This Lower Abs Workout Will Light Your Core Up In All The Right Places
When was the last time you did a lower-abs workout that left you feeling the burn long after you were finished? Welp, the 13 moves below are designed to do just that. All you need is a resistance band and about 20 minutes to create some major muscle magic.
Technically speaking, your lower abs are actually the bottom portion of your rectus abdominis, which runs down the entire front of your core—they're often referred to as your six-pack. And while all sorts of popular abs exercises work 'em, some moves are better than others at really lighting your lower abs up—like the ones here.
Not only is it suuuper satisfying to build strength in this area of your bod, but doing so goes a long way toward upping your overall fitness and improving your posture. Also, weak lower abs often lead to overarching and pain in your low back, so training yours is a prereq to avoiding aches and pains in this area.
Use these moves to DIY your own lower abs workout and you'll have a stronger core, from top to bottom, in no time. Let's go!
Time: 20–25 minutes
Equipment: resistance bands
Good for: core, abs, lower abs
Instructions: Choose five to six exercises from the list below. Perform each for 45 seconds to one minute, then rest for 15 seconds before continuing onto the next. Once you’ve finished all exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat the entire circuit again from the top for three to four total rounds.
1. Deadbug
How to: Start lying back with arms extended over chest, legs raised and bent at 90 degrees (knees above hips and shins parallel to floor). Keep low back pressed to the floor, brace core, then slowly and simultaneously extend and lower left leg and right arm to hover just above mat. Pause, then return to start and repeat on the opposite side. That’s one rep. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Only extend arms and legs as far as you can without arching lower back.
2. Staggered Leg Lower
How to: Lie on the floor, with back flat, hands at sides, and legs extended with a looped resistance band around ankles. Lift legs straight up so they form a 90-degree angle with torso and curl head, neck, and shoulders off of mat so gaze is at thighs. This is your start position. Keep legs straight and tension in the resistance band, but separate heels so right heel is a little farther away from body then left. Now lower both legs toward the floor. Once right foot is just above the floor, reverse the movement to return to start. Repeat, leading with opposite foot. That's one rep. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Slow-and-controlled is the name of the game here.
3. Bird Dog With Elbow-To-Knee Touch
How to: Start on all fours, with hands directly under shoulders and knees under hips. Draw stomach in, then raise left arm and right leg until both are extended straight out. With control, touch elbow and knee beneath torso, then re-extend. Return to all fours and repeat on opposite side. That's one rep. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Move slowly to keep shoulders and hips level.
4. Plank With Tap
How to: Start in a high plank position with shoulders stacked over wrists, core tight, and a looped resistance band wrapped around ankles. Keeping hips level, lift right foot and tap it a few inches to the right. Return to start, then repeat on the left side. That’s one rep. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Press arms into mat to maintain contact between back and floor.
5. Flutter Kicks
How to: Start lying on back with hands at sides and legs raised in the air at a 45-degree angle, feet flexed. Swiftly scissor legs up and down a few inches in opposite directions without lifting lower back off mat. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Keep lower back pressed into floor.
6. Hollow Hold to Crunch
How to: Start lying with back flat on floor and feet hovering a few inches off the floor. Loop a resistance band around wrists and extend arms along ears. Engage core and hold for a couple of seconds. Then, maintaining tension in resistance band, bend at knees to draw legs in towards chest and lower straight arms outside of knees. Hold briefly, then return to start. That’s one rep. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: If your lower back comes off the floor in hollow hold position, lift your feet higher.
7. Plank and Pike
How to: Start in a plank position with shoulders over wrists. Hinge at hips to lift butt into air, shifting weight back into feet while reaching right hand to left ankle. Return to plank and repeat on the opposite side. That's one rep. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Avoid letting hips sway from side to side throughout this move!
8. Banded Leg Lower
How to: Start lying on back with the middle of a resistance band wrapped around right foot and the ends in hands. Lift both legs straight up, so they're 90 degrees from torso, and bend elbows at 90 degrees so triceps rest on floor. Keeping right leg still, engage core and slowly lower left leg until it nearly touches the ground. Then return to start. That’s one rep. Continue for 45 seconds (switching legs halfway through), then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Only lower leg as far as you can without lifting lower back up off floor.
9. Plank To Bear Plank
How to: Start in plank position. Maintaining stable hips, walk left and then right foot in so knees are bent, directly below hips and hovering a few inches above the floor. Walk feet back out to plank. That's one rep. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Increase the difficulty by wrapping a looped resistance band around the middle of feet.
10. Reverse Crunch
How to: Start lying on back with hands by sides and feet lifted off the ground at a 45-degree angle, toes pointed. Push down into arms and pull knees into chest and up until hips lift off mat. Slowly return to start. That's one rep. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Squeeze your lower abs at the top of the movement.
11. Tuck Jump
How to: Start standing. Squat slightly and hover hands in front of chest, then jump straight up, engaging core to tuck knees in towards chest. Land softly. That's one rep. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Focus on using core to pull knees up towards chest to reap the biggest benefits for your lower abs.
12. Jump Rope
How to: Start with feet together and arms by sides, elbows slightly bent and hands closed as if holding the handles of a jump rope. Keeping elbows close to ribs, make forward circles with both forearms and hop feet forward, back, then side-to-side. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Keep lower abs tight and hips neutral (no forward tilt) the entire time.
13. Mountain Climbers
How to: Start in a high plank position with wrists beneath shoulders and core tight. Quickly drive knees toward chest, one at a time. Repeat without stopping. Continue for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all five or six exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Pro tip: Focus on using core to drive knee towards chest and keep lower back from arching.
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