By Dr. David Samadi
Everyone wants great-looking, strong abs, right? As we all know, sculpting your abdominals often involves getting on the floor and doing traditional sit-ups or crunches. But for many people, the practicality of going from a standing position to getting onto the floor can be a struggle.
Many trainers no longer recommend getting in position onto the floor, which is welcome news for anyone who prefers not to work out on the floor. Rather, they suggest staying and standing upright, which cannot only strengthen your core muscles but also work your back muscles. Remaining in a standing position only makes sense since your core muscles play a significant role in keeping you upright anyway.
What’s nice to know is that standing abs workouts engage more muscles at once. This enhances your posture and gives you the bonus of burning more calories than most traditional floor exercises. These standing abs exercises also require no equipment or simply dumbbells and can be done in the comfort of your home, hotel room, or at the gym with minimal space. These standing ab movements may also help make everyday movements easier, such as leaning forward, backward, and side-to-side. Training can also assist in preventing the low-back pain often associated with aging.
Still, trying to convince yourself that your abdominal muscles would benefit from standing ab exercises? Consider that allowing your core muscles to weaken and become inflexible because of a lack of working them out can take away the power you need to perform everyday tasks. Having a strong core improves your balance and stability, reducing the risk of falls and injuries during physical activities or household tasks.
So, are you ready to start sculpting your core muscles into great shape? Here’s how to do it: Do three sets of the recommended reps for each exercise. For optimal results, perform this routine into your workout schedule after your regular strength or cardio session up to four days a week.
Standing side bends: Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, hold a light dumbbell in each hand, and bend to the right without twisting your upper body. Your right hand will take a dip slightly toward your right knee. Return to the starting position and then bend to the left. Repeat ten times to each side.
Standing bicycle: Stand with feet together, knees slightly bent, hands behind head, and left heel lifted. Brace your abs tight and lift your left knee up as your right shoulder rotates towards your knee (try to touch). Lower back to start. Do 20 reps each side.
Hip hinges: Stand facing toward a wall, feet shoulder-width apart. Press your hands onto the wall and contract your abs. Bend and lift your right knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Then, swinging like a hinge from the hip, open your knees to the right as far as you possibly can without strain. Then move right leg back to center and across to the left. Repeat the entire sequence 10 times with each leg.
Core stabilizer: Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell straight out in front of your chest with both hands. Move your torso slowly to the right as you rotate your arms to the right as far as possible. Pause for a second, then rotate in the opposite direction. That’s one rep, do a total of 10 reps.
Standing oblique bends: Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands behind your head, and elbows wide. Lift left knee toward left elbow, bending torso up and over to the left. That’s one rep, do 10. Then, switch sides and repeat.
For more standing core abdominal exercises, here’s a 6-minute video from Bowflex:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkHuvrLxpUU
Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Dr. Samadi is a medical contributor to NewsMax TV and is also the author of The Ultimate MANual, Dr. Samadi’s Guide to Men’s Health and Wellness, available online both on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncolo gy and prostate cancer 911.
Add comment