Did you know you could actually work your entire abdominal wall while standing? Today I want to share highly efficient standing abdominal exercises you can do anywhere. A complete ab workout targets the four muscles that make up the abs: the rectus abdominis (upper and lower abs), the internal and external obliques and the transverse abdominis.
For this workout, try performing each exercise for 45 seconds without resting and repeat the circuit three times.
Ready for this 10 minute standing ab workout? Let’s do this!
Throw punches like a boxer (focuses on the obliques).
Standing position, rotate your body to throw a punch. Don’t go half way in executing this movement. You have to really feel your obliques contracting. If you go fast (without compromising good form of the movement), you will work your cardio as well and burn more calories. To make things a bit more challenging, you can grab weights like I’m doing on the picture above (5lbs). If you are not used to working out with weights, bodyweight or a light weight (2lbs) will work perfectly here.
Front kicks (lower abs)
Still in standing position, keep your fists like a boxer would and throw one leg in front of you (not to the side). Always be aware of the mind muscle connection and contract your abs. Make sure you feel them working and that you are not just throwing kicks for nothing. You would be wasting your time and effort in doing so. You have to feel your abs working.
Standing crunches
Stand up crunches (upper and lower abs)
Keep your fists like a boxer would. Lift one knee while simultaneously crunching your upper body like you would on a regular crunch. Contract your abs. You have to feel them burning. The mind muscle connection is really important.
Standing cross crunches, also called knee to elbow (obliques)
Much like the previous exercise, only that here, you will want to make your opposite knee touch your opposite elbow and alternate for 45 seconds. Again, make sure you really feel your abs contracting while doing this. To do so, for each rep, let your opposite knee touch your opposite elbow.
Side leg raises (lower abs and obliques)
In standing position, lift one leg to the side, then the next one.
Incorporate these standing abdominal exercises to your routine!
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