Standing Ab Exercises

Which is better, standing or floor abs? Well, let me tell you from my 30 years of teaching fitness, I have tried both and now all my ab workouts are performed standing up. The reason is that they deliver the best results.

For so many years, we have been told to do sit-ups and planks. Sit-ups end up straining your neck, and with planks, you are wasting time holding a position when you could be standing and performing an ab move that challenges your core more than on the floor. You also get cardio and other fitness benefits.

Research now suggests that the most effective way to work your abdominals is by standing. When we perform standing abs exercises, we focus more on incorporating movements that challenge our balance and stability, engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

In addition, you have the bonus of targeting more muscles, thereby improving your overall health and fitness. This makes total sense, as when we are standing, we are supporting our own body, whereas on the floor, the floor is helping support our body.

7 Benefits of Standing Ab Exercises

1. Functional Strength: Standing abs exercises often involve movements that mimic real-life activities, such as twisting, bending, and reaching. This helps to build functional core strength that translates into better stability and balance during daily activities.

2. Engages Multiple Muscle Groups: Many standing abs exercises engage not only your abdominal muscles but also other muscle groups like the obliques, lower back, hips, and legs. This leads to a more comprehensive workout that targets various parts of your core and improves overall body strength. Here are 3 Great Standing Ab Exercise Examples:

Standing Ab Exercise Move 1: Cardio Core Punches: This move targets your abs and waist while also working your arms and increasing your heart rate.

Standing Ab Exercise Move 2: Standing Ab Straight Leg Kicks: This exercise works your entire abdominal section while also engaging your arms and legs.

Standing Ab Exercise Move 3: Standing Waist Bend: This move is great for shaping your waist. Standing allows you to use a fuller range of motion, resulting in better results.

3. Posture Improvement: Standing abs exercises often emphasize proper alignment and posture, as maintaining a stable position while performing these movements requires good posture. Over time, this can help alleviate issues related to poor posture.

4. Calorie Burn and Fat Loss: Engaging in larger muscle groups during standing abs exercises can increase your heart rate and calorie expenditure. This can contribute to fat loss and overall cardiovascular health.  Here is a 5 Minute Standing Ab Exercise that not only tones your Abs but also increases your calorie burn so it helps with reducing excess belly fat for better health.

5. No Equipment Necessary: Many standing abs exercises can be done without any equipment, making them accessible for a wide range of fitness levels and settings. Plus you can do these anywhere even in the office.

6. Core Stability: By doing Standing Ab Exercises you challenge your core stability and balance, as you’re often working to maintain proper form while moving. This can improve core strength in real-life situations where balance is crucial.

7. Some people find that traditional floor-based ab exercises can cause strain on the neck or lower back. As a result, they may end up doing floor-based exercise with poor form, which can lead to ineffective ab workouts and potential injuries to the back or neck. Standing abs exercises can be a more comfortable alternative for these individuals, providing a way to work their abs without the strain.

SUMMARY

“Standing ab exercises provide a dynamic approach to core training, engaging multiple muscle groups for overall strength. They can help to reduce excess belly fat because you get the cardio effect from doing standing abs. Unlike floor-based exercises, standing exercises require full-body engagement, improving functional strength for better performance in daily tasks and physical activities.

Standing ab exercises emphasize balance and coordination by engaging core stabilizing muscles and improving posture and balance. These exercises mirror real-life movements and strengthen the core for everyday functionality. So now it is time to jump off the floor to work your core! Lucy :)) And here is a YouTube Video Playlist of all my Standing Abs Exercises