Home workout - abs (no equipment)
Over the past year, most – if not all – of us around the world have had to take steps to adapt to major lifestyle changes due to the challenges presented by Covid-19. From working remotely to not being able to celebrate the holidays with loved ones, the pandemic has caused major disruptions to many aspects of our lives – and our fitness was definitely no exception.
Working from home alone has caused some to notice the pattern of their diets changing, as food may be more readily available at home. The usual three-meals-a-day might have easily been accompanied with additional meals or tons of snack time.
Most people would also see a reduction in their daily physical activity, especially when taking into consideration the longer working hours some have observed when working remotely. For those who do have time to spare to go to the gym, they might find that they have difficulty doing so due to the capped number of people allowed in the gym. This has led to people turning to another option: home workouts.
While working out at home might be the norm for some even during the pre-Covid-19 era, the regular gym-goers, or even those who are just starting their fitness journeys, may not be entirely sure how to go about it. It might even be a surprise to some the variety of exercises that only require their bodyweight, without the need for gym equipment. For those who are not keen in sweating it out in their homes, they can choose to exercise at their neighbourhood parks or tracks.
The following are some no-equipment abs workout that can be done from the comfort of your own homes.
Exercises to help strengthen your core
#1 - Crunches
Lie down on your back. Plant your feet on the floor, hip-width apart. Bend your knees and place your arms across your chest. Contract your abs and inhale. Do it for 45 seconds.
#2 - Mountain Climbers
Start with a plank position, making sure to distribute your weight evenly between your hands and your toes. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart, back flat, abs engaged, and head in alignment.
Pull your right knee into your chest as far as you can. Switch legs, pulling one knee out and bringing the other knee in. Keep your hips down, run your knees in and out as far and as fast as you can. Alternate inhaling and exhaling with each leg change. Repeat for 45 seconds.
#3 - Plank Jacks
Start in high plank. Keeping your core engaged, jump your feet out and in (like jumping jacks).
#4 – Bicycle Crunches
Lying on the ground, with your lower back pressed flat into the floor and your head and shoulders raised slightly above it. Bring your knees up, with shins parallel to the floor, as you lift shoulder blades off the floor. As you straighten left leg out at about a 45-degree angle, turn your upper body to the right, bringing left elbow toward right knee. Return to centre, with both knees bent and elbows wide. Repeat for 45 seconds.
#5 - Mountain Climber Twists
Start in high plank with your wrists directly under shoulders. Bring right knee under torso and toward left elbow, now bring your right foot back to starting position while you repeat with the opposite foot. Repeat for 45 seconds.
