Who doesn’t want great abs? Not only are visible and bulky abs a bit of a fashion at the moment, they are also an indication of something much more important: if you have strong abs, it means that you have managed to develop a strong core, and a strong core helps you to feel strong all over, and acts as a very effective improver for any sports or exercise you might do. It can also help with metabolism and prevent you from experiencing back pain.
If you want to start building a stronger core, here are some extremely effective abs workouts you can do at home:
Reverse Plank
You have no doubt heard about the normal plank, which can be a very good way to start building some overall muscle in your abs area. But if you want to speed up your abs-building, you are probably going to want to try out the reverse plank too. With the reverse plank, it’s exactly what it sounds like: you start off sitting with your legs out in front, and then place your hands behind you and raise up. Two important points: keep the neck straight and the elbows straight too. This helps with safety, and makes it more effective on the whole.
Kettlebell Swings
If you have any kettlebells lying around, then you have the opportunity for this fun and enjoyable ab-building exercise. The kettlebell swing can seem intimidating for a lot of people at first, but it is actually easy enough to do once you get the – swing – of it. Then it becomes an incredibly effective all-body workout, especially for your core. Start with legs shoulder-width apart, holding the kettlebell by both hands (chalked if you like). Then slowly swing the kettlebell up to head level and down again, and repeat. Take great care not to strain anything – and go slow, so that your muscles have to work harder.
8 Minute Abs
Anyone who has thought even briefly about trying to gain more ab muscle will probably have come across the famous and classic ‘8 minute abs’ routine. This is a routine from the early 90’s which still works extremely effectively, and it’s one that a lot of people really swear by.
As well as probably laughing at the admittedly outdated video, you will also find that this exercise routine is extremely effective in building muscle on your abs – and only after 8 minutes a day. It’s a great one to incorporate into your daily routine, so give it a go today and see how you go.
Leg Raise
This one is actually included in the 8 minute abs video, albeit slightly altered, but it is powerful and effective enough to warrant a mention of its own too. It’s simple: start laying on your back, with your hands behind your head, then raise both legs together, ideally until you form a right angle. You should find that five of these are sufficient at first, but eventually you can move up to ten or even fifteen.
Incorporate those into your workouts at home, and you’ll have the abs you have always dreamed about.
