5 Exercises for Women To Get Strong Abs

Flat abs aren’t just for athletes, models, and the genetically blessed — they’re a result of head-to-toe body care and love.Not only are flat abs attractive, they are also a sign of a healthier body. Abdominals have a specific anatomical function of tilting and stabilizing the upper body to facilitate fluid upper body movements.

No matter what motivation you start with, if you are aiming to have stronger abs you will end up with healthier, stronger, and loving life.In fact, when you pair the right moves with clean eatingyou can get impressive results by working out for as little as 10 minutes a day.

Here are 5 basic ab exercises for women to develop flatter and stronger abs

* Bicycle crunch

Lie on the ground with one leg extended straight out and one leg bent with your knee pulled in towards your chest. Both feet should not be touching the floor. Place your hands on the back of your head. Move your legs in the motion like cycling with alternate bending and extending of your legs, while rotating opposite elbows towards the bent knee. Be sure to focus on fully extending your straight leg out. If it gets too stressful to begin with, you can start by keeping your hands down by the side of your body and just cycle with your legs.

* Reverse dumbbell chop

This is the work-out which tones up not only your abs but also your legs and your butt. Start by standing with feet hip apart, bend knees into a half-squat and hold the dumbbell in both hands to your left side, just outside of your left thigh. Make sure that your core is nice and tight, stand straight up and raise the weight over your opposite shoulder, twisting your torso as you lift. Bring the dumbbell back down to your left side and repeat for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

* Reverse Crunch

Reverse crunch strengthens your stomach and your back. Lie on the floor with knees bent and your hands underneath your glutes. Hold your feet up just above the ground with your toes pointed.In one swift motion, bring your legs in towards your chest and push your feet up towards the ceiling, lifting your glutes off the floor. Repeat for 60 seconds. Once you get used to the crunches, you can take this up a notch. Add in an isometric crunch by placing your hands behind your head and lifting your shoulder off the ground while you continue the reverse crunch.

* Leg Lifts

To do the leg lifts, you can start by lying on your back with legs straight out and hands flat on the floor by your sides. Engage your core and lift legs off the floor so the soles of your shoes face the ceiling.Keeping your lower back flat on the ground, lift your glutes up off the floor as if your heels are trying to touch the ceiling. Lower your glutes back to the floor and lower legs slightly (without lifting lower back off the floor). Return to starting position. Repeat for 60 seconds. This is a great exercise for firming up the abs and tightening the glutes.

* Russian Twist

Russian twist works by toning up your mid-section, working your balance and building stability in your spine, all at once. To do a Russian Twist, start by sitting on the floor, knees slightly bent, heels on the floor. Lean back slightly to engage your abs.Rotate to the left, touching your fingertips to the floor. Rotate to the right, again touching fingertips to the floor. Quickly alternate back and forth for 60 seconds. To make it harder you can lift your feet off the floor. To make it even more difficult, hold a medicine ball as you rotate.