Abs exercises:
What Should We Expect and What Are The Best Ones. (cont'd)
Having understand the common misconception behind abs exercises, which has mislead so many people to false expectations on 6 pack abs solely on such exercises, we find a selection of intermediate exercises which include more balance exercises, with the use of exercise balls.
Moreover some of them are variations of the beginner level abs exercises, that make them tougher to execute and more suitable to someone who belongs in the intermediate level group and is not new in the ab exercising domain.
Make sure you pay close attention to the AVOID column of the table as these are directions that would save anyone, who will try any kind of abs exercises, from injury.
The places on our bodies which are prone to injury or actually do get injured are the neck and the lower back.
That said, let's see some intermediate level exercises:
| NAME | DESCRIPTION | AVOID... | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise Ball Balance | Place the ball in front of you. Put your knee onto the ball and then roll the ball across and put your other knee on too, so you are literally kneeling upright on top of the ball. This exercise requires engaging core muscles to stabilise yourself in order to prevent you from falling off. | Sitting on the ball, rather than kneeling upright because this way abdominal muscles are not engaged. | Exercise Ball |
| Exercise Ball Crunch | Lie on the ball with the ball on your lower back and do crunches as in the beginner abdominal exercises. | Having the ball in a different spot than your lower back. | Exercise Ball |
| Twist crunch | This is a crunch as per the beginner section, but as you roll your shoulders forward into the crunch, add to your move a twist to the left before you return to a laying position and then a twist to the right. | Missing to count twists so both sides will be equally exercised | |
| Twist Sit Up | Carry out a normal sit up, but as you rise to a seated position twist to once side, when you carry out the next sit up twist your body to the other side. | Missing to count twists so both sides will be equally exercised | |
| Vertical Leg Crunch | It is a standard crunch exercise with your legs raised to a 90 degree angle, trying to maintain the straight throughout the exercise. | Dropping your legs as the abs are working the hardest in the 90 degree angle. | |
| Reverse Crunch | From a laying position bring your knees up towards your chest so they are at a 90 degree angle with your body and curl your hips upwards off the floor. | Bringing your legs backwards at an angle larger than 90o | |
| Bicycle | Assume the crunch position with your knees up to about 45-degree angle. At your own pace try to touch your left elbow with your right knee, then your right elbowyour lower back from the ground. | ||
| Exercise Ball Side oblique raises | Lie on an exercise ball on your side with your hands on the side of your head, now raise your body upwards to the side and return to the starting position. Once you have carried out 10 to 15 reps and change to the other side to repeat. | Falling off the exercise ball. | Exercise Ball |
| Weighted sit up | Grab a weight from the barbell plates and as you carry out the sit up, hold the weight across your chest to make the exercise harder to carry out. | Using large weight as they can put strain in you back. | Free weights, barbel plates. |
| Hanging leg raise | Find a set of chin up bars and allow your body to hang on the bars, now raise your legs up straight in front of you to a 90 degree angle. Hold this position for 5 seconds and return to your resting position. | Pull Up bar |
If you belong to the group of people that are looking to increase the level of difficulty and want a more advanced set of exercises then click here to go to the advanced level page.
Return to beginner level abs exercises
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