The body’s core is defined as the abdominal muscles which sit between the ribcage and pelvis and the parallel muscles in the back. The core helps the human body to stay balanced and execute all the full-body functions such as walking and running.  

 Many choose to do abs exercises only to burn belly fat or to develop a ‘six pack’, but the benefits of ab workouts are more versatile. Lack of abs exercises could lead to obesity, bad posture, and weaknesses in body movement.  

 Lower abs workout targets the lower part of abdominal muscles where fat is stored in the body. Belly fat is not always a bad thing, fat helps the body to keep warm and provide energy. But an excessive amount of fat could cause a wide range of health issues.  

The primary purpose of lower abs exercises is to tighten and strengthen the muscles in the area. With sufficient work, you can lose belly fat and form the defined muscle class generally called a ‘six pack’. 

The goal of the following exercises is to strengthen lower abs to improve posture, stability, and balance. If you’re looking for exercises that would give you the perfect summer abs, look no further. 

For some of the exercises, you’ll need towels or sliders.  

1. Mountain Climbers 

Mountain Climbers exercise is a full-body cardio workout. To get started, get yourself to the plank position, which is face down with your forearms and toes on the floor. Place your elbows are directly under your shoulders and your forearms are facing forward. Then push your right knee towards  your chest,  and return back to the plank position. Then do the same to the other leg and repeat. Increase the pace gradually as you are getting comfortable with the exercise. It’s recommended 15-20 repetitions for each side for one session. 

2. Lying Leg Raises  

Lay on your back with legs extended forward, feet together. Raise your legs together slowly until they are perpendicular to the floor. Hold the position for a few seconds and bring the legs back down slowly. Make sure to inhale and exhale, more importantly relax between each repetition. Do this 10-15 times in a row.  

Be aware that your back doesn’t arch, otherwise this incorrect execution of the exercise could cause back pain.  

3. Crunches 

Crunches  is one of the the most common lower abs exercise. This low-impact exercise is not the most effective at burning fat, but a good workout to strengthen abdominal muscles.  

 Start with lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and tucking your hands behind  your head. Then lift your upper body in a curling movement towards  your knees by tightening the abdominal muscles. Hold the position for a second or two and release your body slowly back onto the floor. Repeat this cycle 15 - 20 times in a row.  

4. Scissor Kicks 

This is a variation of the Lying Leg Raises exercise. . While you are doing this exercise keep your hands parallel to the body and  your palms on the floor. If you require more support for  your legs you can  place your palms under the buttocks.  

Lift both of your legs a few inches off the ground and separate them slightly into a “V” shape. Engage your core and press your lower back into the floor. Keeping both legs straight, bring your legs together and cross your right leg over the left. Widen your legs into a “V” again, and then bring your legs together again, this time crossing your left leg over the right. 

Repeat this exercise as many times as wanted.  

5. Knee Tucks 

You’ll need towels or sliders to perform this workout. Get to the plank position as you have done in the Mountain Climbers exercise placing your feet on the towels or sliders. Then pull both feet towards the chest and slowly bring your body back to the starting position. Repeat as many times until you feel the effect on the abs muscles. For a beginner, it’s recommended to have 10 repetitions. 

Don’t hunch your shoulders or lean forward too much a lot. Let the body’s core do the work.  

Why do my legs hurt when doing abs? 

As you have seen in the list, ab exercises involve a lot of leg movement. All  your leg muscles, especially calf muscles, exert simultaneously with the abdominal muscles with each exercise. You might feel soreness in the legs and lower abdomen after a workout.  

How to recover from an ab workout 

Rest, hydration, having protein-rich meals, are the key factors in the recovery process. You can find out in-depth information here. 

The best way to recover legs after a workout is by using an active compression tool like SPRYNG. Active compression tools work similar to massagers but are designed with a specific purpose in mind. They provide a therapeutic massage for sore muscles to enhance blood circulation and speed up the recovery process. If you are looking to buy an active compression tool, always look for the convenience of the design, affordability, and effectiveness.