Do This for Stronger Abs and a Tighter Core

Want a stronger core but can’t seem to find the time to do ab exercises on the reg? Hey, today’s post from Life Fitness — the leader in designing and manufacturing high-quality exercise equipment for fitness facilities and homes worldwide — is for you! For more fitness advice and expertise from them visit www.lifefitness.com/blog.

Abs in the A.M.

Abs. The enviable body part that everybody wants but are tough to get. To make the six-pack process easier, commit to an early morning core session four to five days a week in addition to your normal workouts. Right when the alarm clock goes off, spend a few minutes focusing on your middle before hopping in the shower. A consistent morning abdominal routine will start your day on an active note and help turn a pipedream of flat abs into reality. Here are a few easy ways to try it!

1. 7-minute morning abs. An awesome option to engage your core come sunrise is a quick but sweaty seven-minute workout. Pick seven ab exercises-you can mix them up each day and perform each for one minute. The goal is to transition from exercise to exercise without any rest. Although only seven minutes long, your abs will be burning by the time this tough mini-workout is over.

2. Plank off. Jump out of bed and hit the floor. The plank is an extremely efficient isometric exercise that works not only your core but also your upper and lower body, too. How long can you hold a plank? Challenge yourself to a plank off one morning a week and try to add five seconds each time.

3. Don’t omit the obliques. On the road to flat abs, the obliques cannot be pushed to the wayside. Although extremely important in shaping your middle, the muscles on the side of your core are often forgotten in favor of focusing on the lower abs. Don’t make this mistake; the best abs require balance! Bicycle crunches, Russian twists and side planks are three of the best oblique-centric exercises to work into your morning core routine.

Set your alarm clock 10 minutes early and work on your six-pack!

A big thanks to Life Fitness for the ab-tastic suggestions! —Jenn