How to Include ABS Exercises in Your Workout Routine
Are you trying to get your core strengthened and aiming for a six-pack? Although sit-ups can help, you can choose better. Here are three abdominal exercises that are better than sit-ups for that shredded-looking belly.
A strong core is correlated with good health and a fit body. Everyone wants to be able to show off their six-pack. Although it comes down to having a low body fat percentage, mainly done through diet, you should also exercise your abs to make the six-pack appear faster.
In the video below, sports teacher and YouTube fitness guru Alex Lorenz lists three abdominal exercises that are better than sit-ups. He co-founded the Calisthenic Movement. He has trained in calisthenics since 2012, uploading videos regularly for those interested in getting in shape using only their body weight.
Abs Exercises Are Better Than Sit-Ups
According to Lorenz, sit-ups will only work on your rectus abdominis, limit intensity, and negatively impact your spine. So, are these ab exercises better than the sit-ups that Lorenz talks about?
Leg raises, or knee raises, are great for your abs, but the knee raise is cut here because it targets your abs without being hindered by your mobility or lack thereof.
The knee raise can be done in a supporting or hanging position. Ensure you don’t use any momentum to do the movement, as it takes away the tension from your abs.
Knee to Elbow Plank + Side Plank
These are two exercises combined that will get the best bang for your buck, which is why it is on this list of abdominal exercises better than sit-ups.
Always have a posterior pelvic tilt to engage the abs more for the first part of the exercise. Aim for a hollow body position for optimum core engagement.
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For the plank, keep your body as horizontal as possible; don’t just hang in your structures; push your arm, leg, and shoulder blade into the ground.
The side plank can be done with one or two legs on the ground; one leg is much harder to stabilize yourself.
If a regular plank is too easy, you can adjust the difficulty by lengthening the lever between your elbows and feet, the two supporting points. The further you move your body backward, the harder the exercise gets.
However, the bigger the distance, the more stress you will put on your spine, which is terrible if you cannot hold the position with your pelvis tilted forward.
This exercise can also be done by removing one foot from the ground, one hand, or both to add instability and create more tension in your abs.
Those are the three abdominal exercises that are better than sit-ups and should be incorporated into your training whenever possible. To see how each exercise is performed precisely, with extra tips from Lorenz, click on the video below.