30-day ab challenge for beginners- Everyone looks better with a flatter ab, so it is not strange to find someone working out to get flat abs. Some individuals, especially the male folks, go further to train to have the admirable six-packs.
You cannot blame them, can you? Your ab covers your body region from the base of your neck to your waist but mainly your abdomen.
In addition to a healthy diet, there are peculiar exercises which you can use to train your abs to look as cute as you want them to. I will describe eight ab exercises that you can perform to lose belly fat fast. Afterward, I will give you a 30 Day Ab challenge that you can take on to meet your target in the next 30 days as beginners.
The exercises described in this article are the best workouts that target both your lower and upper ab muscles. And if you are starting on this ab training journey, you have no cause to worry as these exercises are perfect for beginners. They are also less injurious and require no bulky equipment or no equipment at all.
One good thing about these workouts is that you can do them over and over again, which is exactly what you need to meet your target. And then again, if you must lose belly fat fast, you must be performing the right workouts.
8 Best Ab Exercises to Lose Belly Fat Fast
1. Lemon Crushers
By performing the lemon crushers exercise, you will be engaging your lower back and torso to lose belly fat fast. This exercise also works the front layer of your abdominal muscles.
The name of this exercise notwithstanding, you will not be crushing any lemons (lol). Follow these steps to perform lemon crushers:
- Begin by lying flat on your back, then extend your arms and legs.
- Now raise your arms and legs at least one inch off the floor.
- Next, you engage your belly by pulling in your abs into your spine.
- Now bend your knees towards your chest and lift your upper body such that your arms reach for your calves.
- Ensure that you are balanced on your hips and hold the pose for 5 seconds
- Then return to start position to complete one repetition.
- Repeat the moves for 30 seconds.
2. Toes Reaches
This is also another 30-day ab challenge for beginners. The exercise engages and strengthens your core to lose belly fat fast. Follow these steps to perform toe reaches:
- Start by lying flat on your back with your legs raised, straight towards the ceiling. Your heels should be facing up.
- Now raise your hands above your chest so that they are parallel to your legs.
- Then lift your shoulder off the floor while keeping your legs steady and try touching your toes with your fingertips.
- Hold the pose for 2 seconds and return to start position.
- Repeat the moves for 30 seconds.
3. Dead Bugs
For the third best exercise on our list, we have the dead bugs. This exercise tries to strengthen your core and improve your stability while reducing the pressure on your lower back. This is how to do it:
- Begin by lying flat on your back and placing your legs in a tabletop position. Ensure that your shins are parallel to the ground.
- Then raise your hands and extend them towards the ceiling.
- Next, you send one arm behind and the opposite leg towards the floor. It should hang an inch above the ground.
- Then, return the arm and leg and switch sides.
- Keep alternating the moves for 45 seconds.
- All the while, ensure that your lower back is pinned to the ground.
4. Russian Twists
Research has shown that the Russian Twists exercise reduces the risk of strokes, heart attack, and other cardiovascular diseases. It works the whole abdomen by strengthening your rectus abdominis, internal obliques, and the external obliques.
It is a perfect exercise to lose belly fat fast. Follow these steps to perform the Russian twists:
- Sit on the floor with your legs in a tabletop position.
- Now fold your hands in a praying position.
- Then keep your legs steady, twist your body to the right, and tap the floor with your right elbow.
- Next, you twist to the left and tap the floor with your left elbow.
- Continue twisting for 60 seconds.
5. Opposite Arm/ Leg Lifts
This is another exercise that works effectively to help you lose belly fat fast. It engages your glutes, hamstrings, rear deltoid, and neck muscles. This is how to do it:
- Firstly, fall on all fours. Ensure that your back is straight.
- Now lift your left arm and right leg, extending them in opposite directions.
- Then, you return them and then lift your right arm and your left leg.
- Continue alternating your arms and legs for 60 seconds.
6. Banana Rolls
Not to worry, you will not be rolling any bananas in this exercise. The exercise tests and strengthens your abs, lower back, and obliques. It is also used regularly as a therapeutic exercise. Follow these steps to perform the banana rolls exercise:
- First, get a mat, spread it, and lie on your back.
