In the textbook “Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance,” authors Dr. William D. McArdle and Professors Frank I. Katch and Victor L. Katch describe the muscles of the abdomen as the transverse abdominis, muscles that stretch around the waist, rectus abdominis, the deepest layer of muscle, and the obliques, which run along the side of the body. Shrinking the waist means working the core and the different groups of abdominal muscles together.
Bicycle Crunch
A variation on the standard crunch, the bicycle crunch is designed to work the obliques and transverse abdominis. Begin lying on your back, knees bent at a 90 degree angle with shins parallel to the ground. Extend your right leg while bringing your right elbow to meet the left knee, twisting the torso and using the core to lift your chest off the ground. Return the right leg to a bent position, extend the left leg and bring the left elbow to meet right knee. “Bicycle crunches are super-effective in working the deepest parts of the abs,” says American College of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer Shelby Young. “They’re easy to do and you can change the speed of the crunch to change how your abs are worked.”
Standing Rotation
Rotational movements are designed to work the obliques, transverse and rectus abdominis as well as the muscles of the lower back. Stand with the feet hip-width distance and hold either a medicine ball or a dumbbell with both hands. Rotate the arms to the right, engaging the core as the torso twists, and then bring the arms to the left in a semi-circular motion. “Rotational moves are great for the ab and for shrinking the waist because they really make the core work to twist the torso and keep from swaying back and forth,” according to Young.
Standing Pike Kick
Standing pike kicks target the lower abdominals, often the toughest abdominal muscle to strengthen. Stand with feet at hip-width distance and arms extended above the head. Engage the core and lift the right leg and lower the right hand until it meets the foot in front of the chest. Release and kick the left leg to meet the left hand, making sure the abdominals are engaged to keep the spine straight and the torso in alignment. “Standing pike kicks are a really great way to blast those abs on a superficial and a deeper level,” says Young. “They work so many different parts of the core and they’re a phenomenal workout for the entire core. If you’re trying to shrink the waist and build more tone in the abs, standing pike kicks definitely should be in your workout.”
About this Author
Sapna Pathak is a certified yoga instructor and diet and nutrition consultant and a sportswriter for the Boston Globe. She has won numerous awards for her reporting on both sports and on the health, diet and fitness industry. In 2004, she earned her double-bachelor’s in journalism and in exercise physiology and neurobiology.
