Help!! Re: Abs
 

I have a problem! :rolleyes: I hurt my tailbone in a fall a couple months ago and it is taking forever to heal! I can do all my exercises EXCEPT my abs! The only Ab exercises I know require sitting on my tailbone/butt...can't do!
Is there any kind of exercise you can do for your abs/tummy that you can do standing up or kneeling? I can't find any and I'm desperate! Would appreciate any suggestions you have. Thanks! :thup:

If you follow this link you'll see a number of exercises listed that involve sitting or standing - you should be able to do a few of those (seated leg raises, seated twists, side bends, you might be able to do the hanging ones if you have the right attachments for a home gym as well)

http://www.fitsite.com/index.cfm?CategoryID=23&do=list

-Nat

Hi Morgan! There are ab exercises I use that don't require sitting on the tailbone, although I'm not sure how far your pain radiates.

Here they are (they don't involve kneeling or standing, though):

-Lie on your back, with your legs bent and lifted, preferably with your lower legs on a chair, or something else that's the right height. Squeeze and lift your upper body (like a crunch), hold for a second or two, and lower. This works primarily the lower abs.

-Lie on your back, with both legs bent (as before), only without a chair, and straighten them so they're at roughly a 45 degree angle with the floor. This one is versatile--you can either just hold them there, or lift and lower them. Works most of the abs, but the upper abs more.

-Lie on your back with your legs straight out in front of you. Lift legs, keeping them straight (not locked straight--soft straight), to about a 60 degree angle with the floor. Hold a second or two, and lower. You may want to hold onto something with your arms above your head to keep your upper body down. This works the upper abs.

-Lie on your side, supporting your upper body with one elbow, and squeeze sideways, hold for a second or two, and repeat. This works the obliques.

Here's one that doesn't require being on your back: get on your front, put your elbows below your shoulders, and support the lower half on your toes. It's a little like push-up position, except you're on your elbows. You can either clasp your hands together or hold them in fists side-by-side, or whatever else feels comfortable. Keep your body straight (you'll need all your trunk muscles for this) and hold for as long as you can.

I don't know if there's anything in there that you can use, but hopefully there's something. There may be a bunch of Pilates moves that would work for you, though you would probably have to modify some a bit.

Good luck! :)

Perfect. I totally forgot about those! :doah:

These are similar to the Pilates moves and oh boy are they effective:

Mathews Method

Holy smoke, Nat! Some of those look excruciatingly hard! I gotta try 'em! :)

:lol: I remember the first time I did the "flying x" - this from a girl doing quats and lunges on a regular basis. OMG the pain! The greatest thing about these is that you can do variations of them during the day - I find myself trying to pull my belly button through my spine at the oddest moments ;)

-N

I have ridiculously weak abs, so this may not be challenging enough for you, but it is a standing exercise:

Stand straight against a wall (upper back should touch the wall, heels should be touching or just a little apart from it). Using your ab muscles, tuck your pelvis under and flatten the small of your back against the wall. Hold for a while (the longer the better), then release and repeat.