6 Easy Lower Abdominal Exercises

6 Easy Lower Abdominal Exercises

By Sharon Liao

Tone your lower abs with a 15-minute workout, three times a week.

The Routine

Sure, a more toned midsection can ease your bathing-suit anxiety. But it can also protect you from injury:
Research shows that a strong transversus abdominis—the muscle that wraps around the torso—stabilizes your back, which makes it easier to lift anything, whether it’s kids or grocery bags. To work this tricky-to-target area, try these moves created by Melissa Miller, the owner of M2 Personal Training, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Do the series two times through, three times a week.

Next: Move 1: Warm-Up: Ab Prep

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Inhale and tuck your chin to your chest. Exhale and slowly curl just your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor as you lift your arms and reach toward your feet. Pause and breathe in. Slowly return to the starting position, breathing out as you go. Repeat eight times.

 
 Next: Move 2: Roll Up

(A) Lying on your back, stretch your arms and extend your legs so you form a straight line. Inhale, bring your arms overhead, and begin to curl your upper body off the floor. (B) Exhale when halfway up and continue rolling forward to reach your toes. Inhale and reverse the move, exhaling halfway down, to return to start. Repeat 10 times.
 

Next: Move 3: Leg Drop

 (A) Raise both legs toward the ceiling. Breathe in and tighten your abs. (B) Exhale and slowly lower your legs until they’re about four inches above the floor (or as low as you can go without lifting the small of your back). Pause and breathe in. Breathe out as you raise your legs to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
 

Next: Move 4: Scissors

 Raise both legs toward the ceiling. Keeping them straight, lower your left leg until it’s about six inches off thefloor. Lift your head and shoulders off the floor and grasp the back of your right leg, gently pulling it toward you. Switch legs and repeat on other side. Quickly complete 10 reps (no pausing!).
 

Next: Move 5: Hip Lift

 Raise both legs toward the ceiling and extend your arms on the floor at your sides, palms down. Inhale and tighten your core muscles. Curl your hips toward your ribs as you exhale, lifting your hips off the floor and reaching your feet straight up. Breathe in as you slowly lower. Repeat 10 times.

 

Next: Move 6: Torso Twist

 A) Sit cross-legged and stretch your arms out in front of you, with your fingertips touching. Breathe in. (B) With your hips square and abs tight, breathe out as you slowly rotate your upper body about 45 degrees to the right. Return to the center and repeat on your left side. Complete 10 reps. 

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band exercises

The band exercises below have one thing in common in that they all target the abdominal muscles as their primary target.

You'll find band exercises that target the upper and lower abdominals as well your obliques.

• Band Crunch
• Band Twisting Crunch
• Band Twisting Crunch - Kneeling
• Band Trunk Rotation
• Band Trunk Rotation - Arms Extended
• Band Trunk Rotation - Arms Extended; Low to High
• Band Side Bend

Band Crunch

Secure the band low, lie down on your back and hold the handles with your arms extended above your knees, palms facing down.

Roll your shoulder plates from up the floor while stretching the band and slowly lower yourself back down after a short pause.

Keep your arms extended throughout.

Band Twisting Crunch

• Secure the band low, lie down on your back and hold one handle with your hand on the same side, on top of your belly, plam facing down.
• Roll your shoulder plate from up the floor while stretching the band towards your other side and slowly lower youself back down after a short pause.
• Keep your arm extended throughout.

Band Twisting Crunch - Kneeling

• Secure the band high, kneel down on the floor and hold one handle with your hand near its shoulder, elbow bent.
• Tilt your upper body forward and rotate it while stretching the band towards your other side's knee and slowly raise yourself back up after a short pause.
• Keep the angle in your elbow constant throughout.

Band Trunk Rotation

• Secure the band at medium height, stand up and grab both handles with your hands in front of your abdomen, elbows at 90 degree angles.
• Rotate your upper body towards your left and slowly return to your starting position before going to the right side and returning.
• Keep the angles in your elbows constant throughout.

Band Trunk Rotation - Arms Extended

• Secure the band at medium height, stand up and grab both handles with your hands, arms extended out in front of your abdomen.
• Rotate your upper body towards your left and slowly return to your starting position before going to the right side and returning.
• Keep your arms extended out in front of you throughout.

Band Trunk Rotation - Arms Extended; Low to High

• Secure the band low, stand up and grab both handles with your hands, arms extended out in front of your hips.
• Rotate your upper body towards your left while bringing your hands up and slowly return to your starting position before going to the right side and returning.
• Keep your arms extended out in throughout.

Band Side Bend

• Secure the band high, stand up sideways and grab both handles with your hands, arms extended up on top of your head.
• Tilt your upper body to your left and slowly bringing it back after going to your right side and then returing to your starting position.
• Keep your arms extended you above your head throughout.