- Dead bugs are one of the best ab workouts, according to personal trainer Brittany Noelle.
- Noelle said many people perform abdominal exercises incorrectly, which can lead to injury.
- He said crunches are one of the worst ab exercises because most people do them wrong.
Ab exercises are convenient because you can do most of them anywhere, without the need for a gym or equipment. But people tend to do them incorrectly or choose workouts that are generally less effective, according to the personal trainer, Brittany Noelle.
Noelle told Insider that performing ab exercises incorrectly can put unnecessary pressure on other parts of your body, which can eventually lead to injury.
Noelle said crunches are one of the most injury-prone and inefficient exercises you can do to build strong abdominal muscles. She said exercises like side planks and dead bugs are some of the best.
5. Sit-ups can cause injury without proper form.
Noelle said she doesn’t recommend sit-ups to strengthen your abs, because most people who do the exercise don’t use proper form. She said the number one mistake she sees clients make is to overly engage the hip flexors instead of the abs when performing the movement. Noelle said this move can strain your hips and lead to back pain.
Sit-ups can also put pressure on your spine and neck, Noelle said, and put unwanted stress on different parts of your body, rather than engaging your abdominal muscles.
To perform a squat properly, Noelle said first secure your feet under something that can support your weight and place your hands in front of your chest. She said to then draw your ribs toward your navel in a crunching motion and, keeping your upper abs tight, use your lower abs to lift your back off the ground. Make sure your back isn’t rounded and sit up as high as you can before slowly returning to the ground by rolling each vertebra.
4. Russian twists are easy to perform incorrectly
Noelle said she doesn’t recommend Russian twists because people often bring them backs too far forward with the coccyx directly below them, which doesn’t fit the core properly.
Noelle also said that many people twist their arms and neck too much instead of activating their abs.
The personal trainer said to make sure you are lying down with your legs up and your knees bent. Your back should be straight with your arms extended in front of you, he said. Engage your obliques as you twist slightly to the right, return to center, and then slightly to the left.
3. Planks aren’t as effective after a minute.
A plank can be a great workout, Noelle said, but many people hold a plank for too long. Holding a board for more than 1 minute doesn’t make the exercise more effective, Noelle said. In a 2018 article, Dr. Stuart McGill, a spine specialist, agreed, saying The Telegraph that holding an iron for minutes is not helpful. He recommended 3 interval planks of 10 seconds for best results.
Noelle also said that the fixed position of a table does not reproduce the daily movements of our center.
She recommends keeping the time you’re holding the plank relatively short and incorporating additional movements, like touching each shoulder as you plank or lifting one leg at a time.
2. Side planks can prepare your body for other complex exercises.
Noelle ranks the side plank as one of the best ab exercises because it engages the core and extends the hips, which can help with other exercises like deadlifts and squats. Noelle recommends placing one foot in front of the other instead of stacking them for more hip extension.
He also said that when doing the exercise, make sure you don’t round your shoulders and keep your back straight for the exercise to be most effective.
1. Dead bugs are easy to do right and good for back pain.
Dead bugs are Noelle’s favorite exercise for core strength because it’s easier to maintain proper form. The exercise involves lying on your back with your arms pointing straight ahead and your legs bent at 90 degrees. Then extend your opposite leg and arm behind you and return to the starting position. Repeat with your other leg and arm.
Noelle said that lying on your back keeps your spine neutral, which can be very helpful for people with pre-existing back problems. However, if she feels pain while lying on her back, she said she shouldn’t do the exercise.
You can make the exercise more difficult by holding objects like a foam roller or stability ball in your hands, he said.
