If you’ve read the gut-busting guide I recently released, you’ll see the section about adopting a daily calisthenics routine that has a minimum cost of time but pays out big dividends the longer you go. For example, if you do a simple set of 25 situps every morning when you wake up, after 30 days, you’ll have completed 750 situps overall. When is the last time you did 750 situps ever? At most, doing 25 a day takes as little as 1 to 3 minutes max depending on your current athletic level.
You don’t have to do just situps, or only situps, either. Here’s a list of 5 alternate ab exercises you can do to adopt a daily calisthenics routine or as part of your current workout regimen.
What do I need?
Equipment: yoga mat, kettlebell (optional)
Time: 5-15 minutes
Reps and sets: Aim for 10-15 slow, controlled reps per set and 2-3 sets per exercise. For static holds, stay in the pose anywhere from 20 seconds to 1 minute.
1. Vertical Leg Stretch
Level: Beginner
How to do it:
- Start on your back with your knees bent and your shins parallel to the floor. This is the tabletop position for the legs. Take a few moments to breathe deeply into the back and lower abs.
- Pull your abs in as you exhale, taking your belly button down toward your spine as you curl your head and shoulders up to the tips of the shoulder blades. As you curl up, extend your left leg at a 45-degree angle. The right leg remains in tabletop position with the right hand grasping the right ankle and the left hand moving to the right knee. You will maintain your upper-body curve throughout the exercise. Be sure to keep your shoulders relaxed and your abdominals deeply scooped.
- Switch legs on a two-part inhale. Bring air in as the left knee comes in, and bring more air in as you gently pulse that knee toward you.
- Now the left hand is at the left ankle and the right hand at the left knee.
- Exhale and switch legs again. Bring the right leg in with a two-part exhale/pulse and extend the left leg. The hand-to-leg coordination continues with the outside hand of the bent leg going to the ankle and the other hand moving to the inside of the knee.
Repeat, switching legs up to 10 times.
Modifications: You can do this exercise with your head down. If the small of your back is starting to come off the floor or you are feeling back strain, your legs are too low. Raise your legs so that you are working your abs and not your back.
2. Crunch Kicks
Level: Beginner
How to do it: Lie on your back with your arms at your sides for support. Bring your knees in toward your chest as you pull your belly button toward the ground and keep your lower back glued to the floor. Try to maintain as much of this core engagement as you can as you kick your feet straight out in front of you. Don’t allow your lower back to arch off the floor. If your back arches a lot, don’t kick as far or try the modification below. Repeat, repeat, repeat until you get your reps done.
Modification: Try the reverse crunch. Bring your knees in toward your chest and instead of kicking your feet straight in front, keep those knees bent and lower your heels to the ground. Then bring your knees back in to your chest and continue.
3. Crossover Crunch
Level: Beginner
How to do it: While it’s not required, you’ll probably want to use a mat for this exercise. Start by taking a nice deep breath and focusing on your abs.
- Lay flat on the mat with your body positioned in a straight line from the top of your head, down your spine, and into your tailbone.
- Place your hands behind your head, elbows out.
- Inhale as you cross your left leg over your right resting your left ankle your right knee.
- Exhale as you contract your abdominal muscles and slowly raise your upper body off the mat.
- Slowly twist your torso to your left as you squeeze your abs, bringing your right elbow to your left knee until they touch.
- Inhale as you slowly lower your upper body back down to the mat.
When you’ve completed your desired number of reps for the first side, switch and perform the same exercise on the other side (placing your right ankle on your left knee and twisting your torso to the right).
4. Vertical Leg Crunch
Level: Intermediate
How to do it: Lie on your back on a mat or another surface that will be comfortable.
- Place your hands folded behind your neck.
- Bring your legs up, extending them perpendicular to the floor with knees slightly bent. Keep your lower spine flat on the floor.
- Contract your abs in preparation for the lift.
- Begin by slowly curling your upper body, lifting your shoulder blades off of the floor. Exhale on the upward motion. Keep your legs straight and pointed upward; don’t let them sway or list to one side.
- Continue curling your body upward using your core muscles. Don’t lead with the head by pulling on the neck, and keep your chin up.
- When your shoulder blades are off of the floor, pause and hold the position a moment or two.
- Begin lowering the upper body by uncurling slowly. Inhale on the downward motion. Don’t allow your legs to sway, and don’t let them crash back to the floor. This should be a slow and controlled descent.
- Keep your legs in the fixed starting position.
- Do 3 sets of 12 to 16 reps.
Modification: If you can’t come fully up when you start, go as far as you can and return to the starting position. You’ll improve as you practice.
Don’t let your legs sway!
5. The Dead Bug
Level: Beginner
How to do it: While it’s not required, you’ll probably want to use a mat for this exercise. Start by taking a nice deep breath and focusing on your abs.
The dead bug exercise is performed on the ground, so you need roughly the same amount of space as a yoga mat. And, you probably want to use a yoga mat or another type of exercise mat for comfort.
- Lie on the mat with your arms extended straight over your chest so they form a perpendicular angle with your torso. Bend your hips and knees 90-degrees, lifting your feet from the ground. Your torso and thighs should form a right angle, as should your thighs and shins. This is the starting position.
- Engage your core, maintaining contact between your lower back and the mat. You want to make sure your spine maintains this steady and neutral position throughout the exercise.
- Keep your right arm and left leg exactly where they are, then slowly reach your left arm backward, over your head and toward the floor as you simultaneously extend your right knee and hip, reaching your right heel toward the floor. Move slowly and steadily, breathing in as you perform the extensions, avoiding any twisting or movement of your hips and abs. Stop the movement just before your arm and leg touch the ground.
- Reverse the movement and return your left arm and right leg to their starting positions. Move slowly and steadily, exhaling as you go. Perform the same movements to the opposite sides, this time keeping your left arm and right leg steady as you extend your right arm and left leg.
- Do the same number of repetitions on each side. When you complete a full set, simply return your feet to the ground and sit up.
Modification:
If you need to change your arm or hand positions, or just want to change things up, try these variations on the classic hand-and-arm position for crunches:
- Place your fingertips to the side of your head, just behind your ears.
Place your fingers gently behind your head, cradling the base of your skull (for this position, just make sure you aren’t using your arms to pull your head up as you crunch). - Place the fingertips of one hand at the side of your head and extend the other arm out to the side so it’s perpendicular to your body.
- You can also perform the crossover crunch without crossing your leg to your knee. The exercise is essentially the same, except that as you cross over you’ll bring your opposite knee up to meet your elbow.