Traditional Crunches Won't Transform Your Lower Abs—But Here's What Does
It’s a common fitness dilemma: You’re banging out crunches and planks week after week but still not seeing the strength and muscle tone you want in your lower abs. That’s a sign it’s time to switch up your routine—starting with the trainer-programmed lower abs workout for women featured below.
All abs workout routines are not created equal—different abs exercises target different muscles of your core. But lower abs have a reputation for being difficult to isolate and target when working out, according to Kristina Earnest, CPT, a personal trainer and creator of the Kristina Earnest on Demand app. But the best lower abs workouts for women hit *all* of your core muscles, lower abs included. In fact, many of the trainer-selected moves below place all the emphasis on those lower abdominal muscles, so you can really feel the burn.
Besides their six-pack potential, strengthening your lower abs can help ease lower back pain and improve posture, says Earnest. And that's not all. "Working your lower abdominals will help stabilize your core and improve your balance," says Emily Fayette, CPT, founder of Healthy Hustle and Apple Fitness+ trainer.
Meet the experts: Emily Fayette, CPT, is an Apple Fitness+ trainer, founder of Healthy Hustle, and former Flywheel instructor. Kristina Earnest, CPT, is the creator of the Kristina Earnest on Demand app. Simone Tchouke, CPT, is a Los Angeles-based functional strength coach.
What are the lower abdominal muscles?
Your core is made up of much more than those six-pack muscles, says Earnest. There's the rectus abdominis, the obliques, and the transverse abdominis.
The lower abs are within the rectus abdominis, which is that superficial layer of muscle that runs down the front of your stomach, according to Earnest. These are the "six-pack" muscles people tend to visualize when they think about abs, she adds. The lower abs are considered the bottom portion of that muscle.
How To Engage The Lower Abs
Pro trainers share their key tips for getting the most out of lower abs workouts for women:
Use the mind-muscle connection. Just focusing on your lower abs as you move through the below exercises can help you to better activate them, says Simone Tchouke, CPT, a Los Angeles-based functional strength coach. Try picturing swimming at the beach: As a big wave heads toward you, hunker down and engage your core so you won't get knocked over. Those are your lower abs, Earnest says. "That tightening of the core is going to help you get the most out of your session."
Slow down. “When I have people do dead bugs, they often go really, really fast and they don't feel it,” says Tchouke. “But when I have them do it slowly, after 10 reps, they're definitely going to feel the core.”
Just breathe. You want to exhale during the “work” part of the movement—so when you sit up in a crunch, for example. Remembering to breathe instead of holding your breath is enough to help you get more out of each exercise.
Consistency is key. While everyone's fitness journey is unique, Earnest notes that the lower abs can (and should be!) worked frequently, as either standalone core sessions or mindful engagement throughout other workouts.
10-Minute Lower Abs Workout For Women
Time: 10 minutes | Equipment: Dumbbell, kettlebell, resistance band, mini band (all optional) | Good for: Lower abs
Instructions: Choose five moves from the list of trainer-selected lower abs exercises below. Perform each move for 50 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Repeat the entire five-move circuit at least twice for a comprehensive lower abs workout.
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