7 effective exercises with elastic bands for the abs and waist

During the training process, rubber bands perform several auxiliary functions: they help to work out a specific area or muscle more thoroughly, add variety to the basic training, and allow you to regulate the degree of load. Abdominal exercises with an elastic band are many times more effective and are available for complicating your workout at home.

Which elastic band is best to train your abdominal muscles?

There is a separate category of exercises with a tubular expander. It is most convenient to pump up your abs with an ordinary fitness band, choosing the optimal stiffness for yourself, or with a rubber band.

7 ab exercises with elastic bands

Exercises to strengthen and develop abdominal muscles for men and women.

1. Diagonal twists with an elastic band

1. From a lying or reclining position on your back, place the rubber band on your feet.
2. Bend your legs at the knee joints and lift them up.
3. The arms are bent at the elbow joints behind the head.
4. Perform twists to the knee joints one at a time, pulling your knees in, and then returning them to their original position.
5. Lift your body with your abdominal muscles and do not overstrain your cervical spine.
6. Perform 3-4 approaches, starting with 15 crunches, increasing the number by 5-10 with each approach.

2. Abdominal bicycle exercise with elastic band

1. From a reclining position, focus on your arms bent at the elbow joints.
2. The lower back is pressed tightly to the floor.
3. Place the elastic band on your feet.
4. The legs are bent at the knee joints and raised.
5. Alternately straighten your legs and lower them down, lightly touching the floor, without holding your leg down, and return to the starting position.
6. Perform the exercise more intensely, at an average pace.
7. Perform 3-4 sets of 15-20 leg straightenings.

3. Vertical “scissors” with an elastic band

1. From a supine position, bend your arms at the elbow joints and place them behind your head.
2. Straighten both legs and point towards the ceiling.
3. Place the elastic band on your ankles.
4. Raise your body by slightly pulling your straight legs towards you, one at a time.
5. When you pull one leg towards you, point the other towards the floor.
6. Do 3 sets of 20 crunches.

4. Slingshot crunches

1. From a supine position, straighten both legs and point them towards the ceiling.
2. Place the elastic band slightly above your knees.
3. Stretch your arms between your legs under the elastic band.
4. Raise your body using your abdominal muscles smoothly, at an average pace, without jerking, stretching your arms further forward and stretching the rubber to the sides with your legs.
5. Do 3 sets of 20 crunches.

5. Exercise “scissors” with an elastic band

1. From a lying position on your back, place the elastic band on your ankles and straighten your legs.
2. Place your hands under your pelvis to avoid arching in the lumbar region.
3. Then lift your legs off the floor and make scissoring movements with your legs up/down without throwing your leg on the floor, always keeping it in a slight lift.
4. After each approach, lower both legs to the floor and rest for a few seconds (7-10).
5. Perform 3 sets of quickly raising and lowering your legs for 15 seconds.

6. Plank crunches with an elastic band

1. From a standing “plank” position with straight arms, the elastic band is located on the feet.
2. The back and neck are straight, the pelvis is twisted, and the shoulder blades are directed upward.
3. Alternately pull your knees towards your chest.
4. Perform 3 sets of 20-30 leg pull-ups.

7. Side plank crunches with elastic band

1. From a side plank position on a straight arm, place the band on your feet.
2. Bend your other arm at the elbow joint and place it behind your head.
3. Leave your upper leg on the floor and rest on it.
4. Bend the lower one at the knee joint and try to pull it towards the upper shoulder, also direct the shoulder towards the knee.
5. Do 3 sets of 20 crunches, then switch sides.

Recommendations for training

• Choose an elastic rubber band of suitable stiffness (or adjust it yourself by tying it tighter or folding it in several layers). Be sure to start with a softer resistance and increase gradually.
• With each workout, aim to increase the number of reps and reps (crunches, sit-ups, etc.) on all exercises.
• Don’t forget to warm up your muscles before doing strength exercises.
• Add variety to your workouts by alternating exercises and performing them comprehensively.
• It is enough to perform 2-3 abdominal exercises, observing the required number of approaches in a comprehensive workout. The rest of the training time is divided into exercises aimed at working other muscles of the body (legs, gluteal muscles, back muscles, arms, and chest).
• It is important not to forget about regularity and complexity. At home, you can train 2-4 times a week (depending on the complexity of the training program) at any convenient time. Strength, intensive training should not be carried out more than 2 times a week, especially for beginners. The remaining 1-2 workouts can be allocated for stretching or cardio training if necessary.