‘ACCURACY’ HAS BECOME one of the most common words uttered by Irish athletes in search of greatness in recent years.
It relates, not just to hitting the target with a ball or putting your feet in the right place during competition; it encompasses everything within the daily grind of trying to become fitter, faster, stronger, better.
So, every Tuesday we’ll aim to bring you the best technical advice on exerciss that can make all the difference to both your physique and performance.
Okay, so we can’t promise you that you’ll be ‘flat out’, on your back or that you can do all of these in bed, but sometimes it’s just nice to take the weight off your feet.
So, if you’re getting down, here are some ways to shape up your abdominal muscles while you’re at it.
1. Leg raise
If you’ve been through the pain of sit-ups, flip the mechanics on their head so that instead of raising your torso, it’s your legs that come up from parallel to the ground right up to 90 degrees.
2. Cobra
You have to turn around, but you’re still lying down, so we’re good.
Keep your legs on the floor as you press your arms just in front of your shoulders and arch your back. You’ll feel the stretching in your core. It’s good for you, enjoy it.
3. Russian twist
Flip back again it’s time to put in a little more energy – hey, nobody said abs came easy. Grab a weight or a medicine ball (preferably something a little bigger than below) and balance yourself in position with legs and back raised.
Now twist to bring the weight down on either side of your hips.
Do at least 20 on each side before letting up.
4. Superman
Fly, my pretties.
5. The Bicycle
(Last time we promise) turn around again and onto your back.
Now simply alternate raising your elbow/shoulder towards your single bent knee (i.e left knee, right elbow. Right knee, left elbow).
Do it in a fluid motion, getting your obliques to pull a side of your torso up rather than twisting your back.
You’ll be doing your laundry on that stomach in no time.
