Are you tired of doing the same old ab exercises on the floor? Mix things up with wall abs exercises! Not only are they space-efficient, but they're also a great way to target your core muscles and increase overall strength and stability. In this post, we'll go over the three most effective wall abs exercises you can do at home using just a wall.
Why Wall Abs Exercises Work
According to certified personal trainer and strength coach Becky Codi, wall abs exercises are effective because they require full-body tension and isometric contractions. When you place your hands or feet on a wall and push, you're performing an isometric exercise where there is no shortening or lengthening of the muscle fibers. This means that your abs are constantly working under tension without a break, which helps them build muscular endurance.
The 3 Most Effective Wall Abs Exercises
Wall Deadbug
Deadbugs primarily work your deep core stabilizers and abdominal wall. To perform this exercise, start by lying on your back with your head facing a wall. Scoot your body forward until you can press your palms firmly into the wall (fingers pointing toward the floor) with straight arms. While keeping constant tension between your palms and the wall, lift your bent legs into the air so that your knees are above your hips and shins are parallel to the floor. Without straightening your legs, lower your right heel down to tap the floor, then draw that knee back over your hip and switch sides. Continue alternating heel taps for 10–15 reps per side.
Plank Against a Wall
Planks work the entire core, including the transverse, rectus, and obliques. The benefit of doing wall planks is that using the wall helps you hold proper form and prevents your hips from sagging. To perform a wall plank, come into a forearm plank position with your heels against the wall and your body extending out away from it, elbows stacked under your shoulders. Push your feet into the wall, and maintain a long, tight position through your spine, hugging your abs up to the ceiling. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds or about five to 10 breaths. If you want to make it more difficult, come to a high plank position on your hands and place your feet flat against the wall so that your heels are in line with your hips and shoulders (about 12 inches off the floor).
Hollow Body on a Wall
With this ab exercise using a wall, you want to feel as though you are dragging your hands down the wall, but you’re not actually moving them at all. Stand facing a wall with your feet six inches away from the base and your arms extended straight overhead, biceps by ears, and palms pressing into the wall. Tuck your tailbone and hug your ribs down toward your hips, then press your hands hard into the wall and feel like you could slide them down at the same time—without actually moving them. Try to hold this position for 20 seconds to a minute. Keep your abs tight the whole time.
Who Should Try Wall Abs Exercises
According to Codi, anyone can benefit from doing ab exercises on a wall, and these particular wall ab exercises are beginner-friendly. If you are just getting started and don’t quite understand the concept of what tension feels like, you should definitely try these exercises. They are also great for people with mobility issues or who struggle to get up and down off of the ground.
Conclusion
Ditch the floor and try these wall abs exercises for a killer core workout from the comfort of your own home. Remember to keep your abs tight and maintain constant tension between your palms or feet and the wall. Do these exercises for 20 seconds to a minute, depending on your fitness level.
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