How to Use Weights With Your Ab Workout

Add dumbbells to your ab workout for increased strength training.

If your abdominal workout routine has become too easy or if you are simply bored with doing crunches or sit-ups, try adding weights to your workout. A two- to five-pound dumbbell is all you need to increase the difficulty of your ab routine. To vary your crunches and sit-ups you may also want to get ankle weights. Two to five pounds per ankle is plenty. Strong abdominal muscles not only keep your tummy flat, but minimize back pain and increase balance and stability.

Things You'll Need

• Two- to five-pound dumbbell
• Two- to five-pound ankle weights

Instructions

1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent as if you were going to do a regular sit-up or crunch. Hold one dumbbell in your hands in front of you and then lift it over your head toward the floor behind you. While doing a sit-up, lift the weight over your head, keeping your arms straight, and reach with the weight toward your knees. Lower your upper body back to the floor, lifting the weight back over your head toward the floor behind you. Repeat as desired.

2. Stand and hold a dumbbell in your hands with your arms stretched in front of you. Move your legs to hip-width apart and angle your feet slightly outward by pointing your toes away from your body. Lower yourself into a plie squat. Remain in the squat, keep your arms straight, and twist your upper body to the left, reaching slightly with the weight for your left knee. Repeat on the right side. Keep your abs tight. Repeat as desired.

3. Strap ankle weights onto both ankles. Lie on the floor, your feet resting on the floor so your knees are bent in a classic sit -up position. Keeping your ab muscles tight, lift your feet from the floor toward your chest. Then lower your feet back to the floor and repeat the exercise.

4. Stretch out on the floor, your legs extended straight. With ankle weights on both ankles and your abs tightened, lift your right leg from the floor, bend it toward your chest and then straighten. Repeat the same motion with your left leg. Now move both legs one right after the other in a bicycle-like motion. This exercise will work your lower abdominal muscles. Maintain the bicycle motion for thirty seconds, rest, then repeat.

Tips & Warnings

• Exercise balls and balance boards can also be used to vary an ab workout. Though not specifically weights, they work by forcing you to maintain your balance using strong abdominal muscles.

• Make certain you use proper weight-lifting techniques. Start with a light weight and work up to heavier weights. When picking up and setting down weights, always bend at your knees. Do not lift with your back.

References

• Fitness: Best Ab Workouts from Around the World
• Mayo Clinic: Weight Training Do's and Don'ts
• All About Abs: Ankle Weights