Crunches, sit-ups, planks. All of these exercises are very effective ways to strengthen your abs. They're also the first exercises people turn to when they start to feel like they're gaining weight in their midsection (even though you can't target fat loss to a specific part of your body, but that's another story).
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However, performing these exercises can often leads to back pain. It can be due to muscular fatigue, weakness or improper form. In all three cases, it can cause a lot of discomfort and discourage you from working on your abs.
That's why we have the deadbug. This exercise is a very effective way of working your abs while avoiding back pain.
How do you pull off the deadbug?
1. Lie on your back with your arms in front of you and your legs raised, with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle
2. Raise your shoulders slightly while keeping your back glued to the floor
3. Extend one arm backwards and the opposite leg forward
4. Return to the initial position and repeat with the other arm and leg
It's an extremely simple exercise that doesn't require any equipment and is very efficient. Try to start with 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each side.
