This free ab workout routine is great if you do a lot of travel and also if you do a lot of sport and dont always get time to get to the gym and train your abdominal muscles. The great thing about building your abdominals is that it can help prevent back injury and sciatica.

Before we get going, if you have a history of back problems, its always a good idea to consult with your health care practitioner.

This routine involves just 8 exercises that you perform one after the other and do 10 to 15 repetitions each. When you are starting out, you may only be able to perform around 6 to 8 of each exercise. Dont worry, stick with it and in a couple of weeks you will be able to do the 10.

OK, here we go:

1. Elbow to Opposite Knee Sit-up While lying on your back and with your legs slightly bent, perform a sit up and each time you come up, touch your elbow to the opposite knee. Keep your hands beside your head and not behind

2. Lying crunches While lying on your back and with your legs slightly bent, elevated and crossed , bring the upper half of your body to your knees. This is a short and sharp movement. Keep your hands beside your head and not behind.

3. Elbow to Leg Crunches Same as crunches, except this time you are bringing your elbow to each opposite knee before lying down and repeating the movement.

4. Leg raises With your legs outstretched and slightly elevated and with your hands underneath your backside, raise your legs to 12 inches (30cm) from the ground and back down to just off the ground.

5. Rowing Exercise Start by lying on the ground with your legs elevated just off the ground and extended and with your hands beside your head. At the same time, bring your knees and upper body together in one rowing movement.

6. Cross-over Crunches Like crunch, raise only one elbow to the opposite knee at a time. Perform 10 15 repetitions on one side before changing.

7. Straight-leg Crunches Perform the crunch with your legs straight and extended vertically.

8. Windmills With your legs wide apart, start from a standing position and with your back straight, reach down with your hand to the opposite foot. Extend the other arm vertically into the air. Repeat this windmill action to perform 10-15 repetitions each side.

Finish the workout with a cobra stretch lie on your stomach, and with your knees on the ground and your hands in a push up position, push up the upper half of your body so your back is arched. Only push up far as comfortable. Next, with your arms still extended in front of you, move back so you are sitting on your calf muscles (with your knees bent) and stretch your shoulders a wonderful and relaxing sequence to finish your free ab workout routine.

Paul Newland

Paul Newland is a health and nutrition consultant, trainer, martial arts instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and author.