Getting that toned and tight midsection may prompt you to perform crunches, sit ups, planks, and the like but if you think that these are the only core exercises that you can do to achieve flat abs, think again. The good news is that there are quite a lot of exercises today that can strip the excess fat from your midsection while strengthening and sculpting your muscles here. What’s even better is that these exercises will not require you to lie down even.
Here are some examples of standing core exercises that you can actually do within 15 minutes.
Dumbbell side bend. As the name suggests, you will need to hold a dumbbell in each hand. You can choose between 5 to 8 pound dumbbells for this exercise. Stand straight with your feet at hip-width apart. Slowly lower your left arm towards your left knee by bending at the waist. Bend as far as you can. Go back to your first position then repeat on the opposite side. You should do 8 to 10 reps to complete a set.
Reverse dumbbell chop. Here’s another core workout that you can do to burn those fats in your midsection. To start this workout, you should stand with your feet at hip-width apart with your knees slighlyt bent and your hands holding a dumbbell outside your left knee. Your back should be bent a little. On exhale, raise the weight towards and up your right shoulder. Twist your left foot to the right to move the weight in this direction. Go back to your first position and repeat this 8 to 10 times before switching to the other side.
March with twist. This workout is basically marching in place with a twist. First, stand straight with your feet hip-width apart, your shoulders down, your abdominal muscles engaged, and your arms overhead. Bring your right elbow towards your left knee as you twist at the waist. Go back to your first position and repeat with the other arm and leg. Keep alternating as you march in place.
Standing stabilization. In this workout, stand straight with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in both hands or a medicine ball. Extend your arms at chest height. While keeping your shoulders and arms straight, twist your torso towards the left. Go back to your first position and do 10 reps on the left. Repeat the steps but towards your right this time.
Standing side bends with arms overhead. Here’s another exercise that you can incorporate routine. Stand straight with your feet at hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms raised overhead, palms facing one another. Bend at the waist going to the right while keeping your back and your arm straight. Go back to your first position. Do as many reps as you can within 60 seconds before switching to the other side.
So you see? Even without doing crunches, you can still transform your flabby midsection into a tight and toned core with these standing exercises. Throw in a healthy diet and you will see a remarkable improvement in no time.
Sources: cheatsheet.com
