These 5 Best Abs Exercises

Add these five essential exercises to your exercise routine to strengthen your core.

Many ab exercises aren’t the same. Many of them are just wasteful use of your time.

A study was done in one of the major universities in southern California about activity results garnered by popular core training.

Here’s how they stack up with our other favorite (and least favorite) ab exercises.

The basic crunch

Why? The basic crunch does precisely that: it is simple. Do not waste your time on an insufficient exercise that fails to engage your abdominal muscles.

The ab rocker

Why: Because the ab rocker was not as effective as a traditional crunch. It was up to 80 percent less effective. Yes, it is effortless to do. That’s why it fails. The tool works by supporting your head and deactivating the muscles that typically support it. Your supporting muscles can weaken, causing neck pain. This is why these machines end up in the corner of your gym.

Straight-leg sit up

Why? This exercise can lead to back problems. You can put a strain on your lower back by forcing you to push your upper body forward while trying to touch your feet. No.

The side bend of the standing dumbbell

Why: It is not natural to isolate the obliques this way. This can cause unnecessary strain on your back. (How many times do you bend straight to one side to grab something?) People often use the momentum created by dumbbells and move side-to-side instead of adequately engaging their muscles. If you don’t want your muscles to be stiffened, these are the wrong moves.

The seated twist

Why? The use of sat twisting machines in fitness centers is a wasteful investment. You can injure yourself if your weight and control of the movement are not correct. They can also rotate your lower back beyond what is safe. I have seen people with some severe momentum snap from left to right.

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Instead, try these five exercises to maximize your time at the gym.

The plank

Why? It stimulates your abdominal activity in a more extraordinary way than regular crunches, and it also strengthens your back muscles.

How: Your forearms should be supported, and the balls of both your feet should be on your toes. Bridge up and place your body in one line. Hold your abs tight for between 30-60 seconds.

You can take it up a level:

1. Start in a plank position.
2. Reach forward with your right hand and hold it for a count.
3. Slowly return to the beginning position.
4. Continue the motion with your left arm and do it again.

The bicycle crunch

Why: The San Diego study found that this exercise was second best at strengthening the obliques. It stimulates more abdominal activity, including your lower stomach and the obliques, than the traditional crunch.

How: Laying down on your back, lift your knees so that your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Your hands should be near your temples. While twisting your legs and crunch up, you can also do a bicycle motion using your legs. To illustrate, imagine that you crunch up and move to the right and then draw your right leg in. For 20-30 repetitions, repeat the process.

Side plank

Why? Side planks are not only great for your obliques; they also tone and stimulate your glutes.

How: With your forearm straight up, place your hand on your stomach. Hold the position for between 30-60 seconds, bending your hip to keep your body straight.

You can take it up a level: To raise your top leg, bring it to parallel to the ground. (This is Vasisthasana in yoga).

Crunch your vertical leg

Why? It stimulated more abdominal activity by 116 percent.

The traditional crunch was not as popular among the participants of the study.

How: With your legs straightened, lie on your back and your knees bent. Begin to touch your ankles with both your hands. Do not contract your chest. Repeat for 12-16 reps.

You can take it up a level: Reach toward your toes, and hold it for 15 seconds.

Reverse crunch

Why? With this move, engage your lower abdomen as well as your obliques.

How: With your hands folded under your bum, lie on your back. Keep your legs straight up so that your knees are at 90 degrees to your torso. Perform a pelvic tilt by bringing your knees up towards your chest. Try to do 15-20 reps.

You can take it up a level: You can hold a weight above your head.

Ripped abs plans:

The best way to tone your abs is to do a series of core moves in a continuous circuit. Circuits are efficient and can maximize your results. To get the best results, do this core circuit after your training sessions. When you are working hard, your core must be solid and ready to support you.

Plank tri-set: Regular and sides: 30-60 seconds

Reverse crunch: 15-20 reps

Bicycle crunch – 10-15 reps per side

Vertical chair knee raises: 12-15 repetitions

Notes: Perform 2 to 4 sets or circuits, with no rest in between. You can also take a break for 1 minute between circuits.

We recommend using some supplements when practicing long workouts and, above all, eating healthy and avoiding later problems! 

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