- Lie on your back with your knees up toward your chest.
- Curl up your head, neck, and shoulders.
- Hover your arms alongside your body.
- Extend your legs straight out to 45 degrees.
- Pump your arms up and down, inhaling for 5 pumps and exhaling for 5 pumps.
- Do 10 sets of 10 repetitions of breath (100 pumps).
Tips: Breathe in via your nose and out through your mouth. Bring your knees closer to your chest and bend them to a 90-degree angle for variation.
9. Bicycle crunches
- Lie on your back with your fingers interlaced to support the base of your skull.
- Bend your knees in 90 degrees.
- Extend your right leg straight out, and twist the right shoulder and elbow toward your left knee.
- As you bring your right leg back to 90 degrees, extend your left leg and twist your left shoulder and elbow toward your right knee.
- Continue this movement, alternating sides.
- Do 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 18 repetitions total.
Tips: Draw your navel into your spine to maintain bracing your core. Hold both knees at 90 degrees for a brief period of time if you need a quick break.
10. Flutter kicks
- Lie on your back with your arms alongside your body.
- Lift your legs so that your feet are about 6 inches off the floor.
- Slowly lower your right leg a few inches while simultaneously lifting your left leg a few inches.
- Slowly reverse course, lifting your right leg a few inches while also lowering your left leg a few inches.
- Continue this movement for up to 1 minute.
- Rest and repeat 1 to 2 times.
Tips: Maintain a lower back against the ground. Put your hands under the sitting bones for support to help with this.
