While many people train their abdominal muscles by doing exercises on the floor, there are other ways to do it as well. The abs are located in the front of your abdomen, so it is important that you also exercise while standing to improve strength and stability. Plus, exercising your abs while standing will improve your shape. The next exercises will show you how.
Steps
Step 1. Find a flat surface that allows you to move your arms and legs without hitting obstacles
Step 2. Do the two variations of the abdominal alphabet exercise
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Stand with your legs apart, with your feet apart (the same distance between your shoulders) and with your knees slightly bent. Hold a medicine ball in your hand at chest level (choose one that weighs approximately 2 to 7 pounds). Slowly, with controlled movements, write the uppercase alphabet in the air with the ball. Keep your back straight without bending forward, and use your abs to stabilize your torso. This exercise will help you improve your stability.
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Keeping the same position, use the medicine ball to create larger letters by expanding the movements. Move your torso to exaggerate the movements and keep your legs tense. This will improve the mobility of your abs.
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Step 3. Do the paddling exercise
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Stand with your feet about three feet apart. Bend your knees slightly and keep your legs apart.
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Interlace your fingers in front of your chest.
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Without moving your torso or hips, bring your hands down and towards your right hip as if paddling.
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Then bring your hands back in front of your chest and lower them towards your left hip.
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Alternate these movements 10 times on each side.
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Step 4. Keep practicing the cross abdominal exercise
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Stand with your feet and hips in line with your shoulders.
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From this position, extend your right arm all the way over your head and your left leg to the left, also straining your toes, a bit like a ballet dancer.
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Raise the left knee and bring the right elbow towards the left knee by contracting the muscles of the abdomen.
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Repeat the movement 9 more times then switch and do 10 repetitions of the same movement but on the other side.
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Step 5. Do the two-handed arm stretch
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Keeping your feet apart, about three feet apart, bend your knees slightly and cross your fingers in front of you at your hips.
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Lower yourself as if to do a squat, a push-up on the legs, until the legs form a 90 degree angle.
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Return to a standing position and, as you do so, raise your hands above your head and to the right.
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Bend your legs again and lower your arms to the level of your hips, then stand up and at the same time raise your arms above your head to the left. Keep your abs tight.
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Repeat the exercise 10 times on each side.
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Step 6. Finish with this last lateral abdominal exercise
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Position yourself with your feet aligned with your hips and your knees slightly bent.
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Extend your right arm over your head.
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Shift your weight onto your left leg, bend your right foot and leg outward and lift your knee as high as you can and lower your right elbow to touch the knee.
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Repeat the exercise 10 times, then switch sides for another 10 repetitions.
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Advice
- If possible, use weights to strengthen the arm muscles.
- Increase the intensity of the paddle and two-hand stretch exercise by holding a weight in each hand.
- For an even more intense alphabet exercise try doing it while on a BOSU Balance Trainer hemisphere, or with your knees bent 90 degrees, in a squat position.
