What Workout Is Best For Abs
A chiseled stomach and a smoldering six-pack. You've come here because you want rock-hard abs, and if you're anything like the rest of us, you want them now.
A chiseled stomach and a smoldering six-pack. You've come here because you want rock-hard abs, and if you're anything like the rest of us, you want them now.
It's true that there are no such things as instant abs. How does 4 weeks to a better belly sound with the powerful combo of a nutritious diet and a spare tire-smoking workout?
According to the experts, if you do the following routine and cut some calories, you can lose a couple of pounds per week. According to Paul Frediani, ACSM, certified fitness instructor, and co-author of Boot Camp Workout, "8 pounds of flab covers a lot of territory" in just four weeks. "You will undoubtedly be able to see and feel the difference" if you lose 8 pounds.
But use caution. You'll need to warm up before you can blast through a couple sets of these stomach-busters. And, in order to achieve so, consider starting your workout with ab exercises.
According to exercise physiologist Rich Weil, MEd, CDE, most people put ab work for last, but you'll "be fresher at the beginning of your workout and thus you may get a superior response" working your abs with perfect fitness ab carver pro while they're at their best.
The Experts Share Their Favorite Abs Exercises
Start with a few ab exercises; if you do too many too quickly, you'll be in a lot of pain. For the most part, you'll want to shoot for 15-20 repetitions per set with 3-5 sets over time.
Crunch-
"The simple crunch is the ab workout against which all other ab exercises are assessed," Weil explains. To do the classic crunch, lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor, and hands supporting your neck. Slowly crunch up until your shoulders are off the floor. Do you want to toughen them up? As you crunch up, lift your feet in the air, knees at 90 degrees, and pull knees to chest.
Plank -
It's time to walk the plank. The plank is an ab buster that Frediani favors, and there are a few different ways to do it, some of which are more difficult than others. Lay belly-down on the floor, resting your upper body on forearms that are flat against the floor, according to the American Council on Exercise.
Start on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground and your hands behind your neck (but don't pull on your neck), according to Weil. Slowly raise your knees to around 45 degrees and peddle. Make a connection between your left elbow and your right knee, then your right elbow and your left knee. Maintain a comfortable breathing pattern.
Captain's seat-
Sitting in a chair, lean on the back of the chair. Hold the chair's handrests to keep yourself stable, then slowly bring your knees toward your chest, then return them to the beginning position, Weil says, keeping "the action controlled and methodical" throughout the exercise.
Back extensions-
can be performed on the floor or at a gym with a Roman chair. Lay facedown on the floor, arms straight out in front of you, palms down, and legs behind you to do the floor variation. Slowly lift your right arm and left leg off the floor, holding them an inch or two off the ground for several seconds, then lowering and repeating with the opposite arm and leg.
On an exercise ball-
Do crunches. Place your feet flat on the floor and sit on an exercise ball. Allow the ball to roll back until your thighs and torso are parallel to the floor. Tuck your chin and cross your arms across your chest. Raise your torso to no more than 45 degrees by contracting your abdominals. Spread your feet widely for improved balance. Do you want to work on your obliques (the muscles on either side of your abdominals)? Moving your feet closer together makes the activity less steady and more intense, according to Weil. When you contract, exhale; when you return to the beginning position, inhale.
Leg crunches in a vertical position-
Lie down on the floor with your lower back flat on the ground and your hands behind your head. Extend your legs straight up, ankles crossed and knees slightly bent. Lift your torso toward your knees to contract your abdominal muscles. "Keep your chin off your chest with each contraction," Weil advises, adding that you should exhale as you contract upward and inhale as you return to the beginning position.
Crunches in the opposite direction-
Lie down on the floor with your lower back pressed on the ground. Weil recommends putting your hands beside your head or extending them flat to your sides, whichever feels most comfortable. Lift your feet off the ground, knees bent, until your calves are parallel to the floor, crossing your feet at the ankles. Once you're in this position, tense your abdominal muscles while pressing your lower back into the floor. With each contraction, your hips will rotate slightly and your legs will extend toward the ceiling. When you contract, exhale; when you return to the beginning position, inhale.
