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Best Resistance Band Exercises for Abs/Core Belly Fat

Best Resistance Band Exercises for Abs/Core Belly Fat

Resistance bands offer among the best workout routines away from the gym. If you’ve tried body-weight workouts or the gym and haven’t yet attained that flat tummy you so much crave, then resistance band core exercises are what you need.

These exercises include band Russian twist, side V, torso twist, high low side wood chop, kneeling ab crunch, standing ab twist, bicycle kicks, abdominal supine pulses, half rollback, and the leaning twist.

These can be performed at home right in your bedroom with only a resistance band, a workout mat and some space. Soon, you’ll be ready to flash the flat tummy with great abs if not the famous 6-pack.

The best part about using a resistance band to work out any part of the body is that you don’t need special equipment or lots of time to burn the calories you’ve set for yourself. Besides that, these workouts are very safe compared to using some complicated gym equipment or machines.

The best 10 workouts you can perform for your abs include the following:

Contents show

1. Band Russian Twist

This is a band workout targeting your abs, shoulders and obliques. You’ll need your exercise mat for this one.

It’s done as follows:

  • Sit on the floor with your legs together and extending forward. The band should be looped around the feet and your hands holding the ends of the band. Your hands should be extended before you while holding the band.
  • From your upright sitting position, lean backwards about 45 degrees while still holding the band before your straightened hands. Your feet should stay on the ground but your knees should raise a little from the ground as you lean back for stability. 
  • Make a twist of the body to the right then to the left before returning to the upright sitting position.

For the best results, perform between 10 to 15 reps and in 3 sets.

2. Side V

The side V workout targets your abs and obliques and also requires your exercise mat as it’s a floor exercise.

It’s done as follows:

  • Lie on the floor on your right side with the upper body slightly raised by supporting it on your right elbow. The band should be looped under your feet and the ends held in your left hand just above your body.
  • Use your left hand to pull on the band while lifting your upper body upwards as much as you can. Return to the starting position to complete a rep.

This one too should be performed in 3 sets of between 10 to 15 reps.

3. Torso Twist

This workout tones your abs, back and obliques. You won’t need your exercise mat as it’s done while standing.

The steps are as follows:

  • Hold the ends of the band in either hand while standing on the band. Your hands should face forward with your elbows touching your body and palms next to your shoulders.
  • Slightly bend your knees then rotate your upper body to the right then to the left and stand up straight again.

This too should be done for up to 15 reps in 3 sets for the best benefits.

4. High Low Side Wood Chop

The high low side wood chop comes from the actual act of chopping wood from the side. If you’re going to do it right, you’ll realize it’s very similar to the motion you make with an axe in your hand as you chop wood from the side. It strengthens and tones your middle abs.

It’s done as follows:

  • Loop one end of the band at the top of the door or other place slightly above or at your head level. This can be a window grill or other such immovable item.
  • Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width facing away from the band. Hold the ends of the band with both hands in such a way that your upper body is facing the band and your lower body facing to the side. Ensure the distance you’re standing provides tension in the band and your hands should be holding the band at the neck level.
  • Pull the band across your body and downwards until your hands are below and outside the knee of the leg farthest from the band’s point of attachment. Return to the starting position to complete the cycle/rep.

Perform 15 reps of this workout then turn around to chop to the other side.

5. Kneeling Ab Crunch

Another workout targeting the middle abs is the kneeling ab crunch. If you know how to do a normal crunch on your back, this one will be easy as it’s its kneeling version.

It’s done in the following steps:

  • As you did in the above exercise, mount one end of the band on an anchor. Only this time, ensure the end of the band can reach the ground when stretched out.
  • Kneel a hand length away from the point you mounted the band.
  • Hold the ends of the band with your hands and position them by your ears.
  • With your lower legs flat on the floor and the knees forming a 45-degree angle, bend down until your back is horizontal to the ground then back up again. As you do so, you should be pulling on the band.

Perform between 10 to 15 reps of this workout and in 3 sets for the best results.

6. Standing Ab Twist

This one works on your side abs which gives you that trimmed look. Being very hard to attain, side abs require harder and more frequent workouts to be effective.

It’s done as follows:

  • Mount the band about elbow high then stand a hand’s length away from it. Stand such that the band’s anchor is on your side as you hold the band before your chest with both hands.
  • Turn your upper body to face the band while keeping the lower body facing away.
  • Turn your upper body until you are facing the same direction as your lower body then return to face the band’s anchor.

Perform 15 reps on one side before turning to the other side. Ensure you do 3 sets of reps on each side.

7. Bicycle Kicks

For a full ab workout, the bicycle kicks exercise is among the best yet simplest you can find. It’s a floor workout meaning you’ll need your exercise mat.

Follow these steps to do it:

  • Mount the band at the knee level and attach the ends to your ankles while facing the band’s anchor.
  • Lie on your back with your feet flat before you.
  • Raise your arms a 45-degree angle towards your lower body. You may also raise your head off the ground without raising the shoulders to tighten the abs.
  • Pull one leg away from the band’s anchor until it’s perpendicular to the ground and the knee is forming a 90-degree angle. As you return it to its original position, raise the other foot simultaneously. When you’ve worked both legs once, that’s a single rep.

Perform 15 reps of the workout.

8. Abdominal Supine Pulses

Grab your exercise mat for this one as it’s a ground workout. It’s a workout very similar to the bicycle kicks and works the whole midsection of your body.

The steps are as follows:

  • Anchor the band about knee-high with the ends in your hand.
  • Lie on your back with the head facing the anchor point of the band. Your knees should be pointing upwards with the feet slightly together and a short distance from the body.
  • Hold the band such that your hands are perpendicular to the ground with the hands above you.
  • Do a crunch forwards while pulling on the band such that it passes over one shoulder then the next one in the next crunch to complete a rep.

Perform 15 reps and 3 sets.

9. Leaning Twist

The leaning twist is a simple exercise with limited motion that does wonders to your core. As it’s a ground routine, you’ll need an exercise mat and your resistance band.

The steps are as follows:

  • Sit with your feet straight in front of you and your upper body perpendicular to the ground.
  • Loop the band under your feet and hold the ends in either hand while spreading the hands out wide besides your body to form a T shape.
  • Lean back halfway then roll as much to the left as you can without toppling over. Maintain the wide arms.
  • Return to the center then lean to the other side for a complete rep.

Perform between 10 to 15 reps of this workout and in 3 sets.

10. Half Rollback

The half rollback is akin to a crunch or sit-up but with the resistance band and the body going back halfway to the ground.

Perform it as follows:

  • Sit upright with your feet stretched before you and the band looped under your feet. Hold the ends of the band in your hands and pull the hands together. The elbows should be raised to form a straight line between your shoulders, palms and the band to the feet.
  • Pull in your core then lean back halfway before returning to the upright position. That’s a rep.

Perform 15 reps in 3 sets.

As you may have noted, most of these exercises require 3 sets. This is because the tummy area is very hard to tone unlike the other muscles in the body like the biceps for example.

Best Core Training Resistance Bands

The five best resistance bands for your core include the following:

1. Tribe Resistance Bands Set

2. REEHUT Single Resistance Band

3. Lim Resistance Bands Exercise Loops

4. FOMI 7 Ring Stretch and Resistance Exercise Band

5. Koncle 11 pcs Resistance Band Set

These bands are affordable yet of a very high quality.

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