3. Leg Raises Work Surprisingly Well for Your Abs
This one is great for your lower abs, and perfectly suited to the confines of a hotel room. Lie flat on your back and reach your hands above your shoulders so you can hold onto something that will keep you from sitting up when you raise your legs. A heavy office chair or desk leg should do the trick.
Next, keep your legs straight and raise them in tandem until the bottoms of your feet are pointed at the ceiling. Lower them almost to the floor, but not quite (take them down as close to an inch or two above the ground) before raising them again. Repeat as many times as you can while maintaining good form.
4. Vertical Leg Crunch: Effective and Simple
The key to this exercise is to repeat the rep at least 12-15 times. To get started, lie on your back
and extend your legs up, keeping your knees slightly bent. Contract your abs – you should be able to feel your muscles tighten immediately — and raise yourself up, slowly, allowing your shoulder blades leave the floor. While making sure your neck stays still, move your torso toward your knees. Hold for a few beats, then lower yourself back to your starting position.
5. The Bird Dog
This is another move from the world of yoga
. To begin, start on your hands and knees. Stare at a fixed point on the floor for balance, and as you extend your arm forward, simultaneously extend the opposite leg backward. Hold for a few seconds, and alternate sides. Breathe through your nose, and synchronize your breath with your movements. Yoga’s a great way to focus your mind, and this pose will definitely bring your abs into focus.
6. The Bicycle Crunch: Tried and True
A few years back researchers at San Diego State University studied the most popular abdominal exercises to try to decipher which ones worked, and which were less effective. The bicycle crunch landed among the top three – along with a few others which, although solid, require non-portable fitness equipment, making them a bit tricky to perform while on the road.
Lie flat on the floor, making sure your lower back is pressed to the ground. Place your hands behind your head – cradle style – and lift your knees to a 45-degree angle. Begin pedaling in the air. For maximum effect, rotate your elbows to opposite knees as you pedal.