Title: “Isometric Ab Exercises: The Key to Building Strong and Powerful Abs, Study Finds”
Subtitle: “A Comprehensive Guide to the Best Isometric Ab Exercises and Their Impact on the Core”
Date: [Current Date]
Byline: [Your Name]
Forget sit-ups and crunches: When it comes to building strong, stable abs, researchers have found that isometric exercises, when added to a strength training routine, have the power to transform your body. Recent studies have revealed that isometric exercises not only help in building powerful abs but also increase speed and power in athletes. The key lies in engaging and maintaining muscle contraction throughout the exercise, similar to a plank or wall sit.
To determine the best isometric ab exercises for the core, I watched a four-minute video that demonstrated 16 different ab holds. Intrigued by the potential benefits, I decided to test these exercises and created a killer 16-minute ab workout by performing each exercise for one minute.
Here are the 16 best isometric ab exercises that I tried:
1. Chair hold: Lie on your back with your legs in a tabletop position, place your hands on your knees, and push into your legs, engaging your thighs.
2. Boat hold: Sit on your seat bones with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, engage your abs, twist, and touch one elbow to the opposite knee, holding the position.
3. Rotational single-leg V-up hold: Raise your legs up to the ceiling, lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor, and lower one leg while touching the opposite lifted leg with your arm.
4. Sprinter hold: Start in a V-sit position, extend one leg away from your body, and hold a running motion with your bent arms.
5. Crunch hold: Lift your legs up to the ceiling, lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor, and reach towards your toes with extended arms.
6. Long lever plank: Hold a plank position with your hands slightly away from your body, keeping your core engaged and a straight line from your forehead to your heels.
7. Cross knee body plank: Begin in a plank position on your hands and cross one knee underneath your body to touch the opposite elbow.
8. V-up hold: Lean back into a seated position, lift your legs off the ground to form a V position, and extend your arms towards your legs.
9. Wiper hold: Lie on your back with your legs extended to the ceiling, lower your legs to the side of your body while keeping your torso still.
10. Plange plank: Get into a plank position on your elbows, round your upper back, tuck your hips, and hold.
11. Lean back straight leg rise: Sit on your mat with legs extended, lean back with extended arms, and lift one leg a foot off the floor while holding.
12. Forearm lower ab plank: Lie on your back with your weight on your elbows, engage your abs, and lift both legs off the floor.
13. Forearm scissors: In the same position as the previous exercise, engage your core, lift one leg up to the ceiling, and extend the other leg away from your body.
14. Kick through hold: Start on your hands and knees in a bear plank position, kick one leg underneath your body, and hold with the leg extended.
15. High plank bird dog: Assume a high plank position, lift one hand off the floor, and extend your arm out in front of you while keeping your core engaged.
After performing these 16 exercises, I was surprised by their impact on my core. Unlike high-intensity workouts that involve burpees and jump lunges, the isometric exercises focused on holding stillness. Within a few minutes, my core started to shake, indicating that my transverse abdominal muscles, the deepest core muscles, were effectively engaged. Some exercises, such as the kick through holds, required me to pause and reset repeatedly.
For beginners, I recommend starting with 20-30 seconds per exercise, gradually increasing the duration and switching sides where appropriate. If you’re seeking a challenging bodyweight ab workout, give these exercises a try — you’ll feel the intensity in your core in no time!