Most of us are used to doing sit ups in order to get the perfect abdomen. However, few people know that it’s much easier to get an attractive flat stomach whilst doing exercises standing up. Such exercises not only help to make your daily workout less monotonous, but also to train a number of other muscles you might not otherwise use, increasing your strength.
We’ve put together a list of some of the most effective exercises for your abdomen, which together can form an effective workout that takes just ten minutes. Remember: each exercise should be repeated for 45 seconds only.
Standing pike crunch
Stand up straight with your legs together. Stretch one leg out straight in front of you at a right angle to your torso, trying to touch your toes with the tips of your fingers on both hands as you do so. Do the exercise for both legs.
Diagonal pass
You’ll need some kind of weight for your hands for this one. You can use a ball, some dumbbells, or even a bottle of water. Lift your right leg, bent at the knee, whilst standing straight. Hold this position, and begin to move the weight diagonally across from your torso from your right shoulder down to your left hip, and back again. Do the same with your left leg, reversing the direction of the diagonal pass. Repeat the whole exercise.
Jumping oblique twists
Bend your arms at the elbow whilst holding them at chest level. Then begin to jump quickly, at the same time turning your torso in different directions. Your hips and legs, as well as your stretched-up arms, should be turning from side to side. This helps your to exercise your oblique muscles.
Torso rotations
Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Bend over whilst keeping your legs straight and in one place, and begin to rotate your upper body in a circle, beginning with a horizontal back and ending with a vertical one (more or less in a standing position). You should only be using the muscles in your back and abdomen to turn your body. Begin by turning in one direction, then change to the other.
High knee chops
Lift your left leg diagonally in the direction of your right shoulder. At the same time, clasp your hands together and make diagonal chopping motions from your right shoulder towards your left knee as it moves upwards. Do the same with the other leg in the opposite direction.
Waist pinchers
Place one arm on your hip. Now raise your other arm and begin bending it in towards your other hip at the same time as lifting the corresponding leg and bending it at the knee. Whilst your elbow should touch your hip, your hand should almost connect to your raised knee.
You can use this video to practice all of these exercises:
If you do theme every other day, you’ll soon begin to notice changes. Whilst your muscles will get stronger, you’ll end up with a more attractice physique.