- Then extend your arms overhead and your legs straight out, few inches off the ground.
- Your body should form a banana shape with your lower back pressed into the ground.
- Then, tightening your core, roll onto your side, and roll again till you are lying on your belly. Your arms and legs should remain in position. Also, your abs should propel you as you roll, not your hips.
- Hold this ‘superman’ pose for 3 seconds and then roll again till you are lying on your back. Your arms and legs should also be in position.
- Continue with the rolling for 60 seconds. Ensure that your neck is relaxed and your lower back on the floor throughout the movement.
7. Kneeling Medicine Ball Chops
The Kneeling medicine ball chops is another 30-day ab challenge for beginners.
This exercise will get your heart rate up while strengthening your core to lose belly fat fast. This is how to do it:
- Take a tall kneeling position and squeeze your glutes.
- Then hold a medicine ball down by your right hip.
- Next, you lift the ball up and across your left shoulder.
- Then return the ball to your right hip. This is 1 rep.
- Repeat the moves for 50 seconds.
8. Resistance Band Bicycle Press
And for the last exercise on our list, we have the resistance band bicycle press. This exercise will help you build core and upper back strength. You will also master climbing hills by performing this exercise. It is effective in losing belly fat fast. These are the steps to perform it:
- Wrap the resistance band around your feet and lie on your back. Then raise your legs to a tabletop position.
- Then place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing out.
- Next, you touch each knee with the opposite elbow while extending the other leg out (like you are riding a bicycle)
- Then you switch driving the opposite knee and reaching it with the other elbow.
- Continue alternating sides for 50 seconds
You can also try Resistance Band Plank Jacks. This is how to do it:
- Assume a plank position. Your hands should fall below shoulders with a resistance band wrapped around your ankles.
- Next, you bring your feet close together.
- Then jump out to a wide stance and then back in again.
- Repeat the moves for 50 seconds.
30 Day Ab Challenge for beginners
As mentioned earlier in the article, I will now describe a 30-day ab challenge that you can take on as a beginner to heat your target.
Day 1
30 seconds lemon crushers
30 seconds toe reaches
mountain climber holds for 30 seconds
30 seconds plank up/ downs
Day 2
30 seconds lemon crushers
30 seconds toe reaches
Mountain climber holds for 30 seconds
30 seconds plank up/ downs
Day 3
3 sets, 40 seconds high knees (20 seconds rest in between)
Day 4
2 sets, 30 seconds lemon crushers
2 sets, 30 seconds toe reaches
30 seconds mountain climber holds, 2 sets
2 sets, 30 seconds plank up/ downs
Day 5
2 sets, 30 seconds lemon crushers
2 sets, 30 seconds toe reaches
30 seconds mountain climber holds, 2 sets
2 sets, 30 seconds plank up/ downs
Day 6
6 sets, 30 seconds sprint (75 seconds recovery)
Day 7
Rest
Day 8
45 seconds dead bugs
45 seconds leg drops
Alternating toe touches for 45 seconds
45 seconds scissors
Day 9
45 seconds dead bugs
45 seconds leg drops
Alternating toe touches for 45 seconds
45 seconds scissors
Day 10
40 seconds HIIT tuck jumps (20 seconds of rest)
Day 11
2 sets, 45 seconds dead bugs
2 sets, 45 seconds leg drops
45 seconds alternating toe touches, 2 sets
2 sets, 45 seconds scissors
Day 12
2 sets, 45 seconds dead bugs
2 sets, 45 seconds leg drops
45 seconds alternating toe touches, 2 sets,
2 sets, 45 seconds scissors
Day 13
6 sets, 30 seconds all-out sprints with 75 seconds recovery
Day 14
Rest
Day 15
60 seconds Russian Twists
60 seconds opposite arm/ leg lifts
Side plank rotations for 60 seconds
60 seconds banana rolls
Day 16
60 seconds Russian Twists
60 seconds opposite arm/ leg lifts
Side plank rotations for 60 seconds
