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It’s no secret that abdominal exercises provide great health benefits. Not only do they promote good posture, but they also help to strengthen your core muscles. This is why so many people are drawn to ab exercises. But if you want to take your workouts to the next level, active recovery can be a great way to make sure your abs stay strong and healthy.
Shop The Collection: Core & Ab TrainersActive recovery involves making use of low-intensity activities such as stretching and yoga in order to allow your body to rest and recover between more intense workouts. While this may seem counterintuitive, it can actually be an effective way to keep your abdominal muscles healthy and strong, as well as aiding in muscle repair.
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For those looking to incorporate active recovery into their routine, here are some of the best ab exercises for active recovery.
Shop The Collection: Resistance BandsCrunches are one of the most popular ab exercises and can be used both during regular workouts and as part of an active recovery routine. This exercise helps to strengthen the abdominal muscles while also engaging other muscles in the body. In order to do crunches properly, start by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest and curl up towards the ceiling until your shoulder blades are off the ground. Hold for a few seconds before lowering yourself back down.
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For an extra challenge, try doing crunches with a medicine ball or a stability ball. This will add resistance, which can help to further engage your core muscles and build strength.
Planks are another great exercise for active recovery. This exercise works to engage all of the major muscles in the core, including the abdominals, obliques, and lower back. To perform a plank, start by getting into a pushup position with your toes and forearms resting on the ground. Make sure to keep your back straight and your body in a straight line from head to toe. Hold this position for 30 seconds or until you feel your abdominals start to fatigue.
If you want to add a bit of a challenge to your planks, you can try adding a stability ball or a medicine ball. This will add additional resistance and force your core muscles to work harder. Planks are also a great way to stretch out your core muscles after an intense workout.
Bicycle crunches are another great exercise for active recovery. This exercise helps to target the obliques and lower abdominal muscles, while also engaging the hip flexors and quads. To perform a bicycle crunch, start by lying on your back with your hands behind your head and your legs raised in the air. Alternate bringing each knee up towards your chest while twisting your upper body to meet it. Make sure to keep your lower back pressed firmly into the floor throughout the exercise.
This exercise can also be done with a medicine ball or a stability ball for added resistance. Doing so will help to further engage your core muscles and build strength.
Yoga is another great form of active recovery. This type of exercise helps to stretch and lengthen the muscles, which can aid in muscle recovery. Not to mention, it also helps to improve flexibility and balance. There are a number of poses that can be used to target the abdominal muscles, including the bridge pose, the cobra pose, and the boat pose.
These poses can be done with a partner or on your own. If you choose to do them with a partner, make sure to have them help you with proper form and alignment. This will ensure that you get the most out of the poses and that you don’t injure yourself.
Active recovery is an important part of any fitness routine. Incorporating ab exercises into your active recovery routine can help to strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles while also aiding in muscle repair. Some of the best exercises for active recovery include crunches, planks, bicycle crunches, and yoga. So if you’re looking to take your workouts to the next level, give these exercises a try!
