The most effective abdominal exercises for girls

Time passes, and the question “how to pump up abs” still remains one of the most popular. There is simply a huge variety of exercises for the abdominal muscles, and it is quite difficult for an “unprepared” person to figure out what they need. In this article I will try to solve this problem.

I have already described the main criteria for achieving not just a flat stomach, but sculpted abs in the article “How to get sculpted abs.” I hope that you will also read it and therefore in this material I will not repeat myself and focus on choosing the appropriate exercises.

The best abdominal exercises: what are they?

First of all, they are safe. What I mean? The fact that any exercise should correspond to your level of training. There is no point in trying to pump up your abs using, for example, a fairly well-known roller or ab wheel if the simplest crunches are difficult for you. Because you won’t be able to do it correctly and other areas will be subjected to extreme stress, in this case the lower back. And any exercise, in most cases, is effective as long as it is difficult for you. This means that if the simplest type of twisting is quite difficult for you to perform now, then it will be effective at this stage.

Why do you need a fitness mat?

So, in addition to the important advantages of the activities that were mentioned above, the mat itself also has advantages. In the abundance of sports equipment, few people will pay attention to a mat that is unnecessary at first glance. However, experienced athletes note that hygiene when performing exercises is extremely important; you don’t really want to lie on a mat that someone has walked on. Therefore, your own equipment is convenient for use at home and further training in the gym.

Don't forget that it is made of non-slip materials that provide maximum comfort.

An important point to note is the ability to choose equipment for yourself, based on individual parameters: length, width, softness, thickness. It is impossible not to choose the ideal example, which will additionally motivate you to continue studying.

How to get beautiful abs for a girl?

It was not in vain that I used the word “beautiful”, because it is very easy to “get carried away by the process” and instead of a harmonious, neat relief, get a wide waist (or rather, the absence of one) and a masculine torso. To prevent this from happening, I will give you some tips :

1) include in your training equally exercises that focus on all areas of the abs: upper, lower and oblique muscles

2) Exercises for the oblique abdominal muscles (this is everything related to turning the body to the right or left) in most cases, perform with your own weight, so as not to make your waist wider. Those. Of course, if you do, for example, the “Russian twist” exercise a couple of times a month, and pick up a dumbbell or a heavy ball, for example, nothing bad will happen, but if you do this every workout, then most likely you will greatly develop oblique abdominal muscles and you will be left without a waist

3) do not do exercises that involve lifting your torso too often when your legs are fixed at the top (an incline bench for the press is used for this) - this can also widen your waist a little, since such exercises form a “deeper” outline of the muscles, so to speak. . But this does not mean don’t use it at all! I really like the system where you can do two incline sit-ups (or add hanging leg raises) in one workout, and three bodyweight mat exercises in the next. By combining these workouts, the result can be neatly defined, sculpted abs. As you monitor the effect, you can either do more exercises on the mat or more exercises on the incline bench.

4) replace an exercise with a more difficult one when it becomes too easy to perform - this will ensure your progress

5) you don’t need to pump up your abs every day - for muscles to grow, they need time to recover

Workout #1

• Time: 15 minutes
• Equipment: Not required
• Target muscles: abs, core

Instructions: Choose any three exercises below. Do 15 reps of each exercise, then move on to the next three. Repeat this pattern two or three times to effectively pump up your abs.

Lying lateral crunch

1. Lie on your side with most of your weight on your left hip.
2. Place your left forearm on the ground for support. Bend your knees, bring them to your chest, and make a twisting motion with your chest.
3. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Do 15 reps on each side.

Fold

1. Lie on the floor on your back with your hands folded in front of your face. Bend your knees and place them above your chest.
2. In one motion, straighten your legs and lift your torso up as if you were trying to touch your toes.
3. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Do 15 reps.

Alternating legs

1. Lie on your back, place your arms at your sides, raise your legs at an angle of 45 degrees to the floor. At the same time, lift your right leg up along with your torso.
2. Reach your left hand toward your right foot as if you were trying to touch your toes. Return to starting position and repeat on the other side.
3. This is one repetition. Complete 15 of these.

Claps

1. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, palms up. Inhale and lift your legs off the floor as high as possible; at the same time bring your chin as close to your chest as possible and clap your hands behind your feet.
2. Keep your legs straight. Exhale when you return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Make 15 of these.

