As you know, I’m not for the aesthetic-only type of fitness goals, but I understand – as we are considerably less active – that we might start feeling softer around the edges. The worry that at the end of lockdown we might all need a size up for our jeans deepens everyday…
Well, these 8 bodyweight-only exercises can help you to fight the muffin tops and sculpt your waistline, as well as strengthening your core – which is never a bad thing. Also mind that you can’t really get DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) in the abdominal muscles so you could squeeze in some core exercises in your routine near enough every day.
Toe Reaches
A. Lie on your back and Raise your legs into an “L” shape maintaining the knee as straight as possible. Reach your arms long towards the toes. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor and pause for a few seconds at the top of the rep, engaging the upper muscles of your abdominal wall.
B. Lower back down and repeat.
Leg Raises
A. Lie on your back with your arms at either side of your body. Raise your legs into an “L” shape maintaining the knee as straight as possible.
B. Bring your legs towards the floor as low as you can without arching your lower back. Controlling the movement from the lower part of the abdominal wall bring them back and repeat.
Plank to Kick Through
A. Start in a high plank position with your palms directly under your shoulders. In one sweeping motion, rotate your body to the left and kick your right leg through.
B. Bring your hand and foot back to high plank position, and repeat on the opposite side, touching your right hand to your left foot. Keeping your hips level (don’t stick it up high or let it droop too low) will also help you stay balanced between each kick through.
Straight-Leg Sit-Ups
A. Lie your back on the mat with your legs straight and one foot on top of the other. Bring your fingertips behind your ears and keep your elbows wide-open. Sit all the way up keeping your bottom foot attached to the floor.
B. One vertebrae at the time lower your upper body back down into the starting position. Use your breath: exhale on the way up, inhale on the way down.
Scissor-Legs Abs
A. Lie on your back with your arms at either side of your body. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor bringing one leg straight towards the ceiling and simultaneously grabbing the outer thigh of the same leg with both hands. Twist your torso as much as possible.
B. Alternate side keeping your abs engaged and squeezing the navel into the spine.
Forearm Plank Seesaws
A. Start in a plank position on your forearms with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Keeping your back neutral and torso parallel to the floor, slowly rock forward on your toes to bring your shoulders in front of your elbows.
B. Rock back to the start position. Engage your core to keep you body level.
V-Sits
A. Sit on the mat with your feet off the floor. Stretch your arms long towards the front and keep your balance.
B. Extend your legs out straight then crunch them back in, bringing your knees towards your chest. Repeat.
Plank Thread-the-Needle
A. Set up by starting into a high plank position. Palms directly under your shoulders, pelvis in line, legs straight towards the back of the room. Position one palm right under your sternum and then open up the other arm towards the ceiling stacking hips and shoulders on top of each other.
B. Lower your arm, ‘threading’ through below your armpit. Keep your hips up and high and focus on twisting in the waistline and rotating JUST your ribcage. Reach your fingertips back up to the ceiling and repeat.
Do you have a Swiss Ball? Checkout this video on my IGTV for more abs exercises.
Would you like to start a consistent training programme? Download BEAM app from the Apple store and join my 12-week bodyweight plan today!
