Best Exercise Routines for Hardening Your Abs

Most noteworthy, resistance exercises help harden abs and core. As a result, they are better able to perform their primary role. Furthermore, aerobic exercises in combination with exercises that harden abs and core help reduce belly fat. Finally, exercises to harden abs and core are described.

Description of Core Muscles

First of all, the core is made up of two key areas: the inner and outer core.

Now, the inner core comprises the diaphragm, muscles of the pelvic floor, multifidus and transverse abdominis. And, this group is responsible for stabilizing the trunk of the body. Furthermore, the transverse abdominis protects the internal organs.

Next, the outer core has the rectus abdominis, the internal and external obliques, and the erector spinae. Now, this group of muscles controls strength and range of movement, and helps you with stability. Furthermore, the rectus abdominis is responsible for forward flexion. And, the external obliques are responsible for rotation of the trunk. Also, the Internal obliques are responsible for lateral flexion of the trunk.

Finally, the abs and core muscles are below. Most noteworthy, these core muscles provide movement in all three planes of motion.

Functions of Core Muscles

1Most of all, these are the muscles that run across the body, run diagonally and run from top to bottom. First, the muscles that run across the body are called transverse abdominis. Next, muscles that run diagonally are the external and internal obliques. Also the muscles that run from top to bottom, in the front, are the rectus abdominis. While, the muscles that run from top to bottom in the back are the quadratus lumborum and erectors. And these muscles contain and protect the major organs of the body.
2Furthermore, the core muscles provide greater mobility by allowing us to bend forward, backwards, sideways, twist, turn, and combinations of these.
3In addition, by stabilizing the top part of the body over the bottom part, they allows us to walk on two feet instead of four.
4Finally, they control the position of the pelvis during movement. And, this is important because the pelvis has the capacity to tip forward or back and extreme tipping.

Guidelines for Resistance Exercises

Time and intensity guidelines for resistance exercises, used to harden abs, have been described elsewhere.

Exercises That Harden Abs and Core

Most noteworthy, exercises that harden abs and core train the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips, and abdomen to work together in harmony – leading to better balance and stability.

Furthermore, the exercises described here to harden abs are only examples. In addition, every person has their own strengths and limitations. Therefore, if you have any concerns, discuss them with your doctor or health care provider. And, if you feel pain, stop doing the exercise.

Draw In

Draw In – Sitting, standing, or lying on your back, gently but firmly tighten the abdominal muscles, drawing the navel in toward the small of the back. Furthermore, the tailbone is slightly tucked. And, practice holding this position for 10 seconds at a time while breathing normally.

Reverse Crunch

Reverse Crunch – Lie with your back pressed to the ground, your hands at your sides, your knees bent, and your feet off the floor (ankles crossed) so that your knees create a 90-degree angle. Also, tighten your abdominal muscles. And raise your hips toward your rib cage, curling your tailbone off the floor. Hold for a second or two; then slowly lower your hips to the starting position. Finally work up to 12 to 16 repetitions. Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Arm and Leg Raise

Arm and Leg Raise – First of all, lie on your stomach with your arms above your head. And, tighten your stomach muscles; then lift your right arm and left leg (see illustration). Furthermore, hold for five seconds. Lower, and rest a moment; then repeat with the left arm and right leg. Finally, work toward eight to 12 repetitions on each side. Note: Avoid arching your back (keep your abdominal muscles engaged and your pelvis tucked). When you’re ready for more, try lifting the leg and arm on the same side.

Bicycle

Bicycle – Lie flat on the floor on your back. Place your fingertips at the back of your head. Tighten your abdominal muscles, bring your knees up to a 45-degree angle, and lift your shoulder blades off the ground. Turn your upper body to the left, bringing the right elbow toward the left knee and extending your right leg. Switch sides, bringing the left elbow toward the right knee. Continue this pedaling motion, slowly, for a total of 12 to 16 repetitions. Rest and repeat. Note: Avoid pulling on the neck.

