Chandi Schwab

Many women have asked me for some good core exercises that will help mend their core from having babies or just from a long time of neglect. Here are some good ones!

Reverse Crunches: Reverse crunches make some of the best lower abdominal exercercises for women. They are easy to perform and give effective results.
*Lie down on the floor or use a gym mat for the same.
Now, place your hands either behind your head or besides your legs.
Keep your legs straight so that your body remains flat.
Lift up your knees and bend them at a right angle. While lifting your knees, you can keep your feet joined or crossed to each other. Lift your hips, tighten your abs and bring your knees close to your chest. Then slowly bring down your knees to touch the floor.
Repeat these steps 15 times.

Floor Cycling Bicycle: This abdominal exerciseby is another popular one. Many fitness experts believe that cycling on the floor, also called bicycle crunches along with controlled breathing can help reduce both lower and upper abs. Bicycle crunches are difficult to perform initially.
*Straighten out your legs, lie on your back and keep your arms behind your neck.
Tighten your abdomen, lift your neck and lift your one leg and touch the elbow of the opposite arm to its knee. While touching the knee with elbow keep your other leg straight.
Repeat the same steps for other side without resting the neck on the floor. You can eliminate the elbow and knee touching and perform simple cycling in the air by lying on your back. However the twist crunch due to elbow and knee touching will give you better results.
Repeat these steps 20 times, 10 for each side.

Alternate Toe-touch: This is a very simple exercise to strengthen your lower abdomen.
*Lie down on your back on a gym mat or on the floor. Raise both your legs in air with some distance between them. Your legs should make a right angle with floor.
Now, lift up your chin and chest towards ceiling and raise your shoulders from the floor.
Reach the foot of one leg with opposite arm and slowly get back to initial position and do the same for opposite side. Repeat these steps 20 times, 10 for each side.

Holding Sit-up: The most easy and simple lower abdomen exercise that requires very less efforts is the holding sit-up.
*Keep your arms behind your head and bring a bend in your knees. Keep your head in a neutral position and ensure there is some distance between your chest and chin. Then raise your shoulders from the floor and tighten your lowers abs by lifting up your chin and chest.
Hold your body in this position for some seconds and return to the initial position.

Plank Exercise: This exercise not only strengthens the core muscles, but also gets rid of the love handles around the waist, and strengthens the back too.
*Lie flat on your abdomen on the floor, with your forearms placed beside your head. Have your hands balled up into fists. Your knees and legs should be straight, with your legs resting on your toes. Raise your entire body, while holding your weight on your forearms, your fists and your toes. While you lift your body, ensure that your whole body is in a straight line. Do not have your hips raised higher than the rest of your body.
Hold this position in place for about 30-60 seconds, for about 5 repetitions

For more advanced, bend your knee up toward your ear and then back down on the ground by the other. 10 on each side.