Lower Rectus Abdominis

Listed below are exercises that focus on the lower rectus abdominis muscle.

Reverse Crunch

Beginner: Lie on your back with knees pulled into your chest. Hands are behind your head and belly button is pulled in tightly. Exhale and contract your lower abs so that your hips and buns lift off the floor. Inhale as you slowly lower to the starting position.

Intermediate: Lie on your back with legs extended up toward the ceiling, keeping legs pulled toward your head to remove pressure from the lower back. Hands are behind your head and belly button is pulled in tightly. Exhale and contract you lower abs so that your hips and buns lift off the floor — think of stamping your feet on the ceiling. Inhale as you slowly lower to the starting position.

Make It Harder: Lift and lower for counts of 2, 3, or 4.

Helpful Hints: Don’t rock your legs. Use your abs to lift and let your legs come along for the ride. The movement should be small and controlled.

Cycling

Beginner: Lie on your back with your hands under your buns to give you a slight pelvic tilt. Lift your legs so they’re pointing toward the ceiling and hold them close to your body to remove pressure from your back. Slowly pull your right knee toward your chest, using the lower abs to pull. Then extend the right leg and pull in the left knee. Keep alternating, using a pushing-pulling motion with the abs.

Intermediate: Lie on your back with your hands under your buns to give you a slight pelvic tilt. Extend your legs parallel to the floor and lift them about 1 foot off the floor. Slowly pull your right knee toward your chest, using the lower abs to pull. Then extend the right leg and pull in the left knee. Keep alternating, using a pushing-pulling motion with the abs.

Make It Harder: Cycle are variable speeds: quickly for 4 counts, then very slowly for 4 counts.

Helpful Hints: If you feel pressure in your lower back, point your legs more toward the ceiling. To make this exercise more difficult, try holding your head and shoulders off the floor as you cycle.

Seated Raises

Beginner: Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your legs extended in front of you, your heels just touching the floor. Hold onto the sides of the chair or bench as an anchor. Contract your abs, exhale, and pull your knees in toward your chest. Inhale as you slowly lower to starting position, barely touching the floor with your heels.

Intermediate: Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your legs extended in front of you, your heels just touching the floor. Hold onto the sides of the chair or bench as an anchor. Contract your abs, exhale, and keeping your legs extended, lift them up until their parallel to the floor. Inhale as you slowly lower to starting position, barely touching the floor with your heels.

Make It Harder: Raise and lower for variable counts: up 2, down 2 … up for 3, down for 1 … up for 1, down for 3 … raise and lower slowly on a count of 4.

Helpful Hints: Control the lowering motion and fight against gravity. Be sure to keep upper body upright; try not to lean back as you lift.

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