GAP training is an excellent way to strengthen and tone the gluteal, abdominal and leg muscles, allowing you to achieve a slimmer and more elegant silhouette.
This type of exercise should always be adapted according to each person’s physical capacity and, therefore, it is advisable to consult a physical trainer. However, they can be done at home, as long as you avoid overexerting your body, especially in the case of muscle, joint or spinal problems.
To obtain best results, this training should be done 2 to 3 times a week. Each sequence of these 7 exercises is a series and, on each training day, you should do between 2 and 3 series, resting for around 30 seconds between each exercise and 2 minutes between each series.
1. Hip raise
Lying on your back and with your knees bent, lift your hips, keeping your feet and head well supported on the floor. Then, return to the starting position and raise your hips again, repeating 20 times.
This exercise helps to warm up and work the glutes and abdominal and thigh muscles and is therefore a great way to start training to avoid muscle injuries.
2. Classic sit-up
This is the best-known exercise for working the abdominal muscle and, in fact, it is one of the best exercises to treat almost all regions of this muscle.
To do this, you must lie down on the floor and bend your legs. Then, lift your shoulders slightly off the floor and return to the starting position, repeating 20 to 30 times. During the exercise it is very important to keep your gaze upwards to avoid bending your neck and straining these muscles too much.
At a more advanced level, to make the exercise more difficult, you can lift your feet off the floor and keep your calves parallel to the floor, forming a 90º angle with your knees. It is also possible to do the classic sit-up and, every 5, completely raise your back until you are sitting with your legs bent and go back down.
3. Straight leg raise
Lie on the floor on your back, with your legs straight and place your hands under your butt bone. Then, keeping your legs straight, raise them until they form a 90º angle with the floor and slowly lower them back down. Ideally, it should take about 2 seconds to go up, and another 2 seconds to lower your legs. Repeat 20 times.
This exercise, in addition to helping to strengthen the legs, is very localized in the lower abdominal area and helps to have a slimmer and more toned figure, helping to make the bikini line more beautiful.
4. Side leg raise
Continue lying on the floor, but take a side position with your legs straight. If you prefer, you can place your elbow underneath your body and slightly lift your torso. Then, lift the leg that is on top and go back down, always keeping it straight. Do this movement 15 to 20 times with each leg, turning to the other side when you switch.
With this exercise, it is possible to work a little on the side abdominals, glutes and, mainly, the thigh region, making it an excellent option for women looking for a slimmer figure.
5. Side plank with lunge
This is a variation of the classic side plank, which brings great results for strengthening and slimming the waist and lateral and oblique abdominal muscles.
To do this, you must lie on your side and lift your body with your elbow, keeping your forearm well supported on the floor. In this exercise, it is important to exert strength in your abdominals to keep your back very straight. Then lower your hips to the floor and return to plank position. Repeat the exercise for 30 seconds on each side.
6. Foot to ceiling raise
This exercise works the entire gluteal muscle very well, helping to achieve a firmer butt. To do it correctly, you must position yourself in a position of 4 support and look straight ahead, in order to keep your back straight and aligned. Then, take one knee off the floor and push your foot toward the ceiling, keeping your leg bent.
It is recommended to do between 15 and 20 repetitions with each leg, in order to work the muscle well. To make it more difficult, the last 5 repetitions can be done with short movements, keeping the leg always on top, without returning to the starting position.
7. Alternating leg lunges
Stand up and then take a step forward until your thigh is parallel to the floor and your knee is at 90º, then return to the starting position and change legs, repeating until you do 15 times with each leg.
This is another great exercise for training your leg muscles, strengthening them and making them more toned.
