Top 5 Ab Exercises For Beginners

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the exercises that claim to burn belly fat in very little time, but nothing really happens? First of all, not all ab exercises are beneficial. A few are effective, while most are just a different way of showing off that you have time to waste in the gym!

Science-backed information on the best ab exercises for beginners recommends sticking to the basics.

By the end of this post, you will discover that the steps to getting rid of belly fat and keeping it off are simple.

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• How to Lose Belly Fat Without Exercise

So, what are the best ab exercises for beginners?

What makes these the best ab exercises is the research conducted by the  American Council on Exercise (ACE), which investigated the best and the worst ab exercises for strengthening the obliques and rectus abdominus.

The best ab workouts for beginners include bicycle maneuvers, captain’s chair, crunches on an exercise ball, reverse crunches, and planks. You can do these exercises at home or at the gym.

Exercises for the six-pack muscle (rectus abdominus)

The rectus abdominus is simply that pair of ab muscles that run vertically in front of your body and is often known as the “six-pack” muscle.

The muscle creates that coveted six-pack appearance when well-developed and at low body fat levels.

1. Bicycle maneuver (bicycle crunches)

For washboard abs, bicycle crunches will give you the best results even if you do no other ab workout.

How to do bicycle crunches/maneuver

• Lie on your back on your exercise mat, and bend your legs at the knees.
• Slightly lift your head and shoulders off the mat, and place your hands behind the ears. Do not tighten your neck.
• Bring your right knee towards your left elbow and extend your left leg out, raising it slightly off the floor.
• Do not move your elbow towards the knee; rather, move the knee towards the elbow with each rotation.
• Repeat the motion with the opposite leg and arm.
• Contract your ab muscles throughout the movement and remember to breathe.

2. The captain’s chair hanging leg raises

You’ll need the captain chair gym equipment to perform hanging leg raises.

If you don’t have access to the captain’s chair, you can modify hanging leg raises by doing lying leg raises – they are just as effective.

How to do the captain’s chair hanging leg raises

• Begin by placing your back against the char’s back pad.
• Place your forearms on the pads of the captain’s chain, and firmly grip the handles.
• Bring your legs together and let them hang straight down.
• Tighten your core and bend your knees, then slowly bring your knees towards you until they form a 90-degree angle.

As with any ab exercise, remember to breathe in and out as you repeat the movement. The advanced version of this exercise would be to extend the legs straight out and bring them towards your chest.

How to do lying leg raises (Captain’s chair ab exercise alternative)

• Lie down on your back and place your hands under your bum or on the side of your body.
• Bring your legs together and raise them to form a 90-degree angle.
• Slowly lower the legs until they are about a few inches from the ground, and repeat the movement.
• If your back arches as you lower your legs, then don’t go as far down. Your core will get stronger the more you do these ab workouts for beginners, and once it does, you’ll be able to comfortably go as low as possible without your back lifting off the ground.

3. Crunches on an exercise ball

• Sit on the stability ball with your legs at a 90-degree angle from the floor.
• Walk your feet out until your lower back is on the ball and your shoulders are off the ball.
• Plant your feet firmly on the ground, shoulder-width apart, and place your fingertips behind your ear—do not interlock your fingers.
• Contract your abs, and without straining your neck, as you crunch up and down. Exhale as you crunch up, and inhale as you lower.

Ab exercises for the obliques

The obliques consist of two sets of muscles: the external and internal obliques.

The external obliques are located on the sides of the abdomen, diagonally running downward and inward from the lower ribs to the pelvis. Well-developed external obliques can contribute to a more defined waistline.

The internal obliques lie underneath the external obliques, running in the opposite direction. Strong internal obliques contribute to core stability and help maintain proper posture.

According to the ACE study, the bicycle crunches and the captain’s chair are still the best two ab workouts for the front and side abs (obliques).

Following in rank order after bicycle crunches and captain’s chair for the best ab workouts for the obliques are the reverse crunch and plank.

4. Reverse crunches

When doing reverse crunches, many people make the mistake of crunching the chin toward the knees.
The correct way to do this exercise is to ensure that the shoulders and neck stay relaxed and in position throughout the motion.

How to do reverse crunches

• Lie down on your back with your legs bent at the knees and feet planted on the floor.
  Place your hands behind your head or ears, but don’t lock them together. Alternatively, you can place your hands beside your body or extend them out by your shoulders.
• Exhale and tighten your abs as you raise your hips slowly off the floor, bring them toward your chest, and hold the position for a few seconds.
• Inhale and slowly lower your hips towards the mat until they are at a 90-degree angle, and repeat the movement.
• Do not swing your legs through the movement to avoid straining your lower back.

5. Planks (The hover exercise)

There are so many variations of the plank. You can do planks on your hands, forearms, one leg raised, or on the side.

You should work your way up to be able to hold a plank for 1 minute. If you are a beginner, start by holding a 20-second plank position and progress to 30, 45, and finally 60 seconds.

If, however, you are trying to beat the world record for the longest time to hold a plank, which currently stands at 9 hours, 38 minutes, and 47 seconds, go all out!

How to do a plank

Perfect form is very important with planks.

• Lie down on your exercise mat in a push-up position.
• Place your elbows directly under your shoulders and firmly plant your toes on the floor.
• Make sure your body is in a straight line, from your spine to your feet.
• Do not crane your neck; don’t look up or forward. Your gaze should be slightly on the floor in front of you.

The workout

Do this ab workout 3-4 times a week.

• Bicycle crunches -12×3
• Captain’s chair hanging leg raises (lying leg raises) -12×3
• Crunches on an exercise ball-12×3
• Reverse crunches-12×3
• 45-sec planks

Workouts to pair with this ab workout:

• Best Toned Legs Workout Ever [6-week plan]
  How to tone flabby arms- best arm workouts for women
  HIIT workouts at home
• 5-Day Workout Routine for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain (for women)

Disclaimer

You should consult your physician or other health care professional before starting this or any other fitness program to determine if it is right for your needs. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain, or shortness of breath at any time while exercising you should stop immediately. This website offers health, fitness, and nutritional information and is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The use or reliance of any information contained on the site is solely at your own risk.