We have the tendency to look at people over a certain age as being unable to do many things in life, especially exercise. They are considered weak just because they are aged and are therefore, automatically classified as incapacitated. This is a completely wrong attitude to have because in many cases exactly the opposite stands true. There are many people who might have been exercising throughout their lives so the age factor does not really matter. In fact, for women over the age of 60, it has been recommended that they include certain abdominal exercises as a part of their daily routine. Not only do these exercises help to strengthen the abs, but they also add to strengthening the core muscles and thereby lead to more agility, flexibility and overall strength. Strong abs also prevent the onset of back pain and the other common health problems that typically make way in women over the age of 60. It is, therefore, a good idea to etch out a routine that includes several forms of exercises. In the following article, that is exactly what we shall be focusing on. Ab Exercises for Women Over 60 Though it is important for women to include abdominal exercises in their routine, it is equally important to be cautious of the kind of exercises to include. Ab exercises for seniors should start out with low intensity workouts and then progress to mild and high intensity exercises depending on their strength and capacity. Swimming Swimming is one of the most effective exercises that anyone can take up at any age. If you haven't swum for many years, you can still take it up and pace yourself till you've regained your strength and then get into more intensive workouts. Swimming is an exercise that targets the entire body and provides a great workout especially for the abdominal muscles. It is an exercise that works every inch of the body and helps in toning it as well as in promoting the working of all body functions. Reverse Cycling Cycling, either on an actual bike or a stationery one, is touted to be one of the best exercises for the abs. Now what if both these options are not viable? Then we still make it happen. Lie on your back, bend your knees and raise your feet so that they are parallel to the ground. Now start cycling by duplicating the cycling step with your legs and pedaling in the air. Pace yourself till you form a pattern that is comfortable for you to work with. This is one of the easiest exercises to carry through and yet one of the most effective. Reaching for Toes A great exercise to tone, tighten and strengthen the overall abdominal muscles is to literally reach for your toes. To do this one, lie on your back and raise your legs into the air such that they form a 90 degree angle with the ground. Take your arms behind your head, take a deep breath and raise yourself up by putting pressure on the abs and try touching the toes. If you can't touch the toes, try to go as high up as possible. Just make sure that the knees aren't bent. Scissor Cut The scissor cut exercise promises to be one of the most effective abdominal exercise. Try this one after you have gained some strength in your ab muscles because it requires core strength. To do this one, lie on your back and raise your legs into the air to make a 90 degree angle with the ground. Keep your hands under your hips (palms facing down). Then balance yourself, and in a controlled manner, bring the right foot down, till it reaches 30 degrees off the ground. Then raise it back and bring the left leg down to 30 degrees mark and take it back. Alternate both legs in a continuous motion mirroring a scissor. Reverse Crunches (with Leg Extensions) That crunches are some of the best ab exercises for women is a given, but adding reverse crunches with leg extensions to that deal raises the difficulty level a notch and more. To do this exercise, lie on your back and bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground. Then raise yourself into a crunch, but instead of going straight up, take your left elbow to the right knee (raise the leg to meet the elbow) and then go back to the starting position. Then reverse the action and take the right elbow to the left knee. This completes one set. Do 16 repetitions in one set and 3 sets in total. Not only will these exercises get you a set of firm and toned abs, but they will also lend to overall health and strengthening of your core muscles. And that I'm sure you'll really look forward to.