The 25 best exercises for the lower abdominal muscles

Before we start with the actual abdominal training, we should first insert a small lesson in terms of physiology of the abdominal muscles, as this already makes some questions obsolete in advance. Even though many exercisers assume that the lower and upper abdominal muscles are different muscles, you should know that this is not the case. Musculus rectus abdominis is a continuous long muscle that gets its characteristic washboard shape from tendons. Nevertheless, it is true that the different areas of this muscle can be specifically trained. However, since the lower abdominal muscles in particular are somewhat hesitant to protrude, we would like to provide you with 25 exercises below that will help you to make this area grow as well. The basic prerequisite, however, is a low body fat percentage.

Exercise 1 - Bicycle Crunch
Lie on your back and pull one knee toward your chest while the other leg remains extended on the floor. Now put your hands behind your head and then raise your upper body in a twisting motion so that your opposite elbow touches your knee. Then return to the starting position and switch sides.

Exercise 2 - Alligator Walk
Get into the push-up position and place your hands shoulder-width apart. Now tense your entire upper body and take tiny steps with your hands and feet so that you move in a similar way to an alligator.

Exercise 3 - Slider Body Saw
You start in the classic plank position with your forearms shoulder-width apart. As soon as your body forms a straight line, you need to tense your torso to provide the necessary basic tension. Now move your body back and forth while keeping your forearms in position.

Exercise 4 - Cable Crunch
Kneel frontally in front of the cable pulley and make sure that the distance is large enough so that you do not hit your head in the heat of the moment. Now take the handle in both hands and perform a crunch. Optimally, your forearms will come exactly to your knees and your head will slowly approach the floor. Hold this position briefly and then return to the starting position.

Exercise 5 - Prone Pike with the TRX trainer
Get into the push-up position and fasten into the loops of the TRX-Trainer. Now tighten your extended legs, trying to raise your pelvis as much as possible to cause a maximum contraction of the abdominal muscles. In the course of this movement, your head will move between your arms.

Exercise 6 - Dip/Leg Raise
This exercise is a combination of dips and leg raises, in the course of which both exercises are performed exactly one after the other. In order to achieve maximum training stimulus, you should also make sure to perform the Leg Raises with extended legs, as this significantly increases the training load compared to performing them with bent legs.

Exercise 7 - Flutter Kick
Lie straight on your back, extend both legs and place your arms parallel to your torso. Now lift your legs alternately by about 25 centimeters and hold this position for two to three seconds before switching legs. The exercise is particularly effective if you perform the concentric movement phase explosively.

Exercise 8 - Front squats
Grasp the barbell shoulder width apart and place it on your shoulder muscles using either the classic grip or the cross grip. If you prefer the classic grip, make sure that your upper arms are at least parallel to the floor and your elbows are pointing to the ceiling. Once you have found the correct position, bend as low as you can, keeping your back straight and stable to avoid injury and strain.

Exercise 9 - Leg Raise
Lie flat on the floor with your legs extended and hold onto a weight bench with your arms to stabilize yourself. Now lift your stretched legs simultaneously until there is a right angle between them and your upper body. Tighten your abdominal muscles briefly at this point and return to the starting position.
Exercise 10 - Hanging Leg Raises
Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms outstretched and make sure your hands are slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Now lift your legs until they are parallel to the floor. If this version of the exercise is too difficult for you, you can also do it with your legs bent.

Exercise 11 - Pike to Superman
You start again in the push-up position, but your feet are on an exercise ball. Now roll the ball forward with your feet so that your upper body straightens up. Then return to the starting position.

Exercise 12 - Sprinter
Place your feet in the loops of the suspension trainer and get into the push-up position. Now alternately pull your knees towards your chest so that it looks like you are sprinting.

Exercise 13 - Reverse Crunch with training band
Lie on your back and wrap the exercise band around your feet. Now take the two free ends in your hands and stretch your arms backwards. At the same time, pull your knees toward your chest and then extend them away from you before returning to the starting position. As you perform, make sure to lift your shoulder blades off the floor.

Exercise 14 - V-Ups with exercise ball
Lie flat on your back and clamp an exercise ball between your legs. Now raise your arms and legs so that your upper body takes on the shape of a V. Now take the exercise ball and bring it behind your head with outstretched arms. Now return to the starting position by completing the reverse movement sequence.

Exercise 15 - Sit-ups with barbell
Take a barbell with a weight of your choice and lie flat on the floor. Now lift your upper body with your arms extended above your head.

Exercise 16 - Star Plank
For the Star Plank, you also start in the conventional push-up position. Now stretch your arms and legs as far apart as possible so that your body forms the shape of a star. Hold this position for as long as you can, but at least 30 seconds, before returning to the starting position and pausing briefly.

Exercise 17 - Sit-up combination with ball throw
Sit on the floor, bend your legs and stabilize your feet with the help of two dumbbells. Now pick up a ball and lower your upper body. Then perform a traditional sit-up and throw the ball against a wall at the apex of the movement and then catch it again before starting the next repetition.

Exercise 18 - Knee Tuck with Medicine Ball
Sit on a bench and put a medicine ball between your legs. Now lean back and pull your knees together with the medicine ball to your chest. Hold this position and then extend your legs again.

Exercise 19 - Push-up Rocket
Position your feet in the foot straps of the suspension trainer and get into the push-up position. Now perform explosive push-ups by pushing yourself off the ground as hard as you can.

Exercise 20 - Pull-ups like knee lift
Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms outstretched in a shoulder-width overhand grip and pull yourself up. Once you reach the apex of the concentric movement phase, raise your bent legs until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then return to the starting position.

Exercise 21 - Mountain Climber on a Medicine Ball
Position your hands on a small medicine ball and get into the push-up position. Now alternately pull your knees towards your chest as fast as you can, as if you were running up a hill.

Exercise 22 - Horizontal Cable Woodchop
Adjust the cable pulley so that it is at about shoulder height. Now take the handle with both hands and stand shoulder width to the side of the machine. Then step half a step to the side and turn your upper body in until your arms point straight forward.

Exercise 23 - Crunches on an exercise ball
Angle your legs and lie with your back on an exercise ball. Now perform a classic crunch, making sure that the position of your back on the ball does not change.

Exercise 24 - Ab Wheel Rollout
Take the Ab Wheel and kneel on the floor. Now lean on the Ab Wheel and roll it forward until an angle of around 130 is formed between your upper body and your arms. Then slowly return to the starting position.

Exercise 25 - V-Ups with medicine ball
This exercise works just like the variant with the medicine ball.