Great Ab Workouts You Probably Never Knew

I come across many fitness articles that keep informing readers to do the same generic exercises that everyone already knows. Sit-ups, push-ups, planks and squats are great exercises however, in order to see and maintain major results, one must change and diversify their exercise routines all the time.

Being a competitivite children's gymnastics instuctor, I witness first hand why varity in exericse is significantly important. One reason being that every body type is different; and another is because all muscles need to be strong in order to make other muscles stronger.

If someone continues to only do sit ups for their abs every day, they may think they are working all the muscles in their stomach but forget that they aren't really toning the sides and lower adominal. And what really is a good core workout without doing arms or legs in between? Here are some great unique core exercises that works all upper, lower and sides of the abdominals.

On Floor:

1) L Toe Touches

-Lay on your back and lift legs to a 90 degree angle.

-Keep arms straight up (covering ears).

-Sit up to touch toes, lay back down

Repeat

2) Pike Hold and Stalder Hold

-Sit on floor in piked position (keep toes pointed and knees locked)

-Place hands on floor next to hips

-Push legs and butt off floor and hold

* Can also be done in straddle

Repeat

3) Tuck Jumps

-Stand straight up (arms up covering ears)

-Jump and bring knees to stomach

Repeat

4) Handstand

-This one takes practice! But here are simple ways for anyone to do one

Beginner

-Walk feet up wall to comfotable height and hold.

* Try to get stomach on wall with flat hips and arms. (No arching back)

OR

-Face wall. Kick up to handstand, rest back against wall and hold.

*Focus on looking at thumbs pushing down at floor. Keep elbows straight and shoulders hollow (pushing to ears).

Intermediate:

Use Fitness ball: Pike pulls, Tuck ins

* decription below

5) V Ups

-Lay in hollow hold (arms up or down by side)

-Lift legs and upper body, reach toes to form a piked position (Only butt and lower back rests on floor)Repeat

On Chin Up Bar:

1) Half leg lifts

-Hang on bar

-Start in an L-Hold postion

-Touch toes to bar and go back to L-HoldRepeat

2) Tuck hold

-Hang on bar

-Tuck Knees to chest and hold

3) Candle

-Hang on bar

-Lift hips until thighs reach bar and hold (feet should not rest over the bar)

Repeat

4) Windsheild wipers

-Hang on bar

-lift toes to bar (feet together)

-Slowly move feet across bar left to right

5) L Hold flutters

- Hang or hold chin up on bar

- Keep legs in L-hold position

- Flutter legs up and down in small strides

With Fitness Ball:

1) Pike Pulls

-Start in push up postions

-Rest top of feet on ball with pointed toes

-Pull ball slowly towards hands while maintaining straight arms and legs

-Roll back to pushup

Repeat

Expert: Practice with lifting up on leg

2) Tuck Ins

-Start in push up postion

-Pull knees into chest to create tucked postion

-Roll back to pushup postion

Repeat

3) Plank Hold One Leg

-Start in plank postion

-Rest top of feet on ball with pointed toes

-Lift a straight leg for 5 seconds and switch

Repeat

4) Upper Body Lifts

-Keep feet on floor and balance stomach on fitness ball

-Keep arms up by ears

-Lift chest off ball and then back down

Repeat

5) Lunges in place

-Stand up with ball behind you

-Keep one leg balanced on fitness ball

-Lunge in place

Switch and Repeat

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