4 Ab Exercises That Really Work

Marie Claire
Chloe Webber
Chloe Webber

Get a sexy, sleek and healthy stomach with the best gut-strengtheners of all time. The first three work all your ab muscles at once; the fourth slims and strengthens your sides. Add one or more of these moves to your ab routine every time and say hello to a new bikini.

Standard Crunch
Lie with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, fingertips lightly touching behind your head, elbows out to the sides. Contract your abs and let your head, upper back and shoulders come off the floor. Keep your chin one fist's width from your chest. Hold and squeeze for a moment at the top, then slowly return to the starting position.
Beginner Tip: Don't pull your head with your hands! Imagine a rope pulling your body up from your sternum.

Bicycle
Lie on the floor with your fingertips behind your head. Bend your knees and raise your legs above your hips, calves parallel to the floor. Bring one elbow to the opposite knee while pressing the other leg away from your body at a 45-degree angle. Alternate sides.
Beginner tip: Start with both feet on the floor. As you bring one elbow across, bring the opposite knee up to meet it, then put it back down and repeat on the other side.

Marine Crunch
Lie on your back with your legs raised straight above your hips and your arms reaching to the ceiling. Simultaneously reach your fingertips toward your toes and press your feet toward the ceiling to lift your tailbone off the floor.
Beginner tip: Instead of lifting your feet and hands together, alternate between lifting the upper body and the hips.

Side Plank
Lie on one side with your knees bent and your forearm on the floor. Keep your elbow in line with your shoulder. Press your weight into your elbow and lift your hips and upper body off the floor so you make a straight line from knee to head. Hold for as long as you can - try 10 to 20 seconds at first; build up to a minute. Switch sides. As you get stronger, try straightening the arm, straightening the legs and then straightening both.

Get more advice on HOW TO GET STRONG, SEXY ABS - THE EASY WAY! here.


RELATED

Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.