The Best Abdominal Exercises for Women

Some of the best abdominal exercises for women can be done without equipment or a gym. These particular exercises are good for women, because unlike some core exercises, these don't require a lot of upper body or wrist strength. Machines aren't needed either, so there is less chance of injury from trying to lift a lot of weight, which might be safer for a man.

Crunches

The crunch is a standard abdominal exercise that builds strength in the abs. It is a good foundation for more difficult exercises. The crunch exercise will teach you how to engage your abdominal muscles. A proper crunch should use ab muscles, not momentum, so it should be done smoothly and with control. Start with 10 reps and work up to three sets of 15. Here's how to do a crunch: Lie face up on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your fingertips behind your ears so you cannot pull on your neck. Squeeze your ab muscles in by drawing your belly button to your spine. This should push your lower back flat to the floor. Exhale and slowly crunch your shoulders up off the floor. Hold for 2 seconds. Inhale and lower yourself slowly back to the mat.
Three days a week of ab exercises is good, but you can work up to five days because the abdominal muscles recover quickly. Have at least one day of rest between ab workouts for the first month to allow for proper recovery and muscle repair.

V Crunches

The V crunch is a more difficult version of the crunch exercise. It involves the upper and lower portions of the abs. Be careful not to raise your shoulders toward your ears or strain your neck forward. Start with 10 reps and work up to three sets of 15.
Here's how to do a V crunch: Lie flat on the floor face up. Extend your arms over your head and your legs out in front. Crunch up, lifting your shoulders and arms. At the same time, lift your legs up to 45 degrees. From the side, your body should resemble a V. Hold the crunch for 2 seconds. Lower yourself smoothly to the floor, trying to touch your arms, shoulders and legs at the same time.

Bicycle Crunches

The bicycle crunch works your oblique muscles as well as your upper and lower rectus abdominus muscles. Ideally, you should do bicycle crunches or other oblique exercises at least once a week. You can do crunches and bicycle crunches on the same day if you are strong enough to do so with proper form. Any strain in the neck or back indicates you are working too hard.
Here's how to do a bicycle crunch: Lie face up on a mat in a crunch position as described above. Crunch up and twist your right shoulder toward your left knee. Lift your left foot off the floor at the same time and bring it forward toward your head. Also, extend your right leg straight off the mat. Do not try to touch your right elbow to your left knee. Instead, keep your elbows open wide. Hold yourself off the mat in this rotated position for 2 seconds. Lower your upper body back to the mat but keep your legs lifted. Crunch up again, but twist your left shoulder to your right knee as you bend your right knee and bring it toward your head. Extend your left leg straight. Continue alternating until you have done 10 reps per side. Keep your lower back flat throughout this exercise.