6 Best Upper Ab Exercises For Women

The best upper ab exercises for women are the ones that give you results. If you want to up your game and strengthen your core, there are a few effective ab exercises that can help you get stronger and healthier.

Best Upper Ab Exercises For Women

Here's a look at six such workouts:

1) Crunch

Crunches are a great exercise if you're trying to build strong abs. They are especially good in targeting the entire core region, including the upper hemisphere, which means you won't be leaving any muscle behind in this exercise.

Here are some tips when doing crunches:

For those with shoulder issues, place both hands behind your head instead of one behind each ear. Do not arch your lower back at all; keep it flat throughout the exercise.

2) High Plank

High planks are a great exercise, targeting the upper abs while also being a superior arm workout compared to low planks.

To do them, follow these steps:

Start in the high plank position, with your shoulders directly over your hands and hips lifted up. Keep your back straight so that you don’t arch or round it.
Hold for 30 seconds before releasing to rest for a few seconds.
Repeat two more times to complete a set of three reps.

3) Bicycle Crunch

Bicycle crunches are extremely popular among gymgoers for all the right reasons. They're simple and effective and are often more than enough to build a solid set of abs.

Here's how you can do them:

Lie on your back, with your arms by your sides and palms facing down.
Bring one knee up towards your chest. Use it to lift your upper body off the floor, bringing both hands behind you till they meet over your head (or as close as possible).
Hold a few seconds before lowering yourself back down to the floor, making sure not to twist or rotate while doing so. Repeat this movement with the opposite leg.
To make things more challenging, try adding weights in each hand or lowering both feet closer to the ground before lifting them again. That will help build core strength faster than just using bodyweight alone.

4) Hollow Hold

The hollow hold is a great exercise for developing core stability. It's also an effective way to work on the abs and obliques while adding a challenge to your overall fitness routine.

The hollow hold can be performed with just your bodyweight, but you can also add resistance by using dumbbells or even a medicine ball. For example, you could perform the hollow hold with a medicine ball as well as do some additional moves with it, like tosses or passes back and forth between partners.

Here's how to perform this exercise:

Lie down on your back. Raise your arms up, and move them behind you.
Lift your legs up, and keep them in line with the tips of your fingers.
Your body should form a boat shape. Hold for as long as you can.

5) Side Plank

You can do side planks on your elbows or hands. Side planks are effective in targeting the obliques and waist, which makes them a great addition to your workout routine.

Do side planks for up to 60 seconds, with 30-45 second breaks in between each set. Once you build some strength and endurance, try holding the plank for longer periods without taking breaks.

Modify this exercise by raising one leg off the floor instead of both legs (that will target more of your core), or by trying it with knees bent (which will focus more on the glutes).

As always, if you experience any pain during an exercise modification like this—such as back pain—stop immediately, and consult with a professional before continuing the workout.

6) Reverse Crunch

A reverse crunch targets the lower abdominal muscles, which are important for providing support to the torso. As such, it's an effective way to strengthen this area—and thus improve posture—in addition to toning other areas of the core as well.

To do a reverse crunch,

Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Lift only your head and shoulders off of the ground, making sure to keep them aligned with your hips.
Bring your legs towards your chest.
Hold for a second before lowering yourself down again.
Perform 8-12 reps.

As with any exercise programme, you'll only see results if you're consistent: aim for three sets three times per week. Don't forget that proper technique is essential; don't lift too much weight, or raise yourself too high off of the ground, which can lead to injury.

Takeaway

The best thing about these workouts is that they can be done anywhere and don't require any equipment. Just make sure you do them on a mat or soft surface so that you don't hurt yourself.