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FACT CHECKEDSome of the best and most efficient abs exercises require nothing more than your bodyweight. Your bodyweight is a useful source of resistance and it allows you to train anywhere, anytime. There are hundreds of ab exercises, yet most people prefer the simplicity of standard ab crunches and sit ups. While there’s nothing wrong with the standard crunch and crunch variations, they can lose their effectiveness over time if done too often. Let’s explore an efficient ab exercise, the in and out, which is also called the seated tuck.
The in and out is an abdominal exercise that targets the ab muscles, hip flexors and quadriceps. This movement is mainly used to isolate the abs and can be regressed or progressed in a number of ways. The standard in and out abs exercise is advanced and challenges not only the musculature but full body stability and coordination. It may take some practice and time to build up the proper strength within the core to execute the full in and out position. When it’s done correctly, the entire body will benefit from this movement and its full-body engagement. A great bonus to this movement is that it’s very accessible because it requires no equipment and can be done anywhere.
Unsurprisingly, the in and out exercise works mostly the abdominal muscles - the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis and obliques. Holding proper form and posture for the in and out abs exercise requires activation from the lower back and hip flexors. The quadriceps muscles assist to extend and bend the legs to transition from “in” and the “out” position. Let’s break down each muscle group that the in and out targets:
With most isolation exercises, it takes time to feel the benefits of increased strength of the muscles involved. Incorporate the in and out abs movement regularly into your fitness program to see gradual progress. As you grow accustomed to the movement, start to incorporate progressed versions of the in and out abs exercise to challenge your strength.
This “how to” is based on a standard in and out which is an advanced version. Regressions and progressions to the in and out exercise are listed below.
The most common mistakes for the in and out exercise mostly revolve around jumping into an advanced version of the movement. Utilize a regressed version of the in and out if you notice the following mistakes:
Below are some good regression exercises (if the in and out abs exercise is too difficult) and progression exercises (if the in and out exercise is too easy).
Bonus exercise: If you have a pull up bar, hanging knee raises and hanging leg raises are fantastic lower ab movements.
In and out abs exercises are definitely worthy of your core workouts. To sum things up, let's look at the benefits of adding in and outs to your routine:
While there are many benefits of the in and out exercise, there are a few drawbacks to recognize:
If you have questions about in and outs, please feel free to leave a comment below.
You can also work your abs from a standing position! Here is a great standing abs workout for you to follow along to.
Other Exercises for Your Abs:
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Paulina Kairys
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