Five Fab Ab Exercises ~ Life with Lolo

Hello lovelies. It's Fitness Friday!

It hasn't been the best week for me on a fitness front - but on the plus side, James and I have been eating really healthy this week. So hopefully that evens out.

Today I want to talk to you about my favorite ab exercises. A reminder/disclaimer: I am not a fitness professional nor do I have a background in exercise science. I'm just a girl who likes to get a lot of core in. Because someday, when all that fat is gone over the top of it - I'm going to have a mean 6 pack.

I don't do all of these exercises in one gym session. I usually pick 2 core exercises to mix in with my focus of the day.

So here are my 5 favorite abdominal exercises to do at the gym:

1. Swiss/Exercise Ball Exchange - I used this one in my leg day post a while back, though I think I called it something else... I think the graphic is pretty self explanatory. I do 3 sets of 10 reps, and 1 "rep" is 2 passes (from feet to hand and hands back up to feet). You'll feel this one.

2. Bosu Ball Bicycle Crunches - one of the most common ab exercises is the bicycle. This is a modified version. Lay on the Bosu ball with it centered on your lower back, hands behind your head with elbows out. Plant one of your feet and extend the other straight out. Pull the knee of extended leg up toward your chest, while you raise your upper body, twisting the opposite elbow to meet the knee above you. Return to start position and repeat 10 times on each side. I do 3 sets (20 reps per set).

3. Plank - the classic plank is a go-to exercise for me. Make sure while in the plank position to tighten your stomach muscles (suck in) and keep yourself parallel to the floor. Don't let that booty stick up! I do 3 sets of a :60s plank.

4. Ab Decline Dips - This is one I learned from my free training session when I joined the new gym. It burns so good...On the "ab decline" like the one pictured, grab a light weight or a light medicine ball (I use a 1 lb ball and it's plenty). Lift your chest/body off the decline like shown and hold yourself there. Take your weight or ball and put it on one hand. Lean to that side and let your hand with the weight dip down below you, like you are dipping it into the "water" or towards the floor below you. Return to start, switch hands and "dip" the other direction. Do not let yourself lean back to the bench - keep your abs tight as you rotate. I do 10 on each side, or 20 total x 3 sets. (sorry no true picture for this one)

5. Tea Pots - This is targeting those pesky love handles and oblique muscles. Grab a weight (I use 15 lbs) and get set with your feet about shoulder with apart and the hand opposite of the weight up on your head. Dip the weighted hand down towards your knee and return to upright. If you are really ambitious you can do it on a Bosu ball like the girl shown. Props to her! I do 10 on each side (for 20 per set) x 3 sets.