Good Situps For Your Lower Abs

Get your lower abs in shape.

Image Credit: jacoblund/iStock/Getty Images You might feel like your abs are divided into a lower and upper region, but in reality, your rectus abdominis — or front sheath of abs — is one long muscle. It’s segmented by tendinous creases, which gives you a six-pack look, and may make you feel that it’s made up of separate muscles. Technically, however, you can’t independently contract the upper and lower region of the muscle.

  Advertisement
 Sit-ups refer to a very specific move: You lie on your back with your knees bent and lift your torso up to touch your legs. This move activates primarily the upper portion of the rectus abdominis as you lift your head, neck and shoulders off the floor.

  Video of the Day
  No sit-up, even on an incline, will predominantly activate the lower portion of the rectus abdominis, but other ab exercises will. The following moves will help target the lower portion of your abdomen.

  Advertisement
      
Reverse crunches start in a sit-up-like position.

Image Credit: phildate/iStock/Getty Images

Reverse Crunches

Although the whole rectus abdominis works during this move, you will probably feel it most in the lower abs.

  Advertisement
 
Step 1

Lie on your back. Extend your arm out to the sides of the room to anchor your upper body on the floor. Bend your knees and raise them up so your shins are parallel to the floor.

Step 2

Pull your belly in toward your spine as you exhale and lift your hips up off the floor. Draw your knees in toward your chest as you squeeze.

Step 3

Inhale and release to the starting position to complete one repetition.

  Advertisement
 
Hanging Leg Raise

The hanging leg raise works the entire rectus abdominis and the hip flexors, so you feel it in the lower region of your belly.

Step 1

Hold onto a high pull-up bar, or use arm straps to hang from the bar. Extend your legs completely.

Step 2

Pull your knees up toward your chest by flexing your hips.

  Advertisement
 
Step 3

Return to extended legs and hips to complete one repetition.

  Advertisement
      
Keep your back from sagging during the jackknife.

Image Credit: blanaru/iStock/Getty Images

Stability Ball Jackknife

Use an inflated stability ball for this exercise.

  Advertisement
 
Step 1

Get into a push-up position with your hands on the ground and the tops of your feet and ankles on the stability ball. Draw your belly button into your spine and keep your torso as a straight line from your head to your feet.

Step 2

Keep your back rigid as you roll the ball toward your chest by bending your knees.

Step 3

Roll the ball backward to straighten your legs and complete one repetition.

  Advertisement
 
Criss-Cross Mountain Climbers

This move activates your whole body, but places a special emphasis on the lower portion of your rectus abdominis. Go at a quick pace for 30 to 60 seconds to raise your heart rate, too.

Step 1

Put your body into push-up position, balanced on your hands and feet and torso rigid.

  Advertisement
 
Step 2

Lift your right leg and pull the knee toward your left elbow. Put the foot back down.

Step 3

Repeat by pulling the left leg to the right elbow to complete one repetition.

Keep In Mind

Your lower stomach area can be a place where fat is stored. No matter how muscular your abs are, if there’s a layer of padding covering them — you won’t see the definition. But, no one exercise will directly trim that specific area — spot reducing is just not possible. To reduce fat all over your body, including your lower belly, follow a diet that focuses mostly on lean proteins, such as chicken and fish, as well as vegetables and small amounts of whole grains. Regular cardio and total-body strength training also helps you lose body fat all over, so your lower abs look lean and defined along with muscles on the rest of your body.

  Advertisement
 
  Advertisement
  
  references
  
      University of New Mexico: SuperAbs Resource Manual
    
      EXRX.net: Lower Ab Myth
       




  references
  
      University of New Mexico: SuperAbs Resource Manual
    
      EXRX.net: Lower Ab Myth
    




Get your lower abs in shape.

Image Credit: jacoblund/iStock/Getty Images

Reverse crunches start in a sit-up-like position.

Image Credit: phildate/iStock/Getty Images

Keep your back from sagging during the jackknife.

Image Credit: blanaru/iStock/Getty Images

      University of New Mexico: SuperAbs Resource Manual
    
      EXRX.net: Lower Ab Myth