Have you wanted to get back your six-pack, but just haven’t made it happen? Improving core strength won’t just make you look better; it’ll also help you stand up straighter and maintain your balance. These core exercises will tighten your abs and improve your posture.

Do the good old sit up and crunch routine. These two oldies but goodies will make a difference. As you go through the lifting and lowering process (go all the way for every sit up, and go one third of the way for crunches), be certain to support your neck and lift slowly and smoothly, never jerking.

Pretend to ride your bicycle for a great ab and oblique workout. Start out in the same position as a traditional sit up, but lift your legs in the air and bend them at 90-degree angles. Crunch your upper body and twist such that one elbow touches the opposing knee. Then relax that side and lift the other elbow to the opposing knee. Keep alternating sides until you have a motion that feels kind of like bicycling going on.

Work your stomach by lifting and lowering your legs. Remain on your back, but stretch your legs out in front of your and palce your arms whereever comfortable. Press your lower back into the ground, engage your core muscles, and lift your legs until your body looks like the letter L. Now lower them to the ground, slowly, feeling the tension in your abdomen as your core muscles fight to keep your legs from reaching the ground.

Get solid abs by acting like a plank. Flip over onto your stomach. Use your arms to raise your body into a push up position, and then hold it there, engaging your back and stomach muscles to keep yourself stiff. Hold the position as long as you can; then slowly release down to the ground again.

The last exercise can be done all day; simply sit on your exercise ball. You’ll have to engage your core muscles all day in order to maintain your balance, which will strengthen your abs without your even realizing your doing it.

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