5 Best Ab Exercises To Work Your Core | Myprotein Masterclass

Content Executive3 years ago

Myprotein Masterclass, the series where we provide you with the best exercises to target specific muscle groups, and the best variations to elevate your workouts.

In the latest episode, PTs Calvin Crooks and Kay Johnson walk us through the best ab exercises to add to your home or gym training sessions. A strong core is vital for many compound movements, and these exercises can help to define your core muscles.

The Workout

Plank

Lie on your forearms
Your body should be straight, with your weight on your forearms and the balls of your feet
Squeeze your core

Hold for about 45 seconds, and do 4-5 sets.

Tips: Squeeze your core, keep your chest up high and look forward.

Heel Touches

Lie down with your back flat on the floor
Bring your legs up so your feet are placed flat on the floor (your heel should be within reachable distance)
Keeping your back flat on the floor, reach to tap your ankle
Return to the neutral position
Reach to tap your other ankle

Complete the exercise for 30-45 seconds, and do 4-5 sets.

Tips: Squeeze your core, bring your shoulder blades up slightly and keep your neck stable.

Bicycles

Lie flat on your back
Place your hands behind your head
Bring your left knee up towards your right elbow
Then as you bring your left leg back down, bring your right knee up to your left elbow
You should continue to do this without returning to the resting position

Complete the exercise for 30-45 seconds, and do 4-5 sets.

Tips: Breathe out when you’re twisting.

Toe Touches

Lie on your back
Put your feet up in the air so they’re at a right angle to your body
Bring your shoulder blades off the ground, brace your core and reach your arms towards your toes

Complete the exercise for 30-45 seconds, and do 4-5 sets.

Tips: Not everyone can touch their toes. That’s normal. Breathe out at the top and go slowly on the way back down if you want to make it a bit harder.

Scissor Kicks

Lie on your back
Bring your feet up from the floor by two inches to start with
Then move one leg up a few inches higher, and return it to the starting position as you bring your other foot up higher

Complete the exercise for 30-45 seconds, and do 4-5 sets.

Tip: If you have back problems, or want to make the exercise slightly easier, put your hands under your bum rather than on the floor beside you. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth as you complete the exercise.

Take Home Message

There's no excuse not to work your abs now. That’s five simple exercises that can be done from the comfort of your own home. Include them in your morning routine to get an ab blast before a busy day.

Check out the Myprotein YouTube channel for more Masterclass Videos.

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Emily Wilcock

Content Executive

After completing an internship with Myprotein, Emily returned to university to finish her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Marketing. With experience in lifestyle writing, Emily aims to entertain and educate through her work. Her focuses include recipes, real and inspiring stories, and working with writers to help provide easy-to-digest evidence-based research. Her work on recipes has been previously featured in The Supplement magazine, with a particular focus on high-protein, nutritious meals, plus advice on how to properly fuel your body. Outside of work, Emily’s top priority is food. She’s a self-professed star baker and a connoisseur of all things baked. In her spare time, she’s either cooking up a storm, our looking out for the opportunity to try out Manchester’s newest restaurants. But as a huge fan of carbs, if it’s not pasta or pasta-adjacent, she’s not interested. If she’s not in the kitchen, she’s tucked up with a book for an early night, or you’ll find her in the gym working up a sweat. Afterall, all those carbs require quite the appetite.