2 Isometric Ab Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Isometric Ab Exercises At a Glance

There are 2 isometric ab exercises you can almost anywhere, either full force to help you get a flat belly quickly or with less intensity to tone your core muscles.
The Farmer Burns Stomach Flattener works on your upper abs.
The Chest Raiser works on your lower abs and groin
You can do both exercises while standing in line, sitting at a stoplight, or anytime you think about it

Isometric ab exercises are a simple way to tone and strengthen your core. They can help improve your posture and help support your back muscles. Even though I have struggled to follow a regular exercise program, I have done these exercises regularly for years.

I was one of those skinny guys who could eat mass quantities of whatever food I wanted and never gain an ounce. I tried to gain weight one summer in high school by eating 5,000 calories a day. At the end of the summer I gained a whopping 3 pounds.

That “superpower” came to an end in my late 50s. Out of nowhere an extra 20 pounds showed up! That weight gain would have been fine had it gone to the right places on my body. At first I felt good about it. I was finally gaining weight. The problem is, it ALL went to my belly. One day I was visiting my parents when my Dad walked over to the couch where I was sitting. “What’s this?” he asked as he laughed and patted my belly.

I decided then and there to either lose the weight or redistribute it. I cut out junk food and quickly started losing weight, but I realized that I had also become weak. So I started to work out. I tried all kinds of routines and gadgets, but I couldn’t stick with a program. Nearly a decade later, I finally came up with a plan I could maintain. You can find out more about it HERE.

Despite my dismal failure at maintaining an exercise routine, I learned about 2 great isometric ab exercises you can do almost anywhere. Isometrics are exercises where you contract your muscles without moving. A great example of an isometric exercise is the plank.

The Farmer Burns Stomach Flattener – Full Force

The first exercise came from functional fitness expert Matt Furey. He calls it the “Farmer Burns Stomach Flattener.” Here is how to do a Farmer Burns Full Force

Stand comfortably with good posture (shoulders square, back straight, feet shoulder width apart) with your arms at your side
Lift and expand your chest as you inhale deeply
Exhale through your mouth, contracting your abdominal muscles as hard as you can. Try to pull your abs toward your belly button.
Exhale completely before you relax

Here are some tips to help you get the most of the Farmer Burns Full Force:

Don’t roll your shoulders forward as you exhale
Don’t hold your breath as you contract your abs. It could make you dizzy or even pass out.
Don’t do this exercise on a full stomach. Even on an empty stomach it will most likely make you burp. That’s OK, just know it might happen.

Farmer Burns Lite

Let’s face it. You would look silly doing a Farmer Burns Full Force while standing in line at a grocery store. But you can use the same principle and tone your abdominal muscles while carrying on a conversation.

Try to stand with the same posture you use for the Farmer Burns Full Force. If you’re sitting, try to keep your shoulders square and back straight. It’s OK to fudge on posture some. If you’re carrying something or pushing a cart, you can still do this.
Take a normal breath in through your nose.
Exhale normally. You don’t need to breathe out with force.
Contract your abs toward your belly button but not as forcefully as you would for the Farmer Burns Full Force. You should still be able to talk while doing this.

Chest Raiser Full Force

Years ago I got an exercise gadget I used for maybe 2 weeks before I put it in a closet to be forgotten until I moved. It came with a fold-out guide for exercises. I forgot all but one. Like the Farmer Burns, it is a terrific way to tone your abs and can be modified to do just about anywhere. Here’s how to do it:

Stand with good posture, arms at your sides.
Inhale deeply using your diaphragm. The upper part of your abdomen should stick out as you inhale.
As you exhale forcefully, LIFT your chest and pull your belly button toward your backbone.

I had to practice this one to get it right. It is counter-intuitive to raise your chest as you breath out. But this part is important because it maximizes the exercise’s effect on your lower abdomen.

Chest Raiser Lite

Stand or sit with good posture
Breathe in normally, but use your diaphragm instead of lifting your chest to inhale.
Breathe out normally, pulling your belly button to your backbone.
As with the Farmer Burns Lite, you should be able to carry on a conversation while doing this exercise..

You can do the Lite version of either of these isometric ab exercises just about anywhere; while you’re standing in line, walking, sitting at a traffic light, waiting for someone, even carrying on a conversation with someone. I try to do them often throughout the day. Do them as often as you think about them.

Success with Isometric Ab Exercises

Since I started doing these 2 basic exercises my ability to hold a plank position went from 30 seconds to over 3 minutes in about a month. Make a daily habit of doing as many Farmer Burns and Chest Raisers as you can in a day and you will strengthen and tone your abs, support your back, and feel stronger.