That video makes it sound very easy. In case you need more. Check out these flat tummy exercises. Don’t try to do these all at once. Learn how to do one or two and then work your way up.
The Best Abdominal Exercises – Flat Stomach for you ladies.
For every ab exercise, center yourself first by pulling up and in on both the transversus and the pelvic floor. Retain this up and in posture even when breathing. Inhale on each concentric contraction and, just before each slow eccentric contraction, exhale forcibly by squeezing in more on the transversus and pelvic floor. Initially this action will be very strenuous. Without tightening the gut, you might do 50 reps of a movement such as hanging and kicking the knees to the chest. With power exercise you will be working to make 10 reps.
Because many athletes have weak abdominals, the series of five hanging exercises is listed from easy to hard. Initially you may be able to do only the first one or two. For some people even these will be too hard and you will have to start on floor ab exercises. As you progress to being able to do them all, you should reverse the order, doing the hardest abdominal exercises first.
For all of the hanging exercises, it is important to keep the back rounded and the toes pointed forward, and curl the torso as you go up, in order to minimize the action of the psoas. A good test of ab strength is Exercise 3, straight leg raise from a dead hang. If you can’t do 10 reps, you need ab work real bad. Add two core exercises to each workout you do during the week. These are our Level 2 and Level 3 ab exercises. Floor ab exercises are Level 1. Level 4 ab and core exercises are not listed here. To learn all the levels you can attend one of our Power Program Camps or purchase the DVD sets which will become available during this year.
Exercise 1: Hanging Knee Kick
Hang on bar with back rounded and toes pointing forwards. Pull up and in on transversus and pelvic floor.
Inhale. Kick knees up to chin, keeping arms straight. Hold and exhale, keeping transversus and pelvic floor up and in. Slowly lower legs to start position.
Inhale. Repeat for 6 to 8 reps.
Exercise 2: Hanging Half Leg Raise
Hang on bar with back rounded and toes pointing forwards. Pull up and in on transversus and pelvic floor. Inhale. Raise straight legs up to horizontal, so they make a 90° angle with the body. Keep arms straight. Hold and exhale forcibly, keeping transversus and pelvic floor up and in. Slowly lower straight legs to start position. Inhale. Repeat for 6-8 reps.
Exercise 3: Full Leg Raise
Hang on bar with back rounded and toes pointing forwards. Pull up and in on transversus and pelvic floor. Inhale. Raise straight legs up to touch bar between hands, keeping arms straight. Exhale forcibly, tightening transversus and pelvic floor. Slowly lower legs to start position. Inhale. Repeat for 6-8 reps.
Exercise 4: Horizontal Scissors
Hang on bar with back rounded and toes pointing forwards. Pull up and in on transversus and pelvic floor. Inhale. Raise straight legs up to touch bar between hands, keeping arms straight. Exhale. Keep transversus and pelvic floor tight. Keep legs up. Scissor legs out to sides. Inhale. Bring legs in and exhale. Repeat for 6 -8 reps before slowly lowering legs to start position.
Exercise 5: Vertical Scissors
Hang on bar with back rounded and toes pointing forwards. Pull up and in on transversus and pelvic floor. Inhale. Raise straight legs up to touch bar between hands. Keep arms straight throughout. Exhale and tighten transversus and pelvic floor. Keep one leg at bar level and lower other straight leg to the horizontal. Inhale. Reverse legs with a scissor movement while exhaling. Repeat 6-8 reps before lowering straight legs slowly to start position. Keep transversus and pelvic floor up and in throughout the exercise.
Exercise 6: Back Extension Roll-ups
Lie face down on extension bench, with pelvic bones protruding over edge. Clasp hands to chest or, preferably (harder), behind neck. Push straight out with elbows, making back as long as possible. Pull up and in on transversus and pelvic floor. Inhale. Lower trunk and curl back. Exhale. Slowly uncurl trunk, one vertebra at a time, starting from the lower back until you reach start position. Inhale. Repeat 6-8 reps, keeping transversus and pelvic floor up and in throughout the exercise.
Exercise 7: Reverse Back Extension
Lay face down on extension bench, with legs hanging vertically. Grasp post of bench and rest forehead on footpad. Pull on post to lengthen back. Pull up and in on transversus and pelvic floor. Exhale. Raise straight legs to horizontal while pushing on the post. Inhale. Slowly lower straight legs to vertical while pulling on post. Exhale. Repeat for 6-8 reps, keeping transversus and pelvic floor up and in throughout the exercise.
Note: The hanging and back extension exercises (Exercises 1 & 7 above) should be done without additional weights until you can do all of them for 8 reps. Then you can add strap-on ankle weight and hold a soft weight on the upper back for roll-ups, to increase the difficulty.
There are a few other secrets, but these exercises are plenty for at least a year of core training. I’ll bet a once-a-week workout with our program against 500 crunches or sit ups a day anytime.
