It’s hard to find time to squeeze in a core workout, but performing ab exercises before bed is one of the easiest ways to wake up with a stronger mid-section.
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These moves can be completed in the comfort of your very own bed with no equipment, so there’s no excuse to skip out on this laid-back routine. Perform 25 reps of each exercise and do up to five rounds, depending on how much time and energy you have to devote to the routine. Avoid resting between repetitions and sets as the constant sequence keeps the core fired up, so the muscles will get a better workout.
1. Toe Touches
Toe touches can be done while sitting in bed.
- Simply lie on on your back and raise both feet in the air.
- Try to keep your legs straight with feet flexed as you reach up toward your feet with both hands.
- Lower back down with your neck in a neutral position.
- This accounts for one repetition.
- Try not to rest on your back too much between each repetition to really maximize the core muscle work.
2. Basic Bicycle Crunches
The basic bicycle crunch works to tone your abs from all angles, which helps from a functional and cosmetic standpoint.
- To begin, lie on your back and hold your knees up at a 90-degree angle.
- From there, raise your head up with your hands behind your head.
- Your hands should not be clasped, but they should be touching.
- Take your right elbow to your left knee as you crunch in toward your midline.
- Come back to center and alternate taking your left elbow to your right knee to complete one repetition.
- Repeat this in a fluid motion by alternating sides.
3. Lateral Crunches
To continue the focus on the side abs, or obliques, perform lateral crunches.
- Lie on your back with right right knee folded over your left leg at a 45-degree angle and your left leg on the ground.
- Rest your hands on either side of you and crunch to the right side until your right hand touches the inside of your right foot.
- Quickly come back to center and repeat this same sequence on the left side to complete one repetition.
- Continue this alternate sequence until you’ve completed your repetitions.
4. Flutter Kicks
Your core is probably feeling the burn at this point, but keep it up. You’re almost to the end of the workout!
- Continue to lie on your back and place your hands behind your lower back.
- Straighten your legs out and lift them about 45 degrees above the bed.
- Alternate flutter kicking your legs up and down.
- A flutter kick on both the left and right sides accounts for one repetition.
5. Supine Marching Abs
Strengthen your lower back muscles to support and balance your core posture.
- Lie on your back and raise your hips toward the ceiling with your feet firmly planted on the bed.
- Lift your right foot up while keeping your hips in the fully extended position.
- Lower your right foot and simultaneously bring your left foot up.
- The trick is to keep your hips in the extended position in order to fully engage the lower back muscles.
This ab exercise circuit will tone up your core if you complete it most nights of the week and will seamlessly become part of your bedtime routine.