Summer is coming and if you want to have perfectly defined abs, these exercises can help you!
Sunday sportsman or true fan of Cristiano Ronaldo sauce, we have all, or almost, done exercises to strengthen our abs. With the summer coming, the will is more and more important and there is still time to sculpt a beautiful silhouette for the month of August. But do you know the right exercises? Those who are really effective with the right position, the right repetition, the right rest time? It is possible to do the exercises at any time of the day and anywhere, here is one with this little practical guide:
Starting position: Kneel with your hands and knees directly aligned under your shoulders and hips. Keep your head and spine neutral.
Movement : Exhale contracting your abdominal muscles pulling them towards your spine. Keep your spine neutral (don’t arch your back!). Plug. Release your abdominal muscles and return to the starting position. Do this eight to 10 times, then rest for 30 to 90 seconds. If you can, repeat the sequence.
Beyond the purely physical aspect with this exercise, it is also possible to work your abdominals without making great efforts, thanks to positions that you can practice on a daily basis. Ideal for those who don’t really have time to play sports.
- Watch TV from the ground. These are like modified push-ups (using your forearms instead of your hands). “Or try lying on your back with your knees bent,” says a specialist at Harvard. “Next, activate the abdominal muscles by pulling your belly button towards the spine.”
- When you’re on the phone. Hold your back flat against the wall while you talk on the phone. Activate your abs. Tuck in your navel again and push yourself against the wall.
- Take a break from your work. Whether you’re in the kitchen or in the office, you can do modified push-ups against a desk or counter.
- In a queue. While waiting in line at the bank or at the grocery store checkout. “Do a one-legged stance and lift your leg slightly off the ground while activating your abdominal muscles,” says Lorna Brown, a physical therapist specializing in geriatrics at Harvard. “Keep your chest high and your shoulder blades down and back.”
- Walk in place. The next time you brush your teeth, walk in place. “Do it intentionally. Pull in your abs and keep your hips level, so they don’t rotate,” says Lorna Brown.