You don't like doing sit-ups? 13 Easy Standing Exercises.
Are you looking for easy exercises to have a flat stomach easily?
Except that old-fashioned abs hurt your back and neck!
And who wants to do the plank exercise? Or buy those expensive fitness equipment?
Fortunately, there are some easy exercises to work your abs ... while standing !
To build the abs, many people focus on the famous "chocolate bars".
However, the abdominal strap is made up of several muscle groups - straight, oblique and transverse - which also cover the sides of the body and help support the spine.
To have concrete abs, here is 13 beginner exercises you can do while standing. Look :
1. Cross crunch
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. The shoulders are relaxed, with the arms raised above the head. Make sure you contract all the muscles in the abdominal muscles.
- In one movement, rotate the head and torso to lower the right elbow and raise the left knee.
- Return to the starting position, and do the same movement on the opposite side.
- To lift the knees, try contracting the obliques (the muscles that extend along the side of the torso) and not the quadriceps.
Alternate this movement between each side for 1 min.
2. Lateral tilt in squat
Standing with a dumbbell in each hand, the feet are set slightly wider than the pelvis. The tips of the toes are facing outward, the knees slightly bent. Do not push your butt back: your hips and back should form a straight line.
- Raise your arms in a "hands up" position, with your elbows bent at 90º.
- Squeeze the core muscles and tilt to the right until the elbow touches the thigh.
- Return to the starting position, and do the same movement on the opposite side.
Do 10 reps to the right and 10 reps to the left. Finish with 10 repetitions, alternating each side.
3. Bust rotation
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a medicine ball or dumbbell with both hands, and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
- Keeping your arms straight and shoulders relaxed, rotate your upper body to the right.
- Return to the starting position, and do the same movement on the opposite side.
Do 10 reps to the right and 10 reps to the left. Finish with 10 repetitions, alternating each side.
4. Rotary chop
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a medicine ball with both hands at chest height.
- Lean your upper body as you rotate your feet, bringing the medicine ball to the outside of your right foot.
- Rotate in the opposite direction so that the medicine ball is lifted as far as possible over the left shoulder, passing it in front of the torso.
Do 10 reps on the same side, then 10 reps on the opposite side.
Challenge : To strengthen your abs even more, try increasing the speed of the movement.
5. Lateral flexion with dumbbell
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell with one hand (or two dumbbells if you can hold them securely, like in the video above). Put the other hand behind the head.
- Lean your upper body to the right, keeping your back straight and your arm straight.
- Slowly ascend, contracting the muscles of the abdominal strap, until the shoulders are parallel to the hips.
Work the same side for 1 min then do the opposite side for 1 min. Finally, alternate each side for 1 min.
6. Lateral flexion with arms raised
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell with both hands (or a dumbbell in each hand if you can hold them securely, like in the GIF above).
- Extend your arms above your head.
- Lean your upper body to the right, keeping your arms straight.
- Slowly rise back to the starting position, contracting the muscles of the abdominal strap.
Work the right side for 1 min, without pausing. Then do the left side for 1 min.
7. Standing side crunch
Standing with the feet apart slightly wider than the hips. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Raise your arms in a "hands up" position, with your elbows bent at 90º.
- Lean your upper body to the left, contracting the muscles of the abdominal strap.
- At the same time, raise the left leg by bending the knee, until the elbow touches the thigh.
Note: try to keep your arms and shoulders straight throughout the movement, so you can work the obliques to perform the side crunches.
Work the left side for 1 min, then the right side for 1 min. And finish by alternating each side for 1 min.
8. Toe touch with cross rotation
Standing with the feet apart slightly wider than the hips. The arms are extended to each side and parallel to the ground.
- Contract the muscles of the abdominal strap.
- Lean your upper body forward, and rotate to the left, touching the outside of the left foot with the right hand.
- Return to the starting position.
Work the left side for 1 min, then do the right side for 1 min. Finish by alternating each side for 1 min.
9. Back lunge with knee rise
Get into a back lunge position: your left knee is bent, your right leg extended backwards, and your arms extended above your head. Lean the hips slightly forward, so that the chest is above the left thigh.
- Lift the right knee towards the chest, contracting the muscles of the abdominal strap.
- At the same time, let your arms fall naturally to the sides.
- Lower your leg back to return to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement forward, raising the knee as quickly as possible.
Do 20 reps on the same side, then 20 reps on the opposite side.
Challenge : To strengthen the abs even more, rotate slightly to the opposite side with each knee lift, so that the right knee touches the left elbow.
10. Crossed squat crunch
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your hands behind your head. Bend the knees and push the buttocks back, making sure to contract the muscles of the abdominal muscles.
- Rotate your upper body to the right until the left elbow touches the outside of the right knee.
- During the movement, try to rotate only your upper body, not the hips.
- Do the same movement on the opposite side for 1 full rep.
Do 20 repetitions.
11. Leg lift with lateral flexion
Standing with a dumbbell in each hand, the feet are hip-width apart.
- In one motion, lean your upper body to the right and lift the right foot to the side.
- Be sure to keep your leg and arms straight and to contract the obliques (the muscles that extend along the side of the torso).
- Return the right foot to the starting position, without touching the floor, and immediately repeat the movement.
Work the right side for 1 min, then the left side for 1 min. Finish by alternating each side for 1 min.
12. Bust rotation
Standing with the feet hip-width apart and the knees slightly bent. The arms are raised in a "hands up" position, with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Rotate your torso to the right, without rotating the hips and contracting the muscles of the abdominal strap.
- Rotate your torso to the left, keeping your shoulders parallel to the floor throughout the movement.
Rotate alternating sides for 1 min.
13. Arm rotation
Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Hold a medicine ball with both hands and extend your arms above your head.
- Rotate the shoulders so that you "draw" a large circle above the head.
- During the movement, contract the muscles of the abdominal strap without rotating the hips.
Rotate for 30 sec, then in the opposite direction for 30 sec.
How to use these exercises?
1.Choose two or three exercises from the list, and incorporate them into your cardio or muscle building sessions.
2.Do two sets in total, by following the instructions of the exercises, and respecting the number of repetitions or the time indicated.
3.Don't hesitate to vary! The advantage of working the abs, which you can't overdo! Do 2 or 3 exercises a day. Then try 2 or 3 different exercises during your next workout.
Last tip: the most important thing when doing these exercises is to properly contract all the muscles in the abdominal muscles.
So, focus on the movements of each exercise, rather than the number of repetitions.
For example, when you need to lift the leg, be sure to engage the abdominals, not just the quads or glutes.
Obviously, these exercises work just as well for women as for men!
Your turn...
Have you tried these effective exercises to build your abs while standing? Tell us in the comments if it worked for you. We can't wait to hear from you!
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Also to discover:
A flat stomach and muscular abs in ONLY 6 MINS (without equipment).
Take the Challenge: 30 Days To Have Abs and Beautiful Buttocks.
