Starting out in health and fitness can be daunting. It’s a time of change. No one likes this period of flux – the uncertainty, the sacrifice and worse still, the learning gap.

While it’s important to be healthy and fit, you need to be savvy on how to exercise as well. And where do beginners want to start? With abs! Of course, it’s the core, the centre, the embodiment of beauty – the six pack!

 

Abs 101

The “six-pack” or the mid-section contains a couple of main areas:

• The classic “six-pack” (or, the “washboard” abs) - usually refers to the middle part of the stomach – it’s the part what everyone wants – ladies love them and men want it
• The obliques - are the nice part of the abs on the sides above the hipbone and below the ribcage. These round out the mid-section nicely and frame the abs

While it would seem logical to train your abs in sections, it’s important to focus on working them together when starting out by building a good base and then go from there.

 

Here are 3 foolproof ab exercises for beginners:

1. The Plank Hold This is the industry standard of abs exercises. The Plank Hold is a simple exercise for most, if not all beginners. Simply get on the floor with your stomach facing the ground. Next, pop up onto your elbows and toes and create a “bridge” with your core suspended above in “mid-air”.
2. Crunches Crunches are similar to sit-ups except they are half the distance. Another name for them would be “half sit-ups.” To perform crunches, lay on the ground facing the sky. Place your hands near your ears, bend your knees and lift your shoulders off the ground. Once half way up, slowly lower yourself to the ground.
3. Medicine Ball Twists Medicine ball twist is another ab exercise for beginners that focus not only on the mid-section but on the obliques as well. Simply sit on the ground, knees bend and place feet flat on the floor. Hold the medicine ball in your hands, keep good posture and twist side to side continuously.

 

Train your abs

It’s time to make it happen! Training your abs is easy once you have the foundations in place and these 3 foolproof exercises are great for any beginner.

The plank hold and the crunches are the top of the ab essentials. Moreover, the medicine ball twists exercise is a great way to strengthen the core and will deliver you fantastic results.