“And truly, the journey of ‘getting there’ is where the benefits are!”
Here are eight exercises to help you start transforming your abs in just 30 days.
That’s why one of her favorite Pilates moves for toning the midsection, is the double leg stretch.
Start from a seated position on your mat with your legs bent and your feet under your knees.
Extend your right leg up to the sky, while extending your left arm straight forward at shoulder height.
Then do the same with your left leg and right arm by pressing your navel to your spine.
“Imagine a ping pong ball at the inner center of your lower belly,” said Matles.
Exhale and hold pose by scooping out lower belly and creating the curve in back to maintain.
Repeat (do two sets of 10).
“This exercise tones the transverse abdominal muscle, rectus abdominal muscle and obliques,” said Matles.
“you could modify by keeping head and chest on mat.”
Interlace fingers behind your head, shoulders soft and down, with wide elbows.
“Connect with the ping pong [ball],” said Matles.
Inhale and return to center.
Exhale and extend the left leg and rotate the torso to the left.
Repeat (do two sets of 10).
Starting from a seated position, raise your feet two inches from the floor.
Want to bump up the intensity?
Try holding on to a weighted medicine ball throughout the exercise.
Fitness expert Dempsey Marks, who created thePreGame Fitwellness plan, is also a big fan of this exercise.
“It also helps strengthen your lower back.”
“Lay flat on ground and with both hands, grab one ankle,” explained Rosell.
Repeat the same exercise for another 20 seconds until you complete one full minute."
Talk about feeling the burn!
V-ups
For a total core workout, Marks recommends adding some V-ups to your life.
“V-Ups are a fantastic way to burn the rectus abdominis,” he told me.
“They are more challenging than a traditional crunch and work all the way from upper to lower abs.
They also challenge your hip flexors, inner thighs and quads.”
Squeeze your core as you reach toward your feet.
Slowly lower yourself all the way back down.
It’s simple, yet incredibly strengthening.
A plank works every muscle in the body by contracting the muscles over a long period of time."
There are two keys to a perfect plank, according to Rose.
First, it’s remembering to breathe.
“Slow, steady, even inhalations and exhalations will steady your mind and improve your form.
Keep the belly engaged and abs tight throughout your breath,” she told me.
The second: pull in.
“This will cinch your entire body in and up.
Scissor kicks
To work those traverse abs (deep stomach muscles), Marks recommends scissor kicks.
“These muscles are key for posture, balance and stability,” he told me.
“Scissor Kicks are also great for strengthening your hip flexors.”
Lie on your mat with your hands at your sides.
Lift your right leg in front of you in a 90-degree angle to the floor.
At the same time, raise your left leg behind you, creating another 90-degree angle.
Engaging your abdomen, legs and gltues, cross your legs over each other in a scissor-like motion.
“Start with the basics.
Perfect the moves, slow and steady wins the race every time when it comes to abdominals.”
Rose also noted a very important ingredient to achieving killer abs: nutrition.
