A flat stomach is the goal of many dieters and achieving toned abs has benefits beyond what you look like.
A strong core can improve posture and balance, and reduce the risk of injury and back pain.
Crunches target the lower and upper abs
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Speaking exclusively to GB News, fitness expert Daniel Herman, from Bio-Synergy, shared some moves for toned abs.
These can all be modified to do at home, and the routine does not take long, meaning it can be tagged onto the end of another workout or you can do it quickly in the morning.
He said: “Abs are something we all want but it’s making sure we work them correctly to truly have abs of steel.”
Sit-ups
Targets: Upper Abs
Reps: 15-20
“Lie flat on the floor and bend your knees bringing your feet towards you. Place something on your feet to stop you from moving too much. Put your arms on your chest and raise your torso until upright.”
Hanging leg raises
Targets: Lower abdominals
Reps: To failure
“Make sure you do not swing your body, keeping your legs close together. When your legs hit the top of each rep hold for one to two seconds before lowering. If doing this at home, make sure that anything you use to hang is strong and secure.”
Decline weighted crunch
Targets: Upper abdominals
Reps: 15-20
“When you get to the top of the exercise, rotate your torso slightly. For a variation use the cables -and implement drop sets. This will allow you to really feel the burn.”
Being in a calorie deficit is important to burn fat and reveal abs
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Toe touches
Targets: Upper and lower abdominals
Reps: To failure
“Lie flat on the floor. raise your legs towards the ceiling while at the same time raising your torso touching your feet with your hands. Make sure the movement is controlled.”
Cable wood choppers
Targets: Upper and lower abdominals, obliques and core
Reps: 15-20
“Stand with your feet should width apart. Hold a cable and perform a chopping movement, moving diagonally across your body from shoulder height to knee height. This can be modified to do at home by ditching the cable
“You can perform these exercises in any order, but always remember to perform the movements with control and engage your core,” Daniel explained.
