The most effective and complete ab workouts for girls should consider the physiological make up of women, as well as the differences between men and women.
Different Bodies
Anatomically speaking, men and women are very different in many ways:
- Because of the childbirth process, women have wider hips than men, and this affects their knees and hips during movement.
- Women lose weight harder than men because the extra estrogen in their body tends to hold more fat.
- Women have longer, more elastic muscles than men, which makes them more flexible than men.
- Women use their quads more often than men, which means they are more predisposed to injury during exercises such as squats. So women should focus on building more strength in their hamstrings and glutes.
Oblique V-Ups
Lie with your back on a mat, and extend your arms overhead and your legs in front of you with your feet together (A). In one movement, contract your abs, pull your legs up, and touch your toes (B). Exhale as you contract, and keep your feet together throughout the move. Release back down with control. That’s one rep. Immediately contract back up, and complete the recommended number of reps for each set
Do at least 15 repetitions, then switch on the right side and repeat the process.
Flutter Kicks
Get into the same position as the V hold starting position, lower both of your legs until your about 1 foot up top of the mat place your hands on each side of your body. Make sure your back is straight and begin to move both of your legs up and down while one is up the other should be down, perform this for one minute. Go directly to Modified Lower-Back Bends.
Do at least 30 .
Side Plank Raises
Begin in standard plank position. With your abs engaged, rotate your right shoulder and hip up toward the ceiling in one fluid movement, twisting your feet so that the inside of your right foot and the outside of your left foot rest on the floor. Extend your arm so that it’s pointing toward the ceiling. Return to the starting position.
Do at least 15 raises on each side.
Bicycle Crunch
From the starting position, keep your right leg extended so that it is hovering above the floor, and bring your left knee into your chest. Immediately after you’ve brought your left knee to your chest, extend your left leg completely so that it is straight and hovering above the floor. Bring your right knee into your chest (in a pedaling motion.) While your legs are pedaling, incorporate a twist in the upper body, meeting the knee at your chest with the opposite elbow (e.g. as you bring your left knee to your chest, twist your upper body to the right so that your right elbow touches your left knee.)
Do at least 20 moves with each leg.
Russian Twist
Sit down on the floor lift your legs off the ground ( if you are having a hard time keeping your feet off the floor you may place your heels on the floor). Interlock your hands and twist from one side to the other. Make sure you look at your hands when they are going from one side to the other
Do at least 30.
Basic Plank
Begin on all fours, with hands directly under shoulders, knees and feet hip-distance apart and fingers spread out. If you’re a beginner, rest on your forearms instead. (This also applies to all subsequent exercises.)
Perform for 1 minute.
Raised Legs Crunches
Lay on your back with feet elevated above the floor. Keep both your knees and hips bent to 90 degrees and place your hands behind your head. Slowly raise your shoulders off the floor, moving your elbows towards your legs. Slowly return your upper body on the floor and repeat.
Do at least 15 crunches.
There are 2 ways to get the most out of these ab workouts for girls:
Do the exercises without any rest in between, then rest for 5 minutes and repeat the entire set.
Do each exercise for 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest in between. Perform 3 sets.
