Floor Abdominals

Overview

Floor abdominals are one of the basic building blocks of core strength, and yet, no fancy equipment or weights are needed. Instead, the pull of gravity on the arms and legs supply the necessary resistance for a strong work out. Because the muscles in the posterior trunk oppose and balance the abdominal muscles, and together they provide the stability of the spine, it is fundamental that both groups of muscles be exercised to achieve balance. Your posture will suffer if you perform the abdominal work out without exercising the corresponding muscles of the trunk.

Start with the easier exercise variations first until you feel ready to try the more difficult ones.

The One-Hundred With Elevated Legs exercise, demonstrated here, is the best among the floor abdominal variants and one of the most arduous. The leveraged weight of the legs is supported by the continuous contraction of the anterior abdominal muscles. The repetitive hand motion that gives the exercise its name not only adds power to the exercise but it is also a welcome distraction that eases the discomfort of maintaining the legs elevated for so long.