Do you see people posting their gym pictures, and all you think about is getting those abs? It’s safe to say, and every man wants tight abs. Nobody’s out there thinking, “The six-pack won’t suit me.” It’s not the look that pushes people away, but the amount of effort it requires.
But do you need to go to the gym? Going to the gym keeps you motivated. It provides an environment for you to focus on your workout sessions as everybody else is working out, too. Moreover, since you’re paying for it, you’re likely to go four times a week because nobody likes wasting money.
Still, if you want to work out at home to achieve toned abs, you can totally do that. If your budget allows, you should hire a personal trainer with a fitness certificate from offline or online personal training courses because they know what works and what doesn’t.
Begin by Setting a Clear Goal
Setting a clear goal is very important when you want something. You must be clear about the direction you’re going. Why? It’s because the routine will depend on your goals. If you want to build your upper body, the workout routine will consist of more exercises for the biceps and triceps. For some, the goal is to tone their legs or reduce face fat. If you want to build abs, focus more on exercises that target both the upper and lower abdomen.
Exercises for Toned Abs
1. Crunches
There can’t be a list of abs workouts without crunches.
- Begin by lying flat on the ground
- Put your hands at the back of your head
- Fold your legs
- Lift your upper body and engage your core
- Repeat this in three sets of 20 crunches
Pro tip: Look straight up and don’t put pressure on your neck; otherwise, you’ll pinch your nerve. If you experience pain in the neck while doing crunches, revise your posture and start again.
2. Plank
Planking is the best way to get your core working and increase your body strength. It seems easy, but you need to exert more effort to master the proper form.
- Put your body weight on your arms and toe tips
- Form a plank position and hold it
That’s it. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds in the beginning and gradually increase the time.
3. Mountain Climber
You can climb actual mountains to get your muscles working or try this exercise at home.
- Begin by lying in the push-up position
- Now bring one of your knees close to your stomach and bring it back
- Repeat the same with the other leg
Remember to engage your core while doing this exercise. This gets your heart racing and burns calories.
4. Grounded Russian Twist
You often forget the oblique muscles when working out. This is where the fat gets stored to form love handles. Russian twist targets these muscles and works them, so you achieve a beautiful curve along your waist.
- Sit down while resting your heels on the ground
- Tilt your torso back, so it forms a 45-degree angle
- Hold something round in your hand and start twisting it left to right
- Go farther in each direction to engage the muscles
An advanced version of the Russian twist includes raising your heels a little higher from the ground. You will feel the burn in your core muscles when you do that. Repeat the whole process as it is.
5. L-sit
This is an advanced abs exercise, so don’t feel down if you can’t do that on the first few tries. This will cause your abs to burn like crazy, so brace yourself for that.
- Sit comfortably on the ground with your legs flat
- Put your palm on the floor with elbows straight
- Try to lift yourself by putting all your weight on your palms
This exercise is strenuous, so you need practice. Once you manage to raise your body, try to hold this position for 10 seconds and slowly raise the duration.
6. Bicycle Crunch
The bicycle crunch is the best ab exercise on the list. It works your abdominal muscles as well as obliques.
- Lie on the ground in the position of crunches
- Bring one leg up to the opposite elbow
- Follow up by bringing another leg to another elbow
- Repeat 20 times
The bicycle crunch is a great exercise that’ll burn fat from your abs in no time, giving you a chiseled body.
You might think that fitness gurus spend hours in the gym and eat boiled food only to achieve the perfect body, but that’s not the case. Abs require hard work but so does any goal that you put your mind to. Getting a chiseled physique is hard work, but you don’t necessarily need to go to the gym. You don’t need equipment to help with your abs workouts, either. These home exercises, when done consistently, can guarantee you ripped abs.