Bring on the short-shorts and swimsuits! We went to our favorite celeb trainer, Joe Dowdell, to get his top three abs exercises. Here are the moves he swears by to rock those teeny-weeny bikinis:
Instead of just giving you my three favorite abs exercises, I'm going to give you my top three choices for beginners as well as a few options that are great for intermediate/advanced trainees.
1. Plank: Lie facedown on mat. Place forearms on mat, elbows under shoulders. Place legs together with forefeet on floor. Raise body upward by straightening body in straight line (don't let your hips sag). Hold position.
2. Side Plank: Lie on your side on mat. Place your right forearm on mat under your shoulder, perpendicular to your body . Place your left leg directly on top of your right leg and straighten knees and hips. Raise your body upward by straightening through your waist so your body is ridged. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.
3. Pallof (Cable or Band) Press and Hold: Adjust a cable machine so the pulley is at chest height. Grab the handle with both hands and walk out so there is tension on the cable. Now, turn 45 degrees so you face sideways in relation to the cable, and assume a hip-width stance with the handle at your chest. This is the starting position . Press the cable straight out in front of you and hold. Brace your midsection and do not let it pull your arms or trunk to the side; the object of the exercise is to resist rotation.
With intermediate/advanced trainees, I still like to work on the stability component of the core, but I also like to transition into making the movements more dynamic (hence the three choices below). I often choose core exercises that are very integrative like medicine ball rotation tosses.
Instead of just giving you my three favorite abs exercises, I'm going to give you my top three choices for beginners as well as a few options that are great for intermediate/advanced trainees.
1. Plank: Lie facedown on mat. Place forearms on mat, elbows under shoulders. Place legs together with forefeet on floor. Raise body upward by straightening body in straight line (don't let your hips sag). Hold position.
2. Side Plank: Lie on your side on mat. Place your right forearm on mat under your shoulder, perpendicular to your body . Place your left leg directly on top of your right leg and straighten knees and hips. Raise your body upward by straightening through your waist so your body is ridged. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.
3. Pallof (Cable or Band) Press and Hold: Adjust a cable machine so the pulley is at chest height. Grab the handle with both hands and walk out so there is tension on the cable. Now, turn 45 degrees so you face sideways in relation to the cable, and assume a hip-width stance with the handle at your chest. This is the starting position . Press the cable straight out in front of you and hold. Brace your midsection and do not let it pull your arms or trunk to the side; the object of the exercise is to resist rotation.
With intermediate/advanced trainees, I still like to work on the stability component of the core, but I also like to transition into making the movements more dynamic (hence the three choices below). I often choose core exercises that are very integrative like medicine ball rotation tosses.
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