Why are ab warm up exercises so necessary？
If you want to take your workouts to the next level, start with your middle. Your core contracts first in every exercise, and then the energy is transferred to the limbs.
To prime your core muscles, so they fire better during your other workout, you need to train your core first. Doing ab warm up exercises while your muscles are fresh, you will achieve the fastest gains.
Performing classic ab warm up exercises like crunches and knee-ins at the beginning of your workout, you can warm up the muscles, thus lifting more weights, working more muscles, and burning more calories later on.
Sharing best 5 ab warm up exercises that you can do on a RitFit Adjustable Weight Bench.
- Elevated Bicycle Crunch
- Fifer Scissor
- Knee in
- Reverse crunch
- Side Plank
Ab Warm up 1. Elevated Bicycle Crunch
- Lie on the bench face-up, place your hands by your ears.
- Keep your legs out straight and elevated.
- Bring one knee up as you bring the opposite elbow to touch that knee.
- Contract your abs tightly as you come up with an exhale.
- Alternate with the other side.
- Alternating shoulder to knee crunches work all the major ab muscles but focus more on the obliques.
Muscle worked: obliques & lower abdominals
Ab Warm Up 2. Fifer Scissor
- Lie flat on your back with arms by your side and legs straight.
- Lift your left leg in the air so that your foot is directly above your hip.
- Lift your right leg one inch off the bench.
- Switch legs simultaneously so the right leg is now above the hip, and the left leg is above the bench.
Muscle worked: hip flexors & the transverse abdominis
Ab Warm Up 3. Knee in
- Sit with your legs bent and feet slightly raised off the bench.
- Find a balanced position with your hands grabbing the bench.
- Stretch your legs slightly and meanwhile bend your body back into a reclining position.
- With a greater contraction of the ab muscles, bring the knees closer to the chest while returning to the original position.
Muscle worked: lower abdominals
Ab Warm Up 4. Reverse crunch
- Lie faceup with your lower back pressed into the bench with your hands grabbing the bench.
- Lift your legs and drive your thighs up to your chest.
- In the top position, rotate your hips upward and then lower to the bench and repeat.
Muscle worked: lower abdominis & intercostals
Ab Warm Up 5. Side Plank
- Place your legs on the bench, either stacked or staggered for more stability.
- Lay on your side with your forearm flat on the floor, bottom elbow lined up directly under your shoulder.
- Form a straight line from your head to your feet.
- Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
- Your top hand can be on side of the hip (easier) or reaching up to the ceiling (harder).
Muscle worked: transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques & quadratus lumborum
RitFit Adjustable Weight Bench 1.0 for Ab Warm Up Exercises
