Many ask, can I tone my abs with a core exercise using no equipment? The quick answer, YES! Below are some key steps to get you there.
Getting abs might just be the most popular fitness goal, bar none. More than the chest, back, arms and legs, people seem to aspire for the ever-elusive abdominal chisel more than anything else. Look no further than the seemingly endless results that populate search engines when someone types in, “how to exercise your core” into the search bar, and an overwhelming amount of information comes available at their fingertips.
Like most fitness goals, exercising your core is a process — built in the kitchen and sculpted with a consistent workout routine, but there are so many options and so many different routes of getting there. With the various ways of getting abs, you probably find yourself wondering — how exactly do you exercise your core? Well, at Bullworker, we put together a quick workout that will bust that gut and get you on the path to ab-domination.
Core Exercise with No Equipment
Before we dive in, it’s necessary to discuss how abs are formed in the first place. You may not know it, but your abdominal muscles already exist, however, if you’re reading this, they’re just not be developed into the ubiquitous six-pack model-made core you’re used to seeing in popular culture. “Not developed” in this case refers to lacking the body fat content to make your abs visible as well as a committed routine to defining your abdominal muscles.
The good news is eating properly coupled with core exercise with no weights lowers your body fat percentage. In terms of body fat percentage, the ideal place to be is at 10% body fat whereby you maintain a healthy weight but with your noticeably visible.
A Couple Quick Tips
As mentioned previously, the quickest way to reduce your body fat percentage and to effectively exercise your core is through the kitchen. A balanced diet full of protein, vegetables, carbs and minimally processed and sugary foods, go a long way into making those abs pop as you head into core workouts.
Consistency is key here though because getting abs and making them last is a commitment and one that one must follow through accordingly. Secondly, when it comes to exercising your core, you do not have to work out your core for extensive stretches of time either. The most effective core exercises consist of workouts no more than a few minutes in length, but with multiple repetitions throughout.
Types of exercises for core
Without further to do, this workout core exercise is all-access with no equipment necessary. That means all you need is you, yourself and your ambition. The best part is that virtually anyone can do this one. A yoga mat or a carpeted surface will work best for this workout, as the routine will take place on the ground.
There are four exercises total with 20 repetitions throughout each. This is a circuit workout, so there is no rest in-between each exercise, but there is a two-minute break separating each set. At the conclusion of the first set, you have the option of ending it there or repeating up to three times for maximum performance.
Toe-Touch Crunches
To start your core exercises with no equipment workout, you will begin lying flat on your back looking up to the ceiling. From here you will lift your legs up so you’re legs become perpendicular to the floor with your feet hovering over your chest. From this position you will reach up and touch the floor, keeping your legs as still as possible.
In fact, the only part of your body that should be moving is your torso as it lifts to reach your toes. If you are flexible enough to reach your feet, no need to grab and hold, instead, just tap your toes and continue for 20 repetitions.
Bicycles
For the bicycle portion of your core exercises with no equipment workout, you will also begin lying flat on your back. You will lightly lift your torso, and fold your arms behind your head. Begin by driving your knees back toward your torso making sure to bring the opposing arm to meet each knee while maintaining your arms behind your head.
As you do this exercise, you should feel the pressure on your obliques and along each side of your body that is rotating to meet each knee. You will repeat this exercise for 20 repetitions, ten on each side.
Knee-Tuck Crunches
Sitting on your butt this time to continue your core exercises without equipment, begin this workout by anchoring your arms to the ground and pulling both knees together, toward your sternum. Ideally, you will make a V-shape with you as you come in and out of this exercise. Like the two exercises that preceded this, you will repeat for 20 repetitions.
Planks
You are almost done with your set in these core exercises with no equipment routine. The exercise to finish off this set is the infamous and most popular isometric exercise, the plank. The plank is a core exercise essential that can be done on your forearms or with your palms facing down. For this exercise, get into a bench position — arms on the ground either with palms facing down and supporting or forearms facing forward as if you were the Great Sphinx.
From your back, down to your butt, your body should be parallel to the ground. Make sure not to lift your butt too high — you should be as flat as you can comfortably be. Instead of 20 repetitions, you will hold this position for 20 seconds straight trying your hardest not to lower your knees to the ground. Focus on engaging your core and pulling your arms down towards your feet and your feet towards your arms.
As mentioned before, if you are interested in more repetitions of the workout please proceed. Don’t forget to take a drink of water or a rest break in-between. Likewise, if you feel tight in your abdomen following this core exercise, try lying on your stomach and slowly lift your torso by pushing through your arms just enough to stretch out your core, but not enough to overextend. Hold while you do this for 20 seconds and repeat up to three times for maximum challenge.
Conclusion
There’s no secret formula to getting abs, but as you can glimpse from this article is that they can come to fruition from a combination of a low enough body fat (through the foods you eat) and a consistent workout routine with a focus on toning them. Together, you’ll find those long-last abs in time for summer.
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For more core work, checkout our killer core workout.