Abdominal Exercises

Here you will find images for all the abdominal exercises featured in the Training on the Trails workouts! Please comment if an exercise needs further explanation.

Bicycles

The most important part of this exercise is the twist

- Lay down on your back

- Lift your right leg straight in the air while the left leg hovers above the ground

- Place your hands behind your head, elbows out to the side

- Keeping your shoulders squared, lift your shoulders off the ground and twist your left elbow to your right knee; they do not have to touch but do your best

- Untwist and bring your shoulders back to the ground

Boat: Preparation for Full Boat
This comes from a yoga pose, navasana
- Start in the Russian Twist position
- Maintaining your balance, raise your feet to the level of your knees. Extend your arms straight out in front of you.

Boat: Full Boat
This is the full expression of the yoga pose
- Start in the Boat position

- Extend your legs straight to form a letter V

Figure 4s:

One of my personal favorites

- Lay down on your back

- Bend your right knee and plant your left ankle on it

- Keeping your legs in the same position, crunch your shoulders and knees towards each other

- Extend the torso back and right leg out into a hover

- Repeat and switch to the other side

Leg Lifts:
Be sure your lower back is pressed against the ground at all times so as to not strain it and to only target the lower abdominal muscles
- Lay down on your back
- Lift your legs in the air, hold them as straight as you can
- Lower your legs to the point where you feel your lower back lifting off the ground
- With control, swing your legs back to the starting position

Pikes:

Really think about your lower abdominals during this exercise. Don't let momentum do all the work!

- Start in the Leg Lifts position

- Using your lower abdominal muscles, lift your hips off the ground

- Gently lower your hips back down

Plank:

This exercise is called a plank for a reason. Make your body so flat that you could balance a glass of water on your lower back

- Lay down on your stomach

- Position your elbows underneath your shoulders

- Keeping your weight in your arms and your feet, lift your hips off the ground

- Make your body into a straight line from your shoulders to your feet

Plank: Around the World

If you want a challenge to the normal plank

- Start out in the Plank position

- Tap your right foot to the side, return it

- Tap your right arm out to the side, return it

- Repeat on left side, continuing around the world

Russian Twists:

The importance is in the twist and keeping your shoulders squared, not how fast you go.

- Start in a seated position with your knees bent and feet planted in front of you

- Rock your weight back into your seat while hovering your feet off the ground

- Keeping your shoulders squared, twist to your right and tap the ground with your hands

- Repeat on either side for reps

Side Plank: Beginner
- Lay down on one side
- Position your elbow directly under your shoulder
- Bend your bottom knee
- Using the strength in your core, lift your hips up
- Form a straight line from your shoulder to your foot

Side Plank: Intermediate
- Start in the Beginner Side Plank position
- Extend your bottom leg out straight behind you to create a staggered base; your top leg should be in front

Side Plank: Advanced
- Start in Intermediate Side Plank Position
- Stack your heels on top of each other so they are in line with your torso
- Lift your top leg