This Is What Your Body Is Trying To Tell You if Abs Exercises Never Seem To Get Any Easier

Does it feel like crunches and planks never get any easier?

Here’s how to strengthen ab muscles more effectively.

Im an Exercise PhysiologistHeres Why You Shouldnt Worry About Cortisol Spikes When You Do HIIT Workouts.

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But it might be a sign that your workout needs some fine-tuning.

woman sweating in the gym

certified strength and conditioning specialist, founder ofCozy Athletics

People with overarched spines tend to have a hard time with abs exercises, McLaughlin says.

Tight quads can also cause your pelvis to tilt forward.

People also over-prioritize duration over intensity.

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

Heres What Experts Say

Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

Because the abs are primarily a stabilizer, they should be worked in that way.

There is generally no need for muscles to flex the trunk when you are upright and moving around.

Happy woman dancing and listening to music near a green empty wall outdoor in the city.

certified strength and conditioning specialist, founder ofCozy Athletics

Instead, McLaughlin and Larson recommend strengthening abs through moves that closely mimic actions we perform in everyday life.

To improve your ab strength, do exercises that use your whole body weight or add external load.

Just be sure to only lift appropriate amounts of weight if youre a beginnerdont overdo it.

Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

Overall, the best gauge of increased ab strength wont be felt in the gym, says McLaughlin.

You will notice an absence of back pain or knee pain.

All of these are signs that your abs are working.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

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