Do standing up abs really work?

Standing abs exercises are great for working the muscles of your entire core—from your back to your hips—and they’re another great excuse to skip the dreaded crunches. While you shouldn’t neglect your floor abs workout entirely, standing exercises are a great way to mix up your regular routine.

How can I work my abs while standing?

Standing core stabilizers

  1. Hold a dumbbell by each end and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Raise your arms out in front of you.
  3. Inhale and twist your arms and upper body to the left, allowing your left toe to pivot as you go.
  4. Exhale and return to center.
  5. Repeat on the other side.

How can I workout my abs without hurting my back?

Strengthen Your Abs Without Getting Back Pain

  1. Exercise 1: Planks. These may look easy, but planks are a challenging full body exercise that force you to activate your entire core.
  2. Exercise 2: Side planks.
  3. Exercise 3: Bird dog.
  4. Exercise 4: Bridges.

Can I do crunches standing up?

Standing Crunches: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulders-width apart, toes facing forward, and hands on your hips. Then, tilt your pelvis backward to stick out your butt as you bring your shoulders back and chest forward. Return to starting position to complete one rep.

Why do all ab workouts hurt my back?

Lower-back pain during any core exercise is typically a sign that your core is too weak to do the exercise. If your lower back specifically isn’t strong enough, the core work you’re doing may just be asking too much of it, causing your muscles to strain.

Are standing planks effective?

The plank strengthens your spine, your rhomboids and trapezius, and your abdominal muscles, which naturally result in a strong posture as they grow in strength. Developing your posture can improve on a number of ailments, and prevent the onset of other ones. Good posture means you’re keeping your bones aligned.