One of the best parts of this exercise is that you can do it while lying down unlike riding a bike where the seat can get uncomfortable after a while. How To:. This crunch variation is fantastic to hit the rectus abdominis. These crunches are more difficult than standard crunches. Having your legs up in the air reduces the contact points between your body and the ground which lessens stability.
Due to this less stable position your core muscles will be activated more. The humble plank exercise comes in all types of variations which makes it a versatile bodyweight exercise that works the core.
Planks target multiple muscles in the body and help us to work on our breathing. Some of the top athletes in the world swear by this ab exercise. This is a fantastic isometric exercise to work the core without placing stress on the joints.
Not only will this work the rectus abdominis but will also hit the transverse abdominis, obliques, hip flexors, quads and erector spinae muscles. The hollow body hold is a great core exercise to strengthen and stabilize the lower back as well. You can perform this ab exercise with a barbell or an ab roller. Using either piece of equipment will work your abs in the same way. Rollouts are an anti-extension exercise to target the abs which is unlike many ab exercises that rely of spinal flexion.
This is a great ab exercise to work the entire core while improving your stability. Those of you looking to do ab exercises at home might be better off with an ab roller because it will take up less space and is cheaper.
Note: Keep your core engaged throughout the movement without letting your hips sag or your back arch. This version of the crunch will really get those abs burning. With the decline bench crunch you will have to fight against gravity to crunch your body upwards which puts more tension and stress on the abs leading to the potential of stimulating more muscle growth.
The decline the reverse crunch works your rectus abdominis through a wide range of motion which can really help get a full contraction. This exercise will work your core, hip flexors and even legs. If you really want to make this one burn, trying counting down from 10 while you lower your legs to starting position. Note: The easier version of this can be done on a flat surface by following the same cues from above. This is one of the more difficult ab exercises that you can do but you know what they say the harder it is, the bigger the reward.
This exercise is demanding on both your core and grip strength. You will be working the abs, hip flexors while the TFL , rectus femoris, pectineus and adductor longus assist with the movement.
This is a more advanced exercise that takes serious grip strength and core strength to pull off. Note: Keep your shoulders down and back throughout this movement and avoid swinging your legs upward. If needed pause at the bottom to break the momentum before lifting your legs again.
You can focus on the exercise at hand instead of holding a pull up bar. You can perform this exercise in a slow controlled motion to get those abs working hard. Make sure that your feet are pointed upwards slightly to hold the dumbbell in place as you raise your knees. Note: To make this easier you can do without any weight or resistance. Hold at the top to get an extra isometric contraction. The cable crunch enables you to build some thickness in the abs due to the resistance you can add.
This is a great exercise to work the rectus abdominis due to the amount of spinal flexion that is involved. Many people do this exercise improperly so make sure to pay attention to the cues below in order to get the most from this exercise. This ab workout will primarily target the rectus abdominis to help you build up your abs.
These ab exercises will work if you have a 4 pack the same way they will work for someone who might be blessed with a 10 pack of abs. You should follow this workout in circuit style by going through each exercise in order. One round is completed after you've done all exercises for the number of reps listed. Are these near-mythical abs muscles something mere mortals can achieve?
Or are they reserved for the fitness elite who seem to do nothing but work out and chug protein mix? Before you can think about an eight-pack, you have to understand the six-pack.
What looks like six individual muscles is actually just one muscle : the rectus abdominis, says Astrid Swan , NASM-certified personal trainer and Premier Protein ambassador who's well-known for her chiseled abs. These bands are meant to support the body and help with movements such as flexion, and lay in front of your muscles. If you want six- or eight-pack abs, you really need to strengthen your rectus abdominis.
It forms the line that runs down the middle of the abdomen. The transverse abdominis is located deep within the abdomen. It extends from the front of your abdomen to the sides of your body.
It helps provide stability and strength to your entire core, back, and pelvis. The internal and external obliques help control the twisting and turning movements of your body. Along with the transverse abdominis, they provide a stabilizing girdle for your back and pelvis. The external obliques are a large muscle group located at the sides of the rectus abdominis. The internal obliques are located just underneath, inside your hip joints.
Working your obliques adds definition and tone to your abs. You need to be born with a rectus abdominis that contains five bands of connective tissue running horizontally across it.
You also need to regularly work out these muscles and follow a healthy diet. Of course, what you eat and how you exercise also play large roles in how your abs ultimately look. The rectus abdominis muscle has bands of connective tissue fascia crossing it horizontally.
These bands give the appearance of multiple packs stacked on top of each other on either side of your abdomen. Your genetics also determine their symmetry, length, and size. A person with an eight-pack has four bands. A person with a six-pack has three bands. A person with a four-pack has two bands. This means that if most people worked at it, they could achieve a six-pack. One of these people is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, even during his bodybuilding days, sported a four-pack.
Both sexes have a genetic predetermination for the number of packs they can achieve. However, women require more body fat than men. At this rate, men are probably 4 to 6 weeks shy of their goal.
Depending on your specific body type you might see them more or less, but you should definitely see evidence of all your hard work and dedication. In reality, we all have the coveted six-pack, it just sits under a protective covering called body fat cue the dad jokes.
To do that, along with exercise, we need to change up our eating habits. Here are some things to consider. Losing body fat means losing weight, which means reducing caloric intake. Generally, you can cut calories per day in order to lose around 1 pound per week. That can amount to consuming calories less per day, while increasing activity to burn an additional calories.
There are a number of ways to look at this, but a calorie deficit will help you lose body fat. Aiming for minimally processed, whole foods is the number one recommendation for healthy eating. A diet focused on whole foods will include fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein like eggs, fish, lean meats and poultry, and healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Carbohydrates are necessary fuel, and you should aim to include complex carbohydrates in your daily plan.
That means fruit, vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains. Put the pasta on the back-burner for now and focus on sweet potatoes, quinoa, squash, and oats. On the road to a six-pack, the majority of your carbohydrates should come from vegetables, but all high quality complex carbs have their place.
On that note…. Foods high in fiber are great for weight loss. Besides the sheer number of nutrients in fiber rich foods, they also take a while to digest. Fiber rich foods include fruit, vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains. Non-starchy vegetables in particular should be a diet staple when fat loss is the goal. Aim for at least 4 servings of non-starchy vegetables per day.
Fruit brings the nutrient goodies to the table in the form of vitamins, minerals, and fiber and you should aim for 2 to 3 servings per day. Looking for the best choices?
You can never go wrong with berries. Low in calories and sugar with antioxidants for days, these babies will never steer you wrong. Beans, legumes, and whole grains are also great sources of protein, in addition to fiber. Whole grains like steel cut oats, quinoa , farro , and sprouted grains also contain a bit of a protein punch.
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