Exercise For Lower Abs

Working on your lower abdominal muscles can help to strengthen your core, and there are lots of different exercises that you can do to improve your core strength.

As your lower abs are not their own muscle group, it can be difficult to not exercise them, so there are lots of exercises that can tone your lower abs that you may not have realized. 

Repeatedly doing the same exercise doesn't help your progress, so it is important to switch up your exercise routine.

If you find a particular exercise boring or uninspiring, try something new. The key to exercising your lower abs is to do a variety of different exercises to help target this area. 

This article will show you some different exercises that you can do to help exercise your lower abs.

These exercises will make you stronger and more toned, leaving you stronger and fitter than before. Find out more about these exercises below!

What Exercises Can Help My Lower Abs?

There are lots of different exercises that can help to strengthen and tone your lower abs, and you may not have realized that certain exercises target your lower abs.

Find out more about the exercises that can tone your lower abs below!

Pilates Scissor Exercise

If you are a fan of Pilates, this Pilates Scissor exercise is able to target both your upper and lower abs and is a popular movement for toning up.

To begin the movement, lie down on your back with your feet on the mat. Keep your shoulders flat on the mat and breathe in.

When you're ready, lift your hips and legs off the mat so that you are being supported by your upper body.

To offer your lower body some more support, hold your lower back with your hands and make sure that your elbows are right below your hips.

This will take some pressure off your shoulders and give you some more support. 

Begin to start opening your legs and move them in a scissor motion with one in front of the other.

You can keep scissoring your legs or pulse your legs twice in the scissor position and then swap to the other leg.

You can repeat these movements around 6 times per set. You can also check out this article on how often you should do Pilates to see results, but remember not to force yourself to do any more than you can. 

Bicycle Crunches

Bicycle crunches are very effective in training not only your lower abs but your obliques as well. It is also a great exercise for love handles which can be difficult to get rid of. 

If you are a beginner, this move will be very easy for you to complete, but it directly targets your abs, so it might be painful, to begin with! The more that you practice this exercise, the easier it will become. 

To start, lie down on the mat so that you are facing the ceiling. Your legs need to be in the tabletop position, where your knees are bent, and your toes are pointed towards the bottom of the mat.

Position your hands behind your head, and you are ready to begin!

Begin to turn your body so that you bring your right elbow to meet your left knee, straightening your right leg out at the same time.

Next, turn your body so that your left elbow meets your right knee so that your right leg is extended. Keep repeating these movements for 15-20 reps. 

You will feel your abs start to work, so don't force yourself through the movements if you are a beginner, and it hurts too much. You can work yourself up to completing more reps in a set. 

Dead Bugs

Dead Bugs are another effective exercise to target your lower abs and to use your body weight to work your abdominal muscles.

You can do this exercise anywhere, either at home, in the park, or at the gym. It is important to engage your core to keep your torso still during this movement to prevent any rocking movements. 

Begin the movement by lying on your back on the mat. Position your arms, so they are lifted and pointed towards the ceiling, and bend your knees, so they are in a tabletop position.

Make sure that you keep your core engaged and press your lower back into your mat for stability. 

At your own pace, move your left arm above your head, so it is almost touching the floor, and extend your right leg so that your heel is almost touching the floor.

Make sure that you are inhaling when you are extending your arms and legs and then inhaling when you bring them back to the starting position. 

Keep alternating between the two movements for around 10 reps of 3-5 sets.

You can work up to this number of reps or sets if you are new to this movement and are not used to working your core or abdominal muscles as much. 

V-Sits

V-Sits are popular movements in Pilates as they help to strengthen your core muscles. It is important to engage your core during a V-Sit as they help you to remain balanced in the position.

To start this pose, sit on the floor with your knees bent and your hands on the floor next to your hips.

Make sure that your core is engaged and lift your legs, so they are extended in front of you. They need to be off the floor so that your core is holding them up.

If you are a beginner, you can use your hands to support you by placing them on the mat, so you can gradually work towards lifting them up. Otherwise, lift your arms above your head. 

You need to make sure that you are keeping your spine straight and breathing normally during the movement.

Hold the position for as long as you can and return to your sitting position when you cannot hold it for longer.

You can repeat this movement between 20 and 25 times, but only hold the V-Sit for however long is comfortable for you and build your way up to holding it for longer.

You can also work your way up to lifting your arms. 

Leg Lifts

Leg Lifts are also popular in Pilates, and they can be used to tone your lower abs, upper abs, glutes, and quad muscles.

To start the movement, lie flat on your back on the mat and extend your legs so that your feet are pointing to the ceiling. Keep your heels together and position your hands behind your head. 

When you are ready, slowly begin to lower your legs as far down to the floor as you can.

Don't quickly lower your legs and quickly lift them, slowly lower them to the floor and lift them back up at your usual pace. Make sure that your core is engaged to help to lower and lift your legs. 

You can repeat this movement between 6 and 8 times, but do not rush the movements if you are a beginner.

You can also lower your legs in 3 stages, not all in one movement. You can build yourself up to lowering your legs in one movement if you are not used to doing it in one movement. 

Bird-Dogs

If you are looking to strengthen more than your lower abs, Bird-Dogs can also work your glutes and lower back.

You can perform this movement anywhere as you just need to use your own body weight and use something comfortable for knee support, like a mat. 

Start on your hands and knees with your knees apart as wide as your hips. Next, lift your left hand and your right knee off the mat and extend them in front and behind you.

The extended arm and leg should form a straight line from the tips of your fingers to the tip of your toes. Keep your core engaged to help you balance in this position. 

Hold this position for a minute before you come back to the starting position on your hands and knees. You can then switch sides so that you are lifting your right hand and left leg.

It is recommended that you do 10 reps for 3 sets but only does as many as you are comfortable with and work your way to a higher number of reps and sets. 

Final Thoughts

To conclude, there are lots of different exercises that you can perform to target your lower abs. A lot of these exercises can be performed in the comforts of your home such as Pilates and yoga for abs. 

It is important to make sure that you keep your core muscles engaged during these movements as they will help to target your lower abs and flatten your stomach.

You will feel stronger and more confident by performing these exercises, and you can work out anywhere, as long as you are comfortable. 

Make sure that you do not force yourself to complete any movements if you are finding them too difficult or painful as this could cause you to have an injury.

Complete the exercises at your own pace and listen to your body!