Fit to Play
It’s inevitable. One day late into the quarter, after consecutive weekends of beer-drinking and drunk-food binges, you step out of the shower and see skin lumped up in bad places. Mortified by your reflection, you gather up some odds and ends and scramble to the Ping Center, only to be met with rows of students splayed out on exercise mats, contorting and thrusting their bodies in strange positions, all with one goal in mind: Rock. Solid. Abs.
Fear not. When it comes to getting and maintaining a flat stomach, quality over quantity is key — which means you don’t have to spend every waking hour at Ping. Though we may not all be genetically inclined to have those bulging biceps or slender legs, one thing we all can strive for is less belly fat. With a little help from Coach Ryan Theis and his Mid-Atlantic Conference Champion Ohio University Volleyball Team, getting a solid core never has been easier. Just try out these four exercises from their abdominal workout.
Photo by Phil Walter
Photo by Phil Walter
———————————————————————-
Forward Crunch
Focus: Upper Abs (rectus abdominis)
Interval: Three sets of 50 reps for beginners. Increase sets for advanced.
Caution: Using the hands to exert force on the neck can cause injury. Crossing arms over the chest or placing them next to the head is a safer way to help with balance.
Photo by Phil Walters
Photo by Phil Walters
Leg Raise
Focus: Lower Abs (rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis)
Interval: Three sets of 10 reps for beginners. Increase sets and/or add resistance for advanced.
Caution: Place hands flat underneath the buttocks to reduce lower back stress.
Photo by Phil Walters
Photo by Phil Walters
Superman
Focus: Lower back (erector spinae)
Interval: Two sets of 10 reps for beginners. Increase sets for advanced.
Caution: Sudden thrust into position can cause back spasms and soreness. Take it nice and slow, both on the lift and the release.
Photo by Phil Walters
Trunk Rotation
Photo by Phil Walters
Focus: Obliques (internal/external obliques)
Interval: Side-to-side twists for 30 seconds without med-ball for beginners. Increase to one minute with added resistance (med-ball) for advanced.
Caution: It is important to keep the head up, allowing the back to remain erect throughout the duration of the twists.
Take it from coach Ryan Theis: “The core connects the arms and legs, which is our game,” he said. “[But] having washboard abs doesn’t matter. It’s more just brute force and strength.”