Legs/Arms reach:
Place a mat on the floor, lie down on your back and extend your arms above your head. Simultaneously lift your arms and legs toward the ceiling, until your fingertips touch your toes (if you can). Slowly return to the starting position. Do 10 reps.
Wood-chop:
Add some weight (try 25 pounds) to a multipurpose pulley machine and grasp the handle attachment at shoulder height with your left hand. Square yourself to the machine and take a few steps to the right (away from the machine) until there is sufficient tension. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bring your right arm [...]
Hip Raise/Leg Raise:
Lie down on a flat bench with your legs up and perpendicular to the bench (hold the bench behind your head for stability). Lift your hips slightly off the bench by contracting your lower abs, hold for three seconds, and lower your hips. Keep your back flat on the bench, your legs straight [...]
Russian twist:
Instructions: Sit on a decline bench, with your legs firmly under the pads. Lean back slightly, so that your thighs and torso form a 90° angle. Extend your arms in front of you, so that they form a 90° with your torso, and clasp your hands together. Keeping your back straight, your chest out [...]
Twist and crunch:
Instructions: Place a mat on the floor and lie down on your back, with your hands by your ears and your legs perpendicular to the floor. Twist your hips slightly by contracting your left oblique muscles; hold that position. Using your abs, bring your right elbow across your body to the outside of [...]
Year after year, countless men/women swear that they will work their abs and achieve the elusive six-pack; most of these men/women fail. The reasons for wanting great abs are simple: you’ll feel good about yourself and therefore boost your self-esteem and girls/guys love them. Here are 10 (3) of the all-time best exercises for your [...]
Finally, the last point to address is the actual exercise selection you choose with your abdominal training.
A common myth is that you should work your “upper abs” and “lower abs” separately. Truth be told, you cannot actually separate these muscles, and when you perform any abdominal exercise they will all contract simultaneously.
What you do want [...]
Volume:
Next up, you need to determine the volume you should use with your abdominal training. Is doing 100 crunches in a row beneficial or should you be doing only 8 to 12 like you would any other weight-lifting exercise?
Again, let’s look at your goals: Remember that weight lifted and total reps will have an inverse [...]
One of the questions that often arise when men/women are abdominal training is: How frequently should I be training my abdominal muscles? Some believe that these are “endurance” muscles and as such, should be trained each and every day.
Think about this for a second and ask yourself: When does a muscle actually grow and become [...]
So, if getting a set of defined abs is what you’re looking to achieve, make sure at least a few of these foods are a regular part of your day. Unless you devote a good amount of attention to your diet and then match this with the energy you put forth to follow your plan, [...]