Isometric Exercises for Abs
Isometric exercises involve no contraction of joints. Using postures to stimulate a muscle without involving bending of any joint does them. Doing a variety of isometric exercises can help develop strong abs. Isometric exercises not only help develop abs, but also strengthens the back.
They are done best, if done under the expert supervision of a fitness trainer. Novices to isometric exercises should take the help of a fitness instructor trained in this kind of exercises.
Here are some good isometric exercises for abdomens:
Horizontal Suspension
Lie down on a bench. Slowly push yourself upward, such that your torso is suspended horizontally, without the assistance of the bench. If you might, you can go up a little further, such that only the portion of your body that is waist-down is on the bench, while the rest is suspended horizontally.
But the latter is slightly risky, because you could lose balance. It would be nice if you can have someone supervise this movement. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds initially. You can steadfastly increase this hold-time with more and more practice.
Elbow-rested suspension
Now this is a powerful isometric exercise that will add lots of strength and power to your midsection, your back, and your abs.
Lie down on your ventral front. Push your upper body up a little bit and rest it on your forearms. Place your feet together. Now with your elbow-forearm combination supporting your body, you must slowly lift your legs up, and get them to suspend freely in the horizontal direction. If you are a beginner to this exercise, try to get 5- 10 seconds of suspension time initially. Do about 5 – 10 repetitions.
Bar hold suspension
Hold a bar like you would hold a bar when doing bench-press for the chest. Using your hands, pull your body up, and let your body suspend freely in the horizontal direction.
Here, the only support and stabilizer would be your holding the bar. This is a very powerful exercise, and involves a lot of strength. It is recommended that people with at least 3 to 4 years of bodybuilding or strength training experience do this exercise.
Stand-sitting exercises
Stand up straight. Bring yourself down in a sitting position. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor. Hold this position for sometime, and stand up again. Do at least 3 – 4 repetitions.
