Mommy Fitness: 15 Ab Exercises

May 9, 2013

After 3 kids in 3 years I get “how to tighten up the belly area” question often. Here’s my tips: I always work my transverse abdominal (deepest core muscle), internal/external obliques, lower back and rectus abdominals (the muscles you see) during each core training session. Here are my favorite exercises! I usually choose 3-4 exercises and train 20-30 reps for 3-4 sets with short 30 second breaks a minimum of twice a week!

1. Planks
2. Planks with feet on stability ball
3. Ball tuck
4. Ball pike
5. Side planks
6. Bicycles
7. Toe touches
8. Russian twists
9. Reverse crunch
10. Reverse crunch on incline bench
11. Leg raises on roman chair
12. Hello dollies
13. Supermans
14. Back extensions
15. Side bends (using dbs or on back extension machine)

19 Comments

  • Reply jamie-lynn May 31, 2013 at 12:40 am

    i am so glad i came across this list! i had to google ‘hello dollies’, but didn’t find two alike. could you post a link or describe them please?

    best!

    • Reply Maria Kang June 10, 2013 at 11:51 pm

      Hello Dollies are a bit funny as it is Marine jargon (I learned this initially from an ex-boyfriend/former Marine). You lay on your back – place hands underneath you for support. Raise your legs 4-6 inches off the ground and open and close your legs (hello dolly!) for a minimum of 20 reps.

      • Reply Sandra December 17, 2013 at 6:58 pm

        What is the best exercise to firm up the back side??

  • Reply Jennifer October 16, 2013 at 11:30 pm

    Hello, I am so glad I came across your website. After reading almost all of your post is there anyway you can describe like you did in the previous question the work outs you do?

  • Reply John October 17, 2013 at 1:09 am

    Good job. don’t let negative people own reflection of themselves bother you. People are pretty on both the inside and the out. some people are ugly on the outside and and could’t figure out that they didn’t need to be ugly on the inside too. When they are jealous and think you are picking on them or hate you for your achievements. don’t take it personal, When they say negative things to you, they are only trying to throw their own ugly inner reflection at you. It is in no way any fault of your own that they mismanage and hate themselves. DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY πŸ™‚ just keep on living your good life and pay no mind.

  • Reply Sonia October 17, 2013 at 5:25 am

    Hi Maria, I just discovered your site. I am struggling to find time to exercise and am so thankful for your list. Can you share how you do the planks? Do you hold for a certain amount of time?

  • Reply MATI October 19, 2013 at 10:33 am

    Maria, you are doing great and inspiring women. Keep it up and do not pay attention to the negative people. I’am giving you more than 5 awards. πŸ™‚

  • Reply lucy October 23, 2013 at 11:10 am

    Guess what?! I’m glad (you should be to) about all the negative comments online and on tv because thanks to them I get cross with you in Facebook. ..thanks mean people, because now I found an inspiration to go further: YOU!
    I GOT NO EXCUSES!! slowly, but for sure I get there!

    • Reply Maddi December 2, 2013 at 2:50 pm

      That is how I learned about her too, after this whole facebook thing, I found an article on Yahoo! All I was thinking was, “what’s wrong with being super fit and having three kids”? I don’t typically say this but, I think everyone is jealous!! haha. Like me but, I’m going to turn that into positive jealousy and work out right after I hit the reply button!! Thanks for the inspiration!!!

      • Reply Stephanie April 7, 2014 at 2:13 am

        I agree, Maddi. People get so jealous when they see someone super fit and they what the results but don’t see the sacrifice and self discipline and hard work that it took to get those results. They want things the easy way. I’m not fit at all but I used to be and I am determined to get back there again, and I am willing to do the work to get there~ and with No Excuses! I’m completely inspired by Maria’s success not jealous at all. The there’s way too there’s way too muh criticism out there and not nearly enough encouragement!

      • Reply Stephanie April 7, 2014 at 2:15 am

        I agree, Maddi. People get so jealous when they see someone super fit and they what the results but don’t see the sacrifice and self discipline and hard work that it took to get those results. They want things the easy way. I’m not fit at all but I used to be and I am determined to get back there again, and I am willing to do the work to get there~ and with No Excuses! I’m completely inspired by Maria’s success not jealous at all. The there’s way too there’s way too muh criticism out there and not nearly enough encouragement!

  • Reply Tammy December 18, 2013 at 3:31 am

    Where can I find “directions” on these ab exercises?

    • Reply Francy December 29, 2013 at 6:48 pm

      so how am I suppose to know how this exercise should be done don’t you have any video??
      for example the russian twist,superman em not familiar w/ those words..so how am I suppose to do it?thank you..

      • Reply Francy December 30, 2013 at 8:21 pm

        how come I don’t get any reply? πŸ™

        • Reply Monique January 1, 2014 at 3:59 pm

          Francy,, I hope you do not mind me responding, but you can do a search for the exercises you are unfamiliar with on YouTube…you will see actual demo videos. Hope this helps. Happy New Year!

  • Reply mark December 31, 2013 at 8:35 pm

    Please email me maria

  • Reply Ross Gonzalez October 26, 2015 at 6:34 am

    Is it possible to see some of the and exercise I don’t know youtube has different ways and not to sure which is your best technique
    thank you

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  • Leave a Reply to Tammy Cancel Reply