Wanna get rid of back pain? A few ab exercises might do the trick… and your tummy will look better, too!
When I began my cycling training, I noticed that my lower back would hurt after every ride. It was quite similar to the pain I experienced when my babies were little and I carried them and nursed them a lot. Little did I know that my back pain had everything to do with weak abs.
A trainer at our local YMCA showed me some very simple exercises to strengthen my abdominals and alleviate the back pain.
As an added bonus, I noticed my belly shrinking and my muffin top going away and, well, I liked that result, too (as did my husband!)
I am not a doctor. I am not an expert anything. But I do know that these exercises always make a huge difference for me.. I can begin to see results in about a week. And, the beauty is, they take just a few minutes to do and can be done just about anywhere, almost anytime.
So, what do you do? Here goes:
Plank
Hold (and keep) your body flat/ straight, pulling in your abs and rest (haha) on your elbows and bent toes.
Hold for 20 seconds and repeat for three sessions. Add hold time as the days progress, working up to 2 minutes per hold.
Super Man Lifts
Rest on your stomach with your arms straight ahead.
Pull your arms and legs straight up and out then drop back down. (see photo) 20 times. Pause and repeat for three sets total.
I typically pull my body into child’s pose for a quick rest between the three sets.
V sit
Lie down, tighten your abs and pull yourself up, bending your knees, keeping your feet together and your back straight. Hold your arms straight in front of you. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat for three sessions. Add hold time as the days progress, working up to 1 minute per hold.
Do these exercises every single day and you WILL see a difference.
This post is linked to Tutorial Tuesday at Smockity Frocks.
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