To get a strong core, you've got to do more than a few random ab exercises every now and then. You've also got to train all the muscles that make up your abs ‚ your internal and external obliques, your transverse abdominis [1] (TVA), and your rectus abdominis muscles.
To help you strengthen your core, POPSUGAR spoke to Australia-based trainer Kayla Itsines [2], founder of BBG [3] and the Sweat app [4].
Kayla recommended doing plank variations [5], hanging leg raises, double leg lifts, and toe-touch crunches. "They're my go-to ab moves. I can really feel them and for me, they've always worked," Kayla told POPSUGAR. If you want to create a workout with these moves, we recommend performing 12 to 15 reps of each exercise for two to four rounds.
Because she's currently pregnant [6], Kayla isn't doing these moves and said she isn't doing ab exercises during her pregnancy. Check out the moves ahead:
Elbow Plank
- Start on the floor, resting on your forearms and knees.
- Step your feet out one at a time, coming into a plank position.
- Contract your abs to prevent your booty from sticking up or sinking. Your spine should be parallel to the floor, with your abs pulling toward the ceiling.
Hanging Leg Raise
- Start by hanging on a pull-up bar with your palms facing out, or use the ab straps and hang with your arms inside of them. Do use a box or bench if you need help reaching the bar.
- Pull your shoulder blades down your back to keep your shoulders away from your ears.
- Engage your abs as you fully extend both legs, lifting them up simultaneously with control.
- Lower your legs down slowly and return to the starting position. This completes one rep.
- Avoid swinging during this move to ensure that you're really working your abs.
- If this move is too hard, you can do double leg lifts [7] on the ground.
Double Leg Lift
- Lay flat on the ground with your legs extended straight up toward the ceiling. Place your hands underneath the back of your head. For added stability, lay your arms out to your side, allowing your palms to grip the floor much like you would in a push-up position.
- Pressing your lower back into the ground, slowly lower both legs down toward the floor, then slowly raise them back up. If this is too difficult, lower them as much as you can, or lower one leg at a time.
Toe-Touch Crunch
If you're more advanced, Kayla said to do this move holding a dumbbell overhead.
- Lie on your back and reach your arms behind you, pointing your legs toward the ceiling.
- Swing your arms toward the ceiling; as you do, lift your head and shoulder off the ground and touch your toes, while lifting your pelvis slightly off ground so your toes move toward your fingers. If your neck tires, place one hand behind your head.