In-and-Outs to Harden Abs

In-and-Outs – Exercise for the Rectus Abdominis. Start by having a seat on the floor. Bend your knees into your chest, wrapping your arms around them, and lift your feet off the floor. Focus on tightening your core as you open your arms and extend your legs fully in front of you, without letting your feet touch the floor. Bring the knees back into your chest and your arms around your knees to starting position.

Cherry Pickers to Harden Abs

Cherry Pickers – Exercise for the external obliques. Start in a seated position on the floor with knees bent into the chest and feet off the floor. Clasp both hands together in front of your chest. Keeping your knees where they are, focus on your core and reach your hands to the outside of your right hip and try to touch the floor with your knuckles (or use a ball as illustrated). Quickly switch to the left side and repeat. Add resistance and intensity by holding a medicine ball, dumbbell or anything heavy but small lying around the house. Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Seated Leg Raises to Harden Abs

Seated Leg Raises – Exercise for the transverse abdominis. Start in the seated position on the floor, this time with the legs fully extended. Place the hands on the floor besides the hips, being careful not to go too far back behind the hips so as to keep the resistance in the abs and not the back. Now, take a deep breath. Upon exhale, activate your core muscles and lift both legs, being careful not to hold your breath.

Slowly lower legs back to starting position (keyword being slowly, without harshly dropping the feet to the floor). As you will soon see, this is a small but significant movement. You can repeat each move above about 10 to 20 times, then move on to the next exercise, or perform these three moves as part of a 30-minute routine.

Side Leg Lift

Side leg lift – Stand up straight with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Exhale as you lift your left leg straight out to the side until your foot is about six inches off the floor, then return to the starting position. Keep your hips evenly aligned throughout. Do 10 times, then repeat with the right leg. (Keep your spine neutral and your shoulders down and back. Tighten the buttock on your standing leg for stability throughout the lift.)

Knee Lift

Knee lift– Stand up straight with your feet together. Put your hands out to the sides, elbows slightly bent. Lift your right knee toward the ceiling as high as is comfortable. Move your right hand forward to touch the right knee. Lower the foot to the floor and bring your arm back to the side. Do 10 times, then repeat with the left leg. (Keep your chest lifted and your shoulders down and back. Tighten your abdominal muscles throughout. Squeeze the buttock of your standing leg for stability.)

Alternating Reverse Lunges to Harden Abs

Alternating reverse lunges– Stand up straight with your feet together and your hands at your sides. Step back on the ball of your right foot and sink into a lunge, bending your knees and bringing your left hand up in front of your chest, elbows bent. Your left knee should align over your left ankle, and your right knee should point to the floor. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Repeat with your left leg. Continue to alternate legs as you finish. Do 10 times. (Keep your weight evenly distributed between the right and left foot. In the lunge position, your shoulder, hip, and rear knee are aligned. Keep your spine neutral, and your shoulders down and back.) Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Plie

Plie – Stand up straight with your feet wider than your hips. Turn your toes slightly outward (rotating from the hips) and rest your hands on your hips. Keep your back straight as you bend your knees and lower your buttocks toward the floor. Stop before your buttocks reach knee level. Exhale as you return to the starting position. (Keep your knees aligned over your ankles when in the plié position. Keep your spine neutral, body upright, and your shoulders down and back as if you have a rod in your spine. Tighten abdominal muscles throughout.) Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Pelvic Tilt to Harden Abs

Pelvic Tilt – First of all, lie on floor with knees bent, feet parallel and arms to the side. And tighten lower abdominal muscles, pulling the navel and lower back toward the floor, without using buttocks or leg muscles. Finallly, hold for 5 seconds. Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Trunk Curl to Harden Abs