60 seconds banana rolls
Day 17
HIIT froggers (6 rounds – 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off)
Day 18
2 sets, 60 seconds Russian Twists
2 sets, 60 seconds opposite arm/ leg lifts
60 seconds side plank rotations, 2 sets
2 sets, 60 seconds banana rolls
Day 19
2 sets, 60 seconds Russian Twists
2 sets, 60 seconds opposite arm/ leg lifts
60 seconds side plank rotations, 2 sets
2 sets, 60 seconds banana rolls
Day 20
Sprints (6 rounds, 30 seconds on, 75 seconds off)
Day 21
Rest
Day 22
50 seconds kneeling medicine ball chops
50 seconds kneeling medicine ball slams
Resistance bicycle band presses for 50 seconds
50 seconds resistance band jacks
50 seconds side plank leg lifts
Bicycles for 50 seconds
Day 23
50 seconds kneeling medicine ball chops
50 seconds kneeling medicine ball slams
Resistance bicycle band presses for 50 seconds
50 seconds resistance band jacks
50 seconds side plank leg lifts
Bicycles for 50 seconds
Day 24
3 sets, 30 seconds burpees
Day 25
2 sets, 50 seconds kneeling medicine ball chops
2 sets, 50 seconds kneeling medicine ball slams
50 seconds resistance bicycle band presses, 2 sets
2 sets, 50 seconds resistance band jacks
2 sets, 50 seconds side plank leg lifts
50 seconds bicycles, 2 sets
Day 26
2 sets, 50 seconds kneeling medicine ball chops
2 sets, 50 seconds kneeling medicine ball slams
50 seconds resistance bicycle band presses, 2 sets
2 sets, 50 seconds resistance band jacks
2 sets, 50 seconds side plank leg lifts
50 seconds bicycles, 2 sets
Day 27
Sprints (6 rounds, 30 seconds on, 75 seconds off)
Day 28
Rest
Day 29
2 sets, 50 seconds kneeling medicine ball chops
2 sets, 50 seconds kneeling medicine ball slams
50 seconds resistance bicycle band presses, 2 sets,
2 sets, 50 seconds resistance band jacks
2 sets, 50 seconds side plank leg lifts
50 seconds bicycles, 2 sets
Day 30
30 seconds lemon crushers
30 seconds toe reaches
Mountain climber holds for 30 seconds
30 seconds plank up/ downs
30 seconds dead bugs
Leg drops for 30 seconds
30 seconds alternating toe touches
30 seconds scissors
Russian Twists for 30 seconds
30 seconds opposite arm/ leg lifts
30 seconds side plank rotations
Banana rolls for 30 seconds
30 seconds kneeling medicine ball chops
30 seconds kneeling medicine ball slams
Resistance bicycle band presses for 30 seconds
30 seconds resistance band jacks
30 seconds side plank leg lifts
Bicycles for 30 seconds
So that is the 30 day Ab challenge for beginners, just for you! Remember to eat the right foods as you perform these exercises and at the right time. Ensure you eat at least two hours before bedtime. You can also take a cup of detox tea after dinner to help curb your cravings for the rest of the evening.
If you experience difficulty performing any exercise alone, you can ask your friend to lend you a helping hand.
Conclusion
The exercises described in this article have been proven to be very effective in losing belly fat fast.
Besides, it will help if you do your workouts at the right time. You can choose to abs and cardio early in the morning and then do some weight training in the afternoon. This way, your metabolism is fast and running throughout the day.
You can also choose to do all your workouts at a go. In that case, it will be better to do your ab routine as a warm-up for your weight training.
Another tip you will find useful as a beginner is to include a minute of rest between sets as you perform these exercises. You can then build your strength gradually by increasing the sets and reducing rest durations.
Also, you will do well to avoid sugary drinks and alcohol. And drink a lot of water. Then feed more on proteins, whole grains, fats, and fiber. You have the next 30 days to lose all that belly fat and get a flat and cute ab.
You are not to stop after 30 days though, continue exercising and feeding right for long term results. Let me know if you need any further help in the comments section.
