6 Best Stomach Exercises for Women for a Stronger Core

Core exercises for women have always been a frequently searched topic. There are countless videos and articles on the internet about exercises that promise you a flat and strong core in two weeks. If we’re being realistic, two weeks is way too short to be seeing substantial changes. If it were that easy, all of us women would be walking around with six-packs.

Ab exercises are not the best way to lose belly fat. It requires a healthy diet and a definite cardio training three to four times a week. But these exercises still shouldn’t be neglected.

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What is the core and why is it important to train?

Our core consists of all the muscles in our mid-section. This includes the abdominals (or abs), internal and external obliques, back extensors, and hip muscles. That’s almost the entire mid-section.

Aside from flattening it out, the core is important to train for other reasons, including:

Building a strong base for other movements

A strong core allows for better performance during workouts or performance in sports. It aids in providing resistance to injuries.

Providing stability for the entire body

Ensuring the core is strong enables better control and stability while performing daily movements and/or exercises. This is important to maintain proper form during exercise.

Training the core helps provide stability. Image via Pexels/Polona Mitar Osolnik

Reducing lower back pain

Women are especially prone to lower back aches due to the extra weight they carry around the mid-section. Training the core will ensure your posture improves, which eliminates back pain.

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Best core exercises for women

Women are built differently than men. While most exercises are suitable for men and women, there are certain exercises that are better suited for women. They can perform these to help provide a streamlined figure to the body, as opposed to the straight-cut core of men.

Most exercises are suitable for men and women. Image via Pexels/Andrej Klintsy

Plank hold

Plank is a popular isometric movement across the demographics and ages of fitness enthusiasts. You can perform this as a warm-up before starting other ab exercises.

• Start by getting onto all fours and prop yourself on your elbows, allowing your forearms to support the weight of your body. Simultaneously, straighten your legs and extend them back until your entire body is supported by your elbows and toes.

• Brace your core. To help with this, imagine someone standing next to you is about to kick you in the stomach. The tightening action of the muscles will help engage them and keep your body in the plank position.

• Hold this pose for as long as you can. To begin with, start by holding the plank for 20 seconds. As you progress, you can increase the time you hold it for. Rest for a minute and repeat the movement. You may do three to four plank holds in a session.

Take a look at this video to understand better:

Lying leg raises

This movement demands additional work by the core muscles in order to keep the legs suspended in the air without touching the floor at any time.

• Start by lying face-up on the floor. Tuck your hands just below your lower back or buttocks. The position of your hands may help with making the exercise easier. Take a deep breath in.

• Ensuring your lower back is flat on the ground, begin to raise your legs up slowly while exhaling. Hold them straight up in front of you, at an angle of 90 degrees from the floor. Point your toes to the ceiling.

• Inhale again as you slowly lower them back an inch or two above the ground.

• Repeat this move for 10 to 12 reps.

Here’s a video for reference:

Bicycle crunches

This is another familiar term, as with the plank hold. This exercise involves a lot of movement while also keeping your core tight.

• Start by lying on the floor, face-up. Place both your hands behind your head and raise your legs up and bend them at the knee, maintaining a 90-degree angle. Take a breath in.

• Ensure your lower back is on the floor at all times. Lift your right shoulder off the ground as you try to bring your right elbow up to meet your left knee. Bring your left knee closer to your face as well. While doing this, extend your right leg straight out, but don’t let it touch the floor. Exhale as your right elbow and left knee meet.

• Slowly, bring your right elbow back down and extend your left leg straight out. Simultaneously, bring up your right knee and lift your left elbow to meet it.

• Alternate sides till you have completed 10 to 12 reps on each side.

Confused? Take a look at this:

V-ups

The V-up is a dynamic movement that can prove exhausting, as it requires full activation of your abs.

• Start by lying on the floor with your legs out straight in front of you and your arms straight out above your head. Hold your hands and feet an inch or two above the ground. Take a breath in.

• Upon exhalation, lift your upper body and legs off the ground, making sure your arms and legs are straight. Lift them to the highest point you can make them meet.

• With a reduced tempo, bring your legs slowly back to the ground as your arms also circle back over your head. Return your head and spine to the ground too.

• Repeat this move for 10 to 15 reps.

Before you try it out, watch this:

Inchworm

The inchworm is a great exercise not just for the core, but also for the arms and shoulders. A good amount of tension is placed on your core as you try to stabilise yourself while walking out with your arms.

• Stand straight with your feet hip distance apart. Take a breath in.

• As you exhale, bend down and place your hands right in front of your feet. Allow your knees to bend slightly to aid with touching the floor.

• Walk your hands forward slowly, keeping your core tight. Keep walking forward till your body straightens into a straight-arm plank. Maintain a plank position without letting your hips sink to the ground or stick upward. Make sure you keep your glutes and quads engaged so your legs are in a straight plane as well. Holding this pose for a few seconds is optional.

• Maintaining the same tempo, begin walking your hands back towards your feet. Allow your hips to rise until your hands are positioned in front of your feet again.

• Taking a breath in, straighten yourself back up into a standing position.

• Repeat this for 10 to 12 reps.

Here’s a little demo for you:

Deadbug

This is another dynamic movement that requires full engagement of the core while attempting to move your limbs around. The dead bug is not as popular as it should be.

• Start by lying on the floor on your back. Ensuring your lower back is flat on the ground, raise your legs up slowly, keeping them bent at the knee. Your knees should point towards the ceiling. Your lower legs should be held at a 90 degree angle from them, parallel to the ground.

• Raise your arms straight out in front of you, with your hands pointing to the ceiling and palms facing each other.

• As you draw a breath in, drop your right arm towards the floor above your head, ensuring it remains straight as it goes down. Simultaneously, straighten out your left leg and drop it towards the floor. Be sure not to let your limbs touch the floor, but hover an inch or two above it.

• Exhale as you raise your limbs to bring them back to the starting position.

• Now repeat this movement with your left arm and right leg. Keep alternating sides until you have performed 6 to 8 reps on each side.

Here’s a video you can watch before trying it out:

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So while you’re in the frenzy of losing belly fat, remember that no ab exercise alone can transform your body; spot reduction is a myth! Moreover, nutrition is key. they say abs are also made in the kitchen.

Perform these exercises a few times a week. Image via Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio

You can perform these exercises at the end of a cardio session while your body is fairly warmed up well enough to engage the core muscles completely. Give these a try during your next sweat sesh. Be sure to stretch well after or else you’re gonna hate yourself when you laugh or sneeze the next day!