Bodyweight Abdominal Exercises

Your abdominal muscles have several important jobs:

Bodyweight Abdominal Exercises

• Stabilize your trunk and maintain consistent internal pressure in your abdomen. …
• Help with movement of your body between your ribcage and your pelvis, allowing your trunk to be in constant motion. …
• Hold your internal organs in place and protect them. …
• Maintain your posture and provide core support.

Introduction Abdominal Exercises

Bodyweight Abdominal Exercises. Here, your abdominals act as an anchor for muscles of the mid and lower back. According to the Cleveland Clinic. So then, if your abs are weak, it forces the back muscles to work harder to support your middle. Also, abdominal strength improves the endurance of the muscles of your back. Therefore you fatigue less easily and are less vulnerable to strain or injury.

Strong abs keep your belly from protruding too far forward, altering your centre of gravity. However, this forward lean stresses your back if your abs are weak, especially if you’re overweight.

Strong abs help prevent an exaggerated anterior tilt of the pelvis. But if you have this pelvic tilt. Here, you may experience too much pressure on the lower back’s discs and facet joints. These flexible joints enable your back to bend. Furthermore, this pressure often leads to weakness, pain and potential rupture. In addition, strong abs keep your vertebrae in alignment to prevent such deterioration.

However, if you already have back pain, abdominal exercises may help alleviate the ache by creating a balanced body. Hence, Yoga and Pilates, for example, build abdominal strength and stability that supports a healthy back. The Yoga Journal​ notes that certain yoga poses, such as plank pose and boat pose. Also, help to target the core muscles while building overall strength.

Abdominal Floor Toe Taps

Bodyweight Abdominal Exercises. So then, this is a lying exercise that will start to work the abdominal muscles.

How To Do It

1. Lying down on your back, feet on the floor with knees bent.
2. Arm by your side, draw your navel down to place the small of your back on the floor; there should be no gap.
3. Slowly raise your knees and bring them towards your chest.
4. Pause and return to the start position allowing your feet to tap the floor, and immediately start the next one.
5. Do 10 as one set; try for 3 sets or whatever you can manage.

Abdominal Bodyweight Kick Outs

Bodyweight Abdominal Exercises. Here, is a seated, floor exercise with hands behind supporting you. And where you kick out and back.

How To Do It

1. Sitting on the floor, legs straight, hands on the floor behind you for support.
2. Start by raising your legs with feet about six inches above the floor.
3. Bend your knees as you move them back towards your chest.
4. Pause slightly and straighten your legs into the start position, do not allow the feet to touch the floor. And repeat.
5. Do 10 as 1 set; try for 3 sets or whatever you can manage.

Russian Twists Without Weights

Bodyweight Abdominal Exercises. Seated legs raised exercise without weights, where you twist the torso.

How To Do It

1. Sit on the floor, legs straight, with arms by your side,
2. Raise your legs with feet six inches above the floor.
3. Make fists with your hands, hold them in front of you with elbows bent
4. Twist your torso to the left and reach towards the floor with both fists.
5. Immediately straighten and twist to the right, reaching down with both fists.
6. Continue doing this on both sides.
7. Do this 10 times as 1 set; try for 3 sets or whatever you can manage.

V Up

Bodyweight Abdominal Exercises. So then, this exercise will raise your body and legs together from the lying position.

How To Do It

1. Starting position, Lie down on your back and raise your arms above your head.
2. Leave your legs straight on the floor and raise them a couple of centimetres off the floor.
3. Raise your head and torso off the mat by bracing your abs while exhaling.
4. At the same time, pull your slightly bent legs towards you and try to touch your feet with your hands. Then return to the starting position while inhaling and repeat the exercise.
5. Do this 10 times as 1 set; try for 3 sets or whatever you can manage.

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In Conclusion

All the abdominal muscles have different muscle fibers orientation and act in all three planes during movements and are linked together by having a common site of connection or by fascia. Actions associated with abdominal muscle control can be complex. A single muscle does not usually work in isolation but in harmony with others. Physical activity involves a nearly infinite number of variations all regulated by the brain. eg The abdominal muscles work together to control the movement of the spine, pelvis, and rib cage during gait. Counter-rotation occurs between the upper and lower parts, and the arm and leg are moving in opposite direction to each other.

Bodyweight Abdominal Exercises. Firstly, almost all movement begins with the core. So then, having toned abdominals helps your entire body function optimally. Furthermore, regularly practising ab and stomach exercises will dramatically increase endurance and power throughout your entire body. So then, if you put in the effort, you will gain the rewards of strong abs.

Important Note *

Remember that everyone is different, it is ultimately YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to find what your body responds to. So please do your due diligence before trying anything new, including getting Medical Advice to ensure your safety and peace of mind.

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