Saturday 25 June 2016

4 Standing Core Exercises That Will Sculpt Your Abs From Every Angle

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Standing exercises are great for working the muscles of your entire core—from your back to your hips. (And they’re another reasons to skip the crunches.) These moves will help you develop core strength because you have to really engage your abs to stay standing tall and stable—they’re challenging your abs and your balance. And, if you tend to have neck or hip flexor pain when you do core work on the mat, these moves may be a great alternative for you. Of course, if you’re ever experiencing any sharp pains during exercise, stop and check in with your doctor.

While you shouldn’t neglect your floor abs workout entirely, standing exercises are a great way to mix up your regular routine. So give the four-move circuit below a try. You’ll need one dumbbell—start with a weight that’s five to eight pounds, and go heavier when you can.

The Workout: Do 10 reps of each move and repeat the entire circuit two to three times. Or, add your favorite exercise to your normal training session.

1. Core Stabilizer — do 10 reps

  • Start standing with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell straight out in front of your chest with both hands.
  • Move your torso slightly, and slowly begin to rotate your arms to the right as far as you can.
  • Pause for a second. Then rotate in the opposite direction. That’s 1 rep, do 10.

2. Reverse Dumbbell Chop — do 10 reps on each side

  • Hold a dumbbell in both hands and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees and rotate your torso to the left so that your hands are on the outside of your left thigh.
  • Keeping your arms straight, slowly swing the weight diagonally across your torso so that it’s above your right shoulder as you straighten your legs.
  • Reverse the movement to return to start. That’s 1 rep, do 10, then switch sides.

3. Standing Oblique Bends — do 10 reps on each side

STANDING_OBLIQUE_CRUNCH
  • Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hands behind your head and elbows wide.
  • Lift your left knee toward your left elbow while you bend your torso up and over to the left. That’s 1 rep, do 10, then switch sides.

4. Warrior Balance — do 10 reps on each side

  • Stand on your left foot and lift your right knee to hip height in front of your body.
  • Reach your torso forward as you extend your right leg behind you. Keep your standing leg slightly bent as your torso becomes parallel with the floor. Extend your arms overhead to help with balance.
  • Pause for a second, then reverse the movement. That’s 1 rep, do 10, then switch sides.

You may also like: Try This 10-Minute Plyometric Workout You Can Do At Home

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