If you’re like us, there’s probably one area you feel like you can’t work enough: your abs. More specifically, your lower abs. It seems like no matter how much training you do, they just stay the same. Well there’s a reason for that.
“In order to lose weight and show muscle definition, you need to train the whole body,” says Amanda Butler, certified trainer and instructor at The Fhitting Room in New York City. “[You need] to expend calories—and pair that with a well-balanced diet.” Maybe you’ve heard the best abs are made in the kitchen?
But that’s not a pass to skip those crunches and planks. “It is important to train the core because that is your center for balance,” Butler says. “Plus, a strong core can help reduce back pain.”
Not sure exactly how to hit those lower belly muscles? You’re not alone. “Lower abs are very difficult to strengthen because that is where our body stores most of its excess fat,” says Butler. “And for women, the hormone estrogen naturally wants to hold onto fat in this area.”
In order to eliminate the guesswork, we asked Butler to share the most effective lower abs exercises as a workout. For three of these moves, you’ll need towels or sliders. (We’ll be using Slidez by SKLZ, $29.99, sklz.com.)
<img src="http://greatist.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_main/public/LOWER-ABS_INTRO.gif?itok=4uwbk09k" alt="Use towels in place of sliders" class="media-element file-g-full-widt…