Trunk Curl – First of all, lie on floor with knees bent and arms crossed on the side. Furthermore, using upper abdominal muscles, raise trunk of body off the floor slightly, to about 15 degrees. And hold 5 seconds. Finally, lower trunk slowly to the floor. (To be effective, motion should raise the chest, rather than the head or neck, and only be only a slight lift. Rising too far, to a sitting position, works leg muscles not the abdominals.) Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Exercise Ball Sit-ups to Harden Abs

Exercise Ball Sit-ups – First of all, sit on the exercise ball with back in neutral position, feet flat on floor and arms straight overhead. And, lean back, flexing at hips, and pointing toes to ground. Furthermore, hold for 5 seconds. Finally, sit up slowly, setting heels back on the ground. Do 5 times. Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Bridge to Harden Abs

Bridge – Lie on your back with your knees bent. Also, keep your back in a neutral position, not arched and not pressed into the floor. And, avoid tilting your hips. Furthermore, tighten your abdominal muscles. And raise your hips off the floor so that your hips are aligned with your knees and shoulders. Finally, hold the position for as long as you can without breaking your form. Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Side Planks with Hip Lift

Lie on your side and place your elbow on the floor to maintain your body raised, about 15 degrees from the floor. Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Exercises for Lower Back

Disc herniation in the lower back results from chronic imbalance in the spinal joints. The following exercises may help.

Face Down Upper Body Lift

Lie down on your belly. And, place your palms next to your shoulders on the floor. Furthermore, gently pushing the floor downward, raise your upper body. Finally, maintain that position for two to three minutes and return slowly to the floor again. While your upper body is raised, your body from the pelvis down is securely fixed to the floor. Do this twice daily – once every morning and once every evening. While this exercise is more for correcting the spinal posture more than for strengthen the core, it is nonetheless effective for keeping active while minimizing pain.

Anterior Pelvic Tilt

Lie on your back. And bend your knees and raise your hips while maintaining your feet flat on the ground. Furthermore, maintain this position for 5 to 10 seconds, before returning gently back to the floor. Finally, repeat this about 10 times, raising your hips as high as you can without feeling pain. Make sure you raise and lower your hips slowly. Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Side Plank Leg Raise

Lie on your side and place your elbow on the floor to maintain your body raised, about 15 degrees from the floor. Raise your leg as high as you can and lower slowly. Do 15 to 20 reps, and repeat for 3 sets. You must move your leg as slowly and gently as possible. This exercise is great for strengthening the oblique and thigh muscles.

IF you are not in pain, but your muscles feel weak:

Quadruped Opposite Arm and Leg Balance

Place your knees and palms on the floor. Raise one arm parallel to the floor and do the same for the leg of the opposite side at the same time. Maintain them raised for 10 to 15 seconds before returning to the original position. Do the same for the other arm and leg. Repeat this 10 times. Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Straight-Arm Plank or Full Plank

Straight-arm Plank – Plant the hands directly under the shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder-width apart). Ground the toes into the floor, squeeze the glutes to stabilize the body, and keep the body straight. Hold for 60 seconds or as long as you can. Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Forearm Plank or Half Plank

Forearm Plank – Lie face down with legs extended, elbows bent and directly under shoulders, and clasp your hands. Feet should be hip-wide apart, and elbows should be shoulder-width apart. Contract your abs, then tuck your toes to lift your body (forearms remain on the ground). You should be in a straight line from head to heels. Hold for 60 seconds or as long as you can. Also, harden abs and core muscles around the waist with this exercise.

Videos to Harden Abs

First of all, this one is on the 7 best ABS exercises.

Second, this one is on 7 exercises at home, for a flat stomach.

Next, this one is on how to lose belly fat the fastest – zumba.

Finally. this one is on girls AB workout using an inversion table.

Conclusion

In conclusion, exercises that harden abs and core muscles will help them perform their crucial function of standing upright, staying steady on your feet, and help you twist and turn. Furthermore, aerobic exercises, which burn fat, combined with exercises that harden abs will help reduce excess abs fats and harden the abs.