Wipers lying down

1. Lie on your back on the floor with your arms at 90-degree angles at your sides. Raise your legs so they are hovering above the ground.
2. Slowly lower your legs to the side as low as you can control. Lift your legs back through the center and lower them to the other side in one fluid motion.
3. This is one repetition. Do 15 reps.

Russian Twist

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet raised. Lean back so that your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the floor, with your back straight.
2. Turn your torso to the left, pause, and tighten your abdominal muscles. Return to the center.
3. Repeat on the right side and return to the center. This is one repetition. Complete 15 of these.

Side crunches

1. Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet on the ground.
2. Slowly lift your torso off the ground and extend your right arm towards your right leg.
3. Keeping your chest lifted, bring your left hand to your left leg. This is one repetition. Complete 15 of these.

Side bar with lowering

1. Lie on your left side, straighten your legs, and place your right leg on top of your left. Position yourself so that your weight is resting on your left forearm and on the outer edge of your left leg.
2. The elbow should be directly under the shoulder and the shoulder should be perpendicular to the floor.
3. Align your body so that it forms a straight line from your neck to your ankles and place your right hand on your thigh.
4. Lower your hips toward the ground a couple of inches, then return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Do 15 reps on each side.

Side bar with transition

1. Lie on your left side, straighten your legs, and place your right leg on top of your left. Position yourself so that your weight is resting on your left forearm and on the outer edge of your left leg.
2. The elbow should be directly under the shoulder and the shoulder should be perpendicular to the floor.
3. Align your body so that it forms a straight line from your neck to your ankles and place your right hand on your thigh.
4. Brace your core and slowly rotate your chest to the left until it is parallel to the ground.
5. Return to the starting position. This is repetition. You have 15 of these on each side.

Touching toes

1. Lie on your back, raise your legs at a right angle.
2. Using your lower abs, lift your torso off the ground and extend your arms toward your toes.
3. Lower yourself to the starting position. This is one repetition. Do 15 reps.

Plank

1. Stand on the floor on your hands and knees. Lower your forearms to the floor, placing your elbows under your shoulders and placing your hands shoulder-width apart. They should form a 90 degree angle.
2. Keep a straight line from your heels to the top of your head, raising your head slightly.
3. Tighten your abs and hold the position.

Plank with hip movement

1. Start in a plank position on your forearms. Make sure your abs are tight and that you are also squeezing your glutes.
2. Slowly lower your right thigh to the right side until it almost touches the ground.
3. Return to the center, then repeat on the other side.

Cross climbers

1. Get into a straight-arm push-up position.
2. Bring your right knee to the left side of your chest.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg. This is one repetition. Make 15 of these.

Bike

1. Lie on your back, bend your legs 90 degrees, place your hands behind your head.
2. Bring your opposite knee to your opposite elbow.
3. Then move to the other side, being careful not to push your head with your hands.
4. This is one repetition. You have 15 of these.

Abduction of arms and legs

1. Lie on your back, raise your arms and legs, bend your knees 90 degrees.
2. Your lower back should always be pressed to the floor.
3. Slowly and simultaneously lower your right leg until your heel almost touches the floor and your left arm until it touches the floor above your head.
4. Pause, then return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side. This is one repetition.

Abdominal exercises for girls and men: what is the difference?

In principle, there is no difference, because our muscles are structured the same way and, accordingly, are put to work during the same exercises. The only question is that girls usually want to get “unpumped” abs and, as we have already discussed above, not to widen their waist. And therefore, girls should do fewer abdominal exercises with additional weights. And of course, some exercises may simply be too difficult for women simply due to the fact that we are usually physically weaker.

Twists in the air

Raise your body and clasp your hands in front of you, elbows pointing to the sides. Keep your legs bent and raised in the air.

For balance, lean your body back and begin:

• Turn your body to the right and touch your hands to the floor.
• Return to the starting position.
• Repeat on the left side in the same way.
• We make 10-12 touches on each side.

How to pump up your abs in a month?

I would like to answer “no way,” but this is not entirely true. In fact, with regular training 3 times a week, in most cases, after a month and a half, the outlines of the upper abdominal area already appear. But this is only provided that there is sufficiently little subcutaneous fat on the stomach. Otherwise, your abs simply will not be visible, because they are “hidden” by fat above the muscle. Accordingly, if you are overweight, then you need to “include” nutrition with a calorie deficit and aerobic exercise (cardio). Well, in this case, to make the abs visible, of course, it will take more time.

