Bay Area Trainers Disclose 3 Standing Abs Exercises

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When someone thinks about working out their core, the first thing that comes to mind is crunches. But, there are many reasons that someone may not want to do crunches. These include:

• Not being able to lie on your back due to an injury
• Not being able to do the motion of a crunch due to a back problem
• Not getting a complete range of motion
• Not being able to really isolate your abdominal muscles resulting in lack of effectiveness

We spoke to some of the most experienced personal trainers in the Bay Area and discovered being unable to do crunches is not the only reason to opt for a different exercise. They said that most people simply go through the motion of doing the ab-crunch without actually realizing which muscle needs to be worked and how. The main cause of this is that people don’t have enough experience to be able to focus on the abs without engaging other muscles. Another common complaint against crunches is that they’re just too boring.

The Bay Area personal trainers, hence, recommend different exercises that get the abs working perfectly and that can be done while standing! Here are 3 such exercises that can be done by everyone, from a beginner to a professional.

One Arm Row With Twist

To do this exercise, you need to get into a shallow squat position. Keep your feet at shoulder width, bend your knees slightly, and lean forward keeping your back in a straight line. Hold a dumb-bell of a comfortable weight in one arm, holding the arm slightly out in front of you. Now, lift your arms by bending the elbow and squeezing your shoulder blade toward your spine. As your arm comes up, continue the motion and twist outwards, towards the arm that is holding the weight. Do ten to twelve repetitions on one side before moving on to the next side. You can do two to three sets of these.

Overhead Dumb-bell Side Bend

Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart. Now, hold one dumb-bell between both your hands firmly and raise it above your head. To ensure that you’re using your core, squeeze your ears with the inside of your arms. Hold your abs in tight, straighten your spine to its natural position, and bend to one side. Remember that you shouldn’t twist your body or lean forward or backward when you bend. Ensure that your spine remains elongated to avoid this. Ben until comfortable, and return to the center by tightening the opposite side. Now, bend to the other side. When you complete one bend on each side and return to the center, you have completed one repetition. Do two to three sets of ten to twelve such repetitions.

Overhead Circles With Medicine Ball

Stand with your feet in line with your hip-width. Pick a medicine ball of a comfortable weight and raise it above your head, firmly held between your hands. Keep your abs tight and your spine neutral. Now, without moving your torso, circle the ball to the left. Try and make as large a circle as you can without moving your torso. Do eight to ten repetitions of this and then circle the ball the other way. Do ten to twelve repetitions of this too. You can do two to three sets of these.

So there you have it – 3 amazing ab exercises that you can do standing and that are definitely more interesting than crunches. While telling us about these exercises, the Bay Area personal trainers we spoke to also shared a word of caution. While such exercises may seem easy, it often happens that you end up making posture mistakes or injuring yourself due to a badly done repetition. When working out, always remember to rely on someone with training and experience. This is where personal trainers can be an asset.

In fact, personal trainers can provide you with customized workouts that will help you effectively achieve your fitness targets. This means that all you need to achieve your health goal is the right guide – a fitness trainer who understands you, your requirements, your problems, your preferences, and your goals. This is exactly what the personal fitness trainers at LocalMasters.com offer.

These fitness experts have been carefully selected and certified, ensuring that you get the best of service and guidance. The best part is that these experts will come to your home, office, studio, or a local center at a time and day convenient to you. They will provide you with completely customized and personalized fitness routines that take all your requirements, including medical history, into account. They will not just teach you how to work out correctly, they will help you with your diet as well as help you imbibe great lifestyle habits to keep you healthy in the long term. With their passion to help people, they will ensure that you work towards achieving the health targets you desire, and live a fuller, happier life. So why wait? Get started with your own personal trainer today and get ready for a healthy life!