Lower Stomach Exercises

Benches, stability balls and ab wheels all have something in common--they can be used to work your lower rectus abdominis. Every time you do an ab exercise, your entire rectus abdominis gets worked, but you can focus on the lower region by changing your body angle. Such exercises won't do much fat burning, but they will build strength.

Bench Exercises

Flat bench abdominal pull-ins work your lower abs and they can be done two different ways--with your body lengthwise or perpendicular on the bench.
In both cases, lean backward, grasp the edges of the bench behind your body and extend your legs out straight. In a controlled motion, pull your knees to and from your chest by contracting your abdominals. 

Decline benches can be used to do incline crunches and reverse decline crunches. The difference is in your body angle. To do incline crunches, lie on your back, hook your lower shins under the padded bar at the top of the bench and perform crunches by raising your torso forward. With this exercise, place your hands on the sides of your head or cross your arms over your chest. 

For reverse decline crunches, lie on your back with your head toward the top, legs extended and hands gripping the padded support above you. Alternating pulling your knees or straightened legs in toward your chest and back down.

Ball Reverse Crunch

The reverse crunch is a basic lower stomach exercise that is performed from a face-up position on the floor with your legs lifted and knees bent 90 degrees. To add a variation to this exercise, squeeze a stability ball between your hamstrings and butt. Alternate pulling your knees to and from your chest by contracting your abs.

One-Leg Pull-in

One-leg pull-ins work the upper and lower abs and they are done with a stability ball. Place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart and place one shin on the ball with your other leg lifted. Keeping your back straight, roll the ball toward your body and tuck your knee into your chest. Carefully extend your leg, repeat for a set of 10 to 12 reps and switch sides. If this is too intense, place both shins on the ball and roll it in.

Ab Wheel Rollout

As the name implies, the ab wheel is a small wheel with handles sticking out the sides. This tool can be used in a rollout exercise to work your lower and upper abs. Stand with your feet together, legs and arms straight and the wheel held on the floor right in front of you. Keeping your back, arms and legs straight, roll the wheel on the floor ahead of you as you lower your hips down. Once your body is fully extended, roll the wheel back to the starting point and repeat. If this is too intense, start out doing the rollout on your knees.