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Abs Workout
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The Best Ab Workout Uses Your Legs

If you want to have a six pack or flat, sexy abs, the best ab workout is going to be a full body workout that focuses on multiple muscle groups and not just the abdominals. You will have a very hard time burning the fat and creating a physically fit body without working all your muscles. Below are a few variations of a great exercise that will help you more than the best ab workout in the world done by itself.

I think the best ab workout is a full body workout because if you want to have great abs, you need to have very low body fat not just strong, defined muscles. When you do full body exercises, you stress multiple muscle groups which causes more muscle growth than just doing abdominal exercises. Muscle burns calories 24 hours a day so the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn and the better your abs and the rest of your body will look.

Squats are one of the best full body exercises you can do to build muscle. When you do a squat, you are stressing the largest muscles in your body, quads, as well as the back, abdominals, and others. You can do squats with just your body weight and get quite a workout. You can also use dumbbells, weighted barbells, kettle balls, or anything else you can hold on to that gives you more of a challenge.

 The Bicycle exercise is the best move to target the rectus abdominis (i.e., the 'six pack') and the obliques (the waist), according to a study done by the American Council on Exercise. To do this exercise correctly:

1. Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck.
3. Straighten the left leg out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 12-16 reps.

 

 Exercise Ball Crunch

1. Lie face-up with the ball resting under your mid/lower back.
2. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head.
3. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips.
4. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., you shouldn't roll).
5. Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 12-16 reps

 

The vertical leg crunch

1. Lie face up on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed.
2. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet.
3. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

 Long Arm Crunch - Ranked 6th in the ACE study

1. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck. If you feel neck pain, take one hand behind the head while keeping the other arm extended.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

 

Reverse Crunch

1. Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
3. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.
5. It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum

 

Full verticul crunch

1. Lie on your back and extend the legs up towards the ceiling.
2. Place hands behind your head (lightly cupping it) and contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. At the same time, press the heels towards the ceiling, creating a 'u' shape with the torso.
4. Lower down and repeat for 12-16 reps.

  
The plank exercise ranked number 10 in the ACE study and is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as stabilizer muscles. To do it right:

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air.
5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

  
  
  
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Last Updated on Sunday, 05 July 2009 00:00
 

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