A beautiful back can be delightful – a beautiful stomach even more so! But what does effective abdominal training look like at home and without equipment? Let’s show you! Here are the 10 best exercises for a flat stomach.
With the right exercises, you can strengthen your rectus , obliques , and obliques , thereby shaping your abdomen into a better, more toned shape . If you’ve lost track of all the crunches, sit-ups, and planks, don’t worry. We have the 10 best abdominal exercises for you here – you can do them anytime, anywhere.
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Does it make sense to train your abs every day?
Absolutely no! Because, like any muscle group, the abdominal muscles only grow during the recovery phase. If you feel like you can train your abs every day , then the training isn’t hard enough! Do an intense ab workout three days a week and really push yourself. However, always give your muscles a day off to regenerate! The myth that you can train your abs every day is not true.
Train abdominal muscles – the 10 best abdominal exercises
It is best to train your abdominal muscles every other day. Contrary to popular belief, your stomach also needs a day of regeneration. When training, always go to your stress limit in order to set a growth stimulus. Warm up thoroughly for five to ten minutes, for example by doing jumping jacks, walking in place or jogging in the fresh air. Then you can train your abdominal muscles intensively!
For our abdominal exercises, for example, a circuit with all ten exercises that you do for 40 seconds and then pause for 20 seconds is suitable . A circle lasts ten minutes and can be repeated two, three or four times, depending on your physical condition. How to train your abdominal muscles effectively. Here we go!
1. The classic: sit-ups / crunches
The classic for abdominal muscle training. Simply put a towel or mat underneath and off you go!
- Lie on your back. The legs are set up ( sit-ups ) or even better in the air ( crunches ).
- The hands are at the temples.
- The chin pulls towards the breastbone and the upper body rises until the lower back still touches the floor.
- Tighten your abdominal muscles without getting any momentum out of your body.
2. Plank
The forearm support or plank (English for board) trains the entire body, but especially the stomach, back and shoulders .
- Forearms lie flat on the floor with elbows level with shoulders.
- The toes are also on the ground.
- The rest of the body is in the air, straight and tense. He forms a straight line.
3. Russian Twist
The Russian twist trains both the muscles in the lower abdomen and the lateral abdominal muscles. The exercise also promotes body tension because the legs are in the air.
The right execution:
- With the Russian twist, you sit on the floor and lift your legs and back so that your body weight is only on your buttocks. Legs can be straight or bent. The back stays straight.
- Tighten your stomach and twist your torso from side to side. The torso and hips remain stable.
- Be careful not to just move your arms from left to right.
4. Sit-Ups with Partners
This sit-up variation is performed with a partner and can be done with or without a weight, such as a medicine ball or a backpack filled with books . With weight you strengthen the shoulders, arms and chest in addition to the straight and centrally seated abdominal muscles. The exercise can also be done alone, without handing over the weight.
The right execution:
- Lie on the floor and spread your legs.
- There is a ball behind your head. Grab the ball with both hands and hold it firmly on both sides.
- Tuck your chin to your chest and use the ball to get some momentum. Stand up with a slightly rounded back and tap the ball between your feet. Do the exercise in pairs, handing the ball to your workout partner.
- Then grab the ball again and lower your upper body. Just before your entire back touches the floor, straighten your arms and the ball behind your head. In the finishing position, you lie on the floor with your back flat, just like in the starting position.
Tip : It is best to choose the weight so that you can feel muscle tension in the arm and chest area.
5. Beinheben (Leg Raises)
This exercise primarily trains the lower abdominal muscles, but also stability and tension in the hips and legs.
The right execution:
- Lie straight on the floor and place your hands underneath your buttocks. This will provide more stability in your body as you perform the exercise.
- Beginners can initially stretch their legs alternately and straight up and down again. In the best case, do not put your legs on the floor when lowering.
- If you are more experienced, you can raise and lower both legs at the same time.
Another variant of leg raises are the so-called scissor kicks:
6. Seitstütz (Side Plank)
With the side plank, you train the entire body, since the entire musculature must be tense in order to be able to hold this position.
The right execution:
- Lie on your side on a non-slip surface, e.g. B. a yoga mat .
- Support yourself with one hand and push yourself up by extending your arm and hips in a diagonal. The weight rests on both the supporting hand and the feet.
- The body is stretched out during the exercise. Make sure your hips don’t sag.
Progression : The longer you hold the position, the more strenuous it becomes. Measure the time so that you can see successes more quickly later.
7. Jackknife (V-Ups)
This exercise is great for not only training the abdominal muscles, but also the coordination between the upper and lower body.
The right execution:
- Lie straight and flat on the floor. The arms are straight and behind the head.
- Now try to bring your upper body diagonally upwards while you lift your legs, ideally stretched.
- If the exercise is too difficult, you can start with one leg first.
If you can’t yet execute the jackknife properly, here is the lighter, one-legged version for you:
8. Plank Jacks
The plank jacks (“jumping jacks in forearm support”) train the abdominal muscles and strengthen the shoulders. They are demanding in terms of coordination and are suitable for both warming up and working out!
The right execution:
- do forearm support. Elbows are positioned under the shoulders. Belly under tension, don’t let your back sag.
- Jump with both legs at the same time into the straddle and back into the narrow position.
- If the jump is still too difficult and you’re having trouble keeping your back straight, do the one-legged tap to the side. Alternately bring each leg outwards and back to the middle.
Progression : The faster you perform the plank jacks, the harder you get! For example, count how many you can do in 60 seconds and try to beat your record!
Important : Always keep your stomach under tension to relieve your back!
9. Bicycle-Crunches
The bicycle crunches effectively train the oblique and straight abdominal muscles and even improve coordination. They can be done either slowly or as quickly as possible for an endurance stimulus.
The right execution:
- Lie on your back and raise your legs off the floor at a 90° angle.
- Hold one leg up and stretch the other straight forward, with maximum abdominal tension.
- Now the cycling begins: alternately bring your legs back and forth without lifting your lower back off the ground.
- Bring your elbows towards the opposite knee.
Tip : The closer your extended leg is to the floor, the more strenuous and demanding the exercise will be for your lower and obliques.
10. Heel Touch
The heel touch trains the lateral abdominal muscles.
The right execution:
- You lie on your back and put your legs up. The further the legs are away from the upper body, the more strenuous it is.
- Now bring your right hand to your right heel by leaning your upper body sideways (push your shoulders towards the pelvis).
- Repeat the same on the left side, moving back and forth in fluid alternation.
