A flat stomach is a hot commodity among travel physical therapy and nursing professionals. Besides looking good, a strong core is vital for balance and stability. However, as travel PT specialists know, situps and crunches can place unnecessary pressure on the spine, making them a less-than-ideal exercise for building strong abdominals. To start a training regimen that will help chisel the stomach, take on the following exercises:
1. Slam ball
- Grab a relatively lightweight medicine ball or slam ball (different from a medicine ball in that it's designed for impact) and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Maintain good posture by keeping your torso upright, and bring the ball above your head with your elbows slightly bent.
- Throw the ball directly downward at the ground at hard as possible. If you're using a medicine ball, catch it upon the bounce. If you're exercising with a slam ball, lean over and pick up the ball from the ground.
- Repeat for three sets, 20 reps each, and rest 60 seconds between sets.
2. Pendulum
- Lie on a mat on your back, and keeping your arms pressed flat against the mat, raise your legs until you have a 90-degree bend at the hips.
- Maintaining straight legs, lower them slowly to the right, allowing them to almost touch the floor.
- Return the legs to the upright position and then lower them to the left.
- Repeat for four sets, 10 reps to each side. Rest 60 seconds between each set.
3. Ab wheel rollout
- Kneel on the floor with your knees directly under your hips. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders holding the handles of an ab wheel.
- Keeping the back flat and squeezing your abs, slowly roll the ab wheel out, allowing your arms to extend in front of your body. Roll out as far as your ab strength allows, then push your palms toward the floor and squeeze your abs while you push your hips back toward the start position.
- The key is to avoid letting your back sag. Remember, this is an ab workout, not a back exercise. If your back feels more sore than your abs the next day, seek out further instruction to improve technique and prevent injury.
- Repeat for four sets, 10 reps (or however many possible without falling) each, and rest 90 seconds between sets.
4. Pallof press
- Attach a D-handle to a cable cross machine and adjust the pulley to chest height.
- Stand sideways about 2 feet away from the machine, facing parallel to it with an extended cable. Grab the handle and pull it toward your torso. If your left shoulder is closest to the machine, your left hand should hold the handle and your right hand should serve as more of a guide.
- Brace your core as you extend the cable directly in front of your chest. Resisting the pull of the cable is the name of the game, so every time you push out, your abs must be stabilized. This activates your core and glutes.
- Slowly return the handle to your chest.
- Repeat for four sets, 10 reps on each side. Rest 60 seconds between each set.
A variation of this exercise is the Pallof vertical press.
- Like the first version, stand 2 feet away from the machine and pull the handle into your chest.
- Instead of pushing out in front of your chest, lift the handle straight above your head with elbows slightly bent. At the top of the lift, hold for a second and bring back down.
- Repeat for four sets, 10 reps on each side. Rest 60 seconds between each set.
5. Seated leg tucks
- Sit crosswise on a bench holding the sides for balance. Raise your legs so they're level with the bench.
- Leaning back at about a 45-degree angle, bring your knees up toward your head, making your body look like a V-shape. During this time, the upper body will curl toward the pelvis while rounding the back. You should feel their upper and lower abdominals crunch together.
- Repeat for three sets, 10 reps each. Rest 60 seconds between sets.