5 exercises to improve your abdominal routine at the gym

The best abdominal exercises to do in the gym, as recommended by personal trainers (Getty Images)

exercises stomach muscles It can be done almost anywhere Sport club It may be the perfect place to get the best results. With equipment like weight benches, cable machines, and a barbell, the gym offers unique access to things most people probably don’t have at home.

“It is possible to raise the level of the abdominal session in the gym by adding Endurance And training on multiple planes of a variety angles‘, Hafez in conversation with from the insideNika Saadat, Certified Personal Trainer and Vitruvian Trainer.

For the expert, these exercises are important since the “basic or essence Strong is crucial to maintaining posture, preventing injury and minimizing back pain.” Here are five of the best devices to use in the gym to build strong abs for people of all fitness levels, as recommended by Sadat and personal trainer Josh Sedgwick, founder of JoshFit Training LLC.

Mountain climbers run with a suspension trainer provide a more intense abdominal workout than exercise on a mat (Getty Images)
Mountain climbers run with a suspension trainer provide a more intense abdominal workout than exercise on a mat (Getty Images)

Equipment needed: A suspension trainer (such as the TRX) and something to install it. Suspension trainers like TRX increase the intensity of climbing exercises. Instead of being in the typical plank position, it is performed with the feet lifted off the floor.

This forces the upper and middle abs to work more actively, with more stress on the arms and shoulders, resulting in a better workout overall. It is important to slow down this movement, the slower you make it, the more the body will activate the deep abdominal muscles.

How do I do it:

1. Begin by positioning the suspension trainer so that the loops that will support your feet are approximately 12 inches off the ground.

2. Next, get into a raised plank position and raise one leg at a time to place each foot on the hanging loops of the hanging trainer.

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3. From this position, keep your shoulders over your wrists and arms extended to keep the plank elevated and engage your entire core (this helps balance during the movement).

4. Alternate lifting one knee to your chest at a time, keeping each foot inside the loop. Each of them is a repeat.

5. Complete a total of 15 to 20 reps of three sets.

The use of a cable machine for oblique twists adds resistance to movement, which focuses on working on both sides of the heart (Reuters)
The use of a cable machine for oblique twists adds resistance to movement, which focuses on working on both sides of the heart (Reuters)

Equipment needed: cable machine. The oblique twist on the cable machine works both sides of the torso and is a great resistance exercise. To get the right form, it is crucial to make sure that you rotate from the midsection rather than rotating your hips and ankles.

How do I do it:

1. Begin by installing one handle attached to the cable machine pulley and positioning it above shoulder height.

2. Stand perpendicular to the machine with either foot close to the machine, not facing it (either feet will do, as you’ll switch sides to work the other obliquely).

3. With a wide stance, hold the accessory with both hands and straighten your arms.

4. Next, pull the cable across the body toward the hip. The handle moves in a diagonal motion down and across the body.

5. Make sure your foot is stationary and move the pulley in a slow and controlled manner.

6. Do eight to ten repetitions on one side, then twist to change position and repeat on the other side. Do three sets.

The Woodchop exercise targets both sides of the lower and upper core and works in the opposite direction to the oblique twist (Getty Images)
The Woodchop exercise targets both sides of the lower and upper core and works in the opposite direction to the oblique twist (Getty Images)

Equipment needed: cable machine. This movement uses the cable machine as resistance to work on both sides of the upper and lower core. It also provides resistance in the opposite direction to the oblique (up) twist, making it a great companion exercise to do on the same day.

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Also, this can be done at home with a kettlebell or dumbbells in a similar motion, although you won’t be able to repeat the same point of resistance offered by the cable machine.

How do I do it:

1. Begin by placing the cable machine pulley at its lowest point and attaching one handle attached to it.

2. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart (or a little wider, depending on your mobility) with your toes pointed out.

3. Place one foot next to the cable handle and the body perpendicular to the cable, without looking at it or toward the device.

4. Squat down keeping your knees parallel to your ankles and twist your torso inward toward the cable, holding the handle with both hands.

5. Steady your core and slowly stand up, twisting away from the machine and keeping your arms extended.

6. Straighten the legs to stand by pushing the cable handle up and over the opposite shoulder, creating a diagonal path from start to finish. This is a repeat.

7. Do eight to ten reps and switch sides. Do three sets.

Russian twists performed on an incline weight bench target lower body muscles and oblique limbs (Getty Images)
Russian twists performed on an incline weight bench target lower body muscles and oblique limbs (Getty Images)

Equipment needed: Inclined bench and small dumbbells or medicine ball. Using an incline bench increases the intensity of the lift and works the lower core muscles.

How do I do it:

1. Begin by standing on an inclined bench holding a ball or a small weight.

2. Extend your arms toward the sky and slowly lower your torso down the incline bench while keeping your stomach tight. Try not to arch your back.

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3. Continue the lower back, but before touching the back or shoulders.

4. Then slowly sit up, push the weight up and return to the starting position. This is a repeat. Repeat 10 to 12 times for a total of three sets.

These exercises work a variety of muscles, including the abdominals and obliques, and help improve overall balance and stability (Getty Images)
These exercises work a variety of muscles, including the abdominals and obliques, and help improve overall balance and stability (Getty Images)

Equipment needed: dumbbells. The floor spaces It’s a great full-body workout that also focuses on stability and balance. Since the legs are raised while holding a weighted dumbbell, the core muscles of the body work hard. The lateral movement of the legs also stimulates the oblique.

How do I do it:

1. Lie on your back on the floor holding a dumbbell with your hands shoulder width apart and the weight above your shoulders.

2. With your legs together and extended in a straight line, lift them diagonally off the floor to the right side of the bar.

3. Next, in a slow sweeping motion (or windshield), move your legs to the left. This is a repeat.

4. Try to perform 15 to 20 reps for a total of three sets.

Abdominal training does not require the same two or three exercises, as there are a variety of different exercises that you can do to strengthen your core in the gym, especially those that focus on working the abdominal muscles horizontally and in rotation.

Between the mat, cable machine, or barbell, exercises like floor squats, bench sit-ups, or oblique twists on the cable machine add variety to your weekly strength routine.

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Aileen Morales

"Beer nerd. Food fanatic. Alcohol scholar. Tv practitioner. Writer. Troublemaker. Falls down a lot."

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