Next I will give several of the most “working”, in my opinion, abdominal exercises for girls that will suit most of you. The exercises will be divided into groups, depending on the area on which they emphasize the load more.

And yet, in order to avoid misunderstandings, I’ll clarify that although we usually say “upper abs” and “lower abs,” we don’t have two of them. This is all one rectus abdominis muscle and it always works fully. It’s just that some exercises transfer the load more to the upper or lower areas and therefore in everyday speech it is “divided” into two parts.

Proper nutrition

Having started intensive training for the abs, not everyone pays attention to nutrition. Many people, out of habit, start their day with coffee, often supplementing it with something sweet. Lunch is either moved to the evening, or reduced to the usual set of products.

Professional athletes know how to pump up their abs in a week. You need to not just go on a diet, but move on to proper – more rational, rich nutrition.

Nutrition rules during a tummy tuck:

• The daily diet should consist of one third of proteins, another third of vegetables, 10% of fats, and the rest of complex carbohydrates.
• Divide meals into 5-6 (of which 3 are main). Special recommendation for breakfast. It is the most important of all meals, providing energy for the first half of the day. It is worth giving preference to complex carbohydrates and proteins. It could be porridge, the next day - vegetables with an egg. Experts recommend starting the day with a glass of water to effectively and quickly launch all processes in the body after a night of relaxation.
• Do not forget about the correct drinking regime during the day - 300 ml of water per 1 kg of body weight.
• Replace “harmful” foods with healthy ones. For example, sweet baked goods - dried fruits and nuts; fried fatty meat, sausage - for boiled chicken, veal; sweet soda - for green tea or plain water.

Product Compatibility Chart

Practicing separate meals is very effective for weight loss

That is, do not consume proteins and carbohydrates in one meal (meat + porridge, meat + pasta, egg + bread, etc.). You need: meat + vegetables, pasta + vegetables, fish with vegetables. Avoid combining fats and sugar (the latter should be kept to minimal portions).

Lower abdominal exercises for girls

Alternating straight leg raises

Pull-ups of legs to the body with support on hands

Lying straight leg raise

Alternate leg pull-ups to the body while lying down

Lying leg pull-ups

Straight leg rotation for abdominal muscles

Here and below, the exercises are given in order of increasing difficulty. Accordingly, you can select them for yourself depending on your level of training. And don’t forget to not only watch the video, but also carefully read the description of the exercise technique.

Workout #2

Time: 14-24 minutes

Equipment: elastic bands, additional weight (foam block)

Target muscles: abs

Instructions: Starting with the first set, complete as many reps as possible in 40 seconds while maintaining proper form. Then rest for 20 seconds. Repeat this circuit 4 times, then rest for one minute. Complete three to five full circles.

Swing

1. Sit on the floor, bend your legs, place extra weight between your knees. Squeeze your legs together to hold it and engage your abs.
2. Raise your legs so that your calves are parallel to the ground. Rotate backward until the middle of your back touches the ground.
3. Then, with body control, return to the starting point. Pause for three seconds.
4. This is one repetition. Complete as many reps as possible in 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds.

Plank with knees down

1. Start in a plank position on your forearms.
2. Slowly and under control, lower both knees until they touch the ground. Then return to plank position.
3. This is one repetition. Complete as many reps as possible in 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds.

Alternating legs

1. Lie on your back and hold one dumbbell in your hands.
2. Lift your shoulders off the ground and hold the dumbbell overhead.
3. Raise both legs off the ground and then lower one back down. Move your legs in this position.
4. Continue for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds.

Tip: If your neck starts to get tired, place your head on the floor and continue the exercise.

Bird-dog pose with resistance band

1. Get on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders. Wrap the elastic band around your legs.
2. Keeping your core still and your abs tense, extend your right arm forward and your left leg back.
3. Then bring your right elbow and left knee under your torso until they touch. Repeat on the opposite side. This is one repetition.
4. Complete as many reps as possible in 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds. Give yourself one more minute of rest.

"Vacuum"

• The “vacuum” exercise is performed in different ways. Starting position – on your knees, sitting on a chair, on all fours, lying down.
• After a deep breath, release the air from your lungs. We draw in our stomach as much as possible.
• We fix ourselves in this position for 10-15 seconds.
• As you exhale, relax, releasing tension from the abdominal muscles.
• We gradually increase the execution time, drawing in the stomach for more seconds.