Strengthening your core with a menopause abs workout is an excellent way to support your body as you go through this phase of your life. Training your core helps connect your upper and lower body and promotes circulation to make everyday activities easier.
As a personal trainer focused on helping women get through menopause, I know that many women’s bodies change shape and size, often due to hormonal changes, such as a drop in estrogen levels, which affect how our bodies they store fat.
This is why some women choose to take the best menopause supplements to make the transition a little easier and to manage their menopause symptoms. But using this abs workout for menopause can also help keep you active and develop functional muscles around your midsection.
Plus, if you alternate it with a menopausal HIIT workout, you can build a stronger core, strengthen the mind-body connection, protect your heart, and boost your metabolism to handle menopausal weight gain.
Abs workout in menopause in seven steps
Before starting this bodyweight routine, you need to make sure you’ve done a warm-up to get blood flowing to your muscles and stretching them ready for your workout.
Once your muscles are ready, you can dive into the master workout for menopause abs. This should take 15 minutes and is designed to work your core muscles to increase balance, improve stability and promote circulation.
The goal is to perform three sets of each exercise, working intensely for 30 seconds followed by a 30-second break before starting the next movement. However, since plank jacks can be quite challenging, start with 20 seconds and gradually increase the time.
Workout plan for abs in menopause
| Exercise | Time | Rest | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunges on foot | 30 seconds | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Squat in lateral leg raise | 30 seconds | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Russian twist | 30 seconds | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Single leg lowers | 30 seconds | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Thumb | 30 seconds | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Taps on the plank shoulders | 30 seconds | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Bridge sockets | 20 seconds | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
1. Walking lunges
(Image credit: Maddy Biddulph)
The muscles worked: glutes, quads, hamstrings, core.
- Start with feet shoulder-width apart, hands at sides or on hips.
- Step forward with your right leg, putting your weight on your heel.
- Bend your right knee, lowering it until your shin is parallel to the floor.
- Hold here for a moment, before repeating the movement with your left leg, keeping your right leg in place.
- Pause once your left leg is parallel to the floor in a lunge position.
- Repeat this movement as if you were walking forward as you lunge, alternating legs.
2. Squat in lateral (lateral) leg lift
Image 1 From 2
The muscles worked: glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, hip flexors, abductors and core.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Lower yourself into a squat position with your thighs parallel to the floor and hold this position for a moment.
- Drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes as you come out of the squat back to the starting position.
- Transfer your weight to your left leg and lift your right leg out to the side.
- Hold for a moment before bringing this leg back to the ground. Keep your leg as straight as possible during the lift.
- Repeat this movement but transfer your weight to your right leg and lift your left leg out to the side.
- This is a repeat. Continue this pattern for 30 seconds.
3. Russian twist
(Image credit: Maddy Biddulph)
The muscles worked: core (obliques, rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis), hip flexors, latissimus dorsi (lower back).
- Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet in front of you.
- Reach your arms forward as you lean back until your hands reach your knees, creating a V shape with your torso and thighs.
- Engage your core as you lift your feet off the floor and bring your hands together in front of your chest.
- Use your abdominal muscles to twist right, back to center, and then left.
- This is a repeat. Repeat for 30 seconds.
4. Lower single leg
(Image credit: Maddy Biddulph)
The muscles worked: core (abs and obliques), hips.
- Lie on the floor with your back pressed into the mat and your legs straight in the air.
- Engage your core and keep your head and shoulders on the floor with your arms at your sides.
- Slowly lower one leg towards the floor until it almost touches the floor, with the opposite leg still in the air.
- Pause and return your leg to the starting position and swap legs.
- Repeat and alternate legs for 30 seconds.
5. Worm
Image 1 From 3
The muscles worked: core (abs and obliques), hamstrings, triceps, upper back, lower back, deltoids (shoulders).
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, then bend forward with your legs straight and reach your arms toward the floor, keeping your head in line with your back.
- If you find it difficult to reach the floor, you can bend your knees slightly as you lean forward.
- Slowly take your hands away from your feet, extending your body into a high plank position.
- Slowly return your hands to your feet, bringing your body back to an upright position.
- Repeat this movement for 30 seconds.
6. Plank shoulder strikes
(Image credit: Maddy Biddulph)
The muscles worked: core (abs and obliques), glutes, delts (shoulders), upper body.
- Begin in a high plank position with your wrists under your shoulders and your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lift one hand off the ground, touch the opposite shoulder, then return it to its original position and switch hands.
- Repeat on alternating sides for 30 seconds.
7. Plank jacks
Image 1 From 2
The muscles worked: pectorals, core (rectus abs, transverse abs and obliques), delts (shoulders), back and arms.
- Start in a high plank position with shoulders over your wrists and legs hip-width apart.
- Support your core by pulling your belly in and hop both feet out to the side and then back to center.
- Repeat this pattern for 30 seconds.
Using core-strengthening exercises like these can be a great way to support your body, through menopause and in your day-to-day life. Your core is a section of mid-body muscle that connects your upper and lower body.
Because of this central role, it plays a crucial role in balance, stability, and performance in functional tasks such as lifting heavy objects, reaching a higher shelf, or carrying bags and groceries.
If you want an alternative way to strengthen your core, which includes your abdominal muscles, you might want to invest in one of the best ab rollers. These portable and lightweight wheels won’t break the bank but will help you work your core.
#Build #stronger #core #improve #posture #sevenmovement #menopause #abs #workout
Image Source : www.fitandwell.com