Six-pack abs are perhaps the most coveted body part. In addition to looking good, there are many benefits of strong abs. Good posture and reduced back strain are other reasons why it’s desirable to have strong abs.
There are many ab exercises you can do to build up your abs, and not all are created equal. Some ab exercises are said to be targeted towards the “upper” and “lower” abs, but the abdominal muscle, or the rectus abdominis, is one long muscle and you can’t separate the upper from the lower. We’ve listed the best ab exercises for building and strengthening the abs:
1. Bicycle. To do the bicycle, Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head, then bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground, being careful not to pull on the neck. Straighten the left leg out to a 45-degree angle while at the same time turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee. Then, switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee. This is a great ab exercise.
2. Reverse Crunch. Lie on the floor and place your hands on the floor or behind the head. Bring the knees in towards the chest until they’re bent to 90 degrees, keeping your feet together or crossed. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling. Because this is a small movement, try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.
3. Exercise Ball Crunch. This move uses an exercise ball, which is a good tool to strengthen the abs. To do this move, lie face-up with the ball resting under your back. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head. Next, contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips. As you curl up, make sure you keep the ball stable. Lower back down and repeat.
4. Vertical Leg Crunch. The vertical leg crunch is another effective move for the abs. First, lie face up on the floor and extend the legs straight up with your knees crossed. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, reaching your chest towards your feet. Make sure you keep the legs in a fixed position. Try to imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
5. The Plank. The plank is a great way to build endurance and stabilize muscles in both the abs and back. Do this move by lying face-down on a mat resting on the forearms, with your palms flat on the floor. Next, push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows. Keep your back flat and in a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air. Hold this position for 20 to 60 seconds, then lower and repeat. As your strength builds you will be able to hold for longer amounts of time.
Strong abs are not only for looks; a strong set of abdominals can also keep your back strong, your posture erect, and leave you looking and feeling strong and healthy.