Abs exercise for beginners

Perhaps the most sought after muscle group in our body as per recent times, the abdomen or Abs, is at the top of the checklist for anyone who has just begun to visit the gym. Prior to a nice masculine chest, or broad shoulders or even strong biceps, beginners have started to aspire for abs to be the first change they want to bring in themselves. Washboard abs as you may call them are not only the part of a dream physique but has become an obsession for many.

Now if you too are crazy about Abs and want to acquire a set that looks like a chocolate bar, read along to find out how you can embark on your journey, the journey to washboard abs!

Before we begin with the fitness tips for abs, let us first learn a few things about abs.

Abs : Facts and Myths … All you need to know

Fact # 1

– It’s there, you have got them even right now but… concealed!

If you have a 36 inch waistline, or a beer belly, it doesn’t mean you don’t have abs. They are there, lying under all that layer of fat. They don’t appear and disappear magically. If you don’t see them, you just need to reveal them. There’s only one way to do so, which is to lower your body fat percentage by doing your ab workouts.

Myth # 1

– Doing crunches daily will get me Abs.

Hold tight for this might sting a bit. The answer is No, it won’t! One Hundred…two hundred… or even a thousand, it does not matter, how many crunches you do during your workout, you still won’t see even a little bit difference. Like I said you have to lose fat. Crunches will only make your abdominal muscles stronger, they won’t make them pop out if you have a fat gut. You have to get rid of all the fat first.

Must Read: Six Pack Abs – Top 3 Reasons Why You Don’t Have Them

Fact # 2

– Abs are a muscle group. Treat them as one

You just cannot neglect abdominal training and pray that your abs reveal themselves. Well that’s not gonna happen, definitely not on itself. You have to train them. Just as importantly as you train your biceps or any other muscle group for that matter of fact.

Myth # 2

– Working out your abdomen daily will get you Abs faster.

Again, as I already said, abs are a muscle group. You definitely should not ignore them, but at the same time training them every single day is absolutely ridiculous. You don’t train your biceps daily, do you? Abs, like any other muscle group, need time to recover after a workout session. Don’t train them daily. You will only strain them beyond repair.

Now that you know how your abdominal muscles function let’s get to exercises which you can do as a beginner to train your Abs.

Exercise # 1. Crunches

1. Lie down straight on your back and fold your knees.
2. Bring your hands behind your head or you can touch your temples with your index and middle fingers only. The motive is to not engage our hands in the workout.
3. Now pull your belly in and create a vacuum in your stomach.
4. Lift your upper body up. Make sure you don’t raise your waist. As you go up move towards your knees. Contract your Abs at the topmost position.
5. Also as you lift your upper body up, exhale. Inhale on your way back down. Remember not to hold your breath. Never hold your breath. Breathing is the key in all Ab exercises.

Perform three sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Also See: 7 Ultimate Full Body Workout Routine with Dumbbells

Exercise # 2. Leg Raise

1. Lie down straight on your back with your legs straight.
2. Spread your arms on the ground with your palms held steady against the ground.
3. Now lift your leg all the way up till they are perpendicular to the ground.
4. This Exercise involves hip flexion. So in the process you also need to raise your hip off the ground. Not much. Just a little bit.
5. Again remember to breathe.Do not hold your breath.

Do three sets of 10-15 repetitions each.

Exercise # 3. Ab Twists or Russian Twists

1. Lie down straight on your back and fold your knees.
2. Bring your hands behind your head or you can touch your temples with your index and middle fingers only. The motive is to not engage our hands in the workout.
3. Now pull your belly in and create a vacuum in your stomach.
4. Lift your upper body up. Make sure you don’t raise your waist. As you go up move towards your knees. Contract your Abs at the topmost position.
5. Now hold this position. Keep your head still and facing forward.
6. Twist your upper body on either sides before going back down. Remember not to hold your breath. Never hold your breath. Exhale and inhale. Maintain a healthy breathing rhythm.

Do three sets of 8-10 repetitions each.

Exercise # 4. Abdominal Cycle

1. Lie down straight on your back and fold your knees.
2. Bring your hands behind your head or you can touch your temples with your index and middle fingers only just the way we did in crunches. Again, the motive is to not engage our hands in the workout.
3. Now pull your belly in and create a vacuum in your stomach.
4. Now lift your legs up, knees bent. This position is going to be our exercise posture.
5. Now move your legs in circles as if you are paddling a bicycle. Remember to keep your core, nice and tight. Again, not to mention breathe.

Do three sets of 1-1.5 minutes each.

Exercise # 5. Scissor Kicks

1. Lie down straight on your back with your legs straight.
2. Spread your arms on the ground with your palms held steady against the ground.
3. Now lift one of your legs all the way up. Hold for half a second and then begin to bring it back down. But as you do so, lift your other leg up. This is going to be a continuous motion. You are going to perform the motion with both your legs simultaneously.
4. Breathe in a rhythmic fashion.

Do three sets of 1-1.5 minutes each.

1 COMMENT

Comments are closed.