Few fitness experts would argue
that the quality of your abdominal muscles can either
make or break an impressive physique. Ask anybody.
There's nothing quite like a sensational six
pack.
Imagine the chiseled arms, the rippled
chest, the sculpted legs, and then picture a nice,
plump pot belly pushing outward like a rising wad
of Pillsbury dough, making hours of arduous work seem
like a ludicrous endeavor.
Of course, a bloating beer gut on
an otherwise fine sculpted torso fits in like an outhouse
in a penthouse. And few fitness experts would argue
that the quality of your abdominal muscles can either
make or break an impressive physique.
While the midsection is crucial
to whether you're perceived as being either
'fit' or 'fat', all the ab
training known to man will not prevail without the
adjoining dedication to both strict dieting and considerable
amounts of cardiovascular activity.
In the meantime, here are a few
exercises to take the haste out of your waist:
Ab Exercises for Your Ab Workouts
Crunches
Lay down on a mat on the floor,
bending your knees slightly so your feet are flat
on the floor. Curling your hands behind your head,
slowly lift your shoulders off the mat, squeezing
your abdominal muscles with each raise. Be sure not
pull your neck upwards; rather make it a natural,
smooth-flowing motion.
Lift only your shoulder blades off
the mat and hold that position for a span of two seconds
before slowly releasing the shoulders back to the
mat. Be sure not to let your shoulders completely
rest on the mat before beginning your next repetition.
Do three sets of 30 reps, taking only a few seconds
of rest between sets.
Cable Crunches
Set up a double-rope at the cable
machine. With your knees planted on the floor, grab
the ropes with both hands, locking them into the sides
of your head. Slowly bring your elbows - and
the resistance - down to your knees, holding the contraction
for a two-count. Slowly rise up to a position where
your torso is parallel to the floor and repeat the
motion. Try three sets of 25-30 reps at a moderate
weight.
Knee Ups
Sit on the edge of a bench, grasping
on the sides of the bench with your hands to maintain
steady balance. With your legs extended outward, slowly
pull your knees into your chest, squeezing the abdominal
muscles during the contraction. Hold this position
for two seconds and then slowly extend your legs before
repeating the motion. Try to keep the rocking and
bouncing at a minimum. Do three sets of 25 reps for
this exercise.
Knee Raises
Find a firm grasp on an overhead
chin-up bar with your arms spread slightly wider than
your shoulders. Make sure that your feet are not touching
the floor. Trying not to swing or rock, slowly bring
your knees toward your abdomen so that your knees
are locked at a 90 degree angle. Squeeze your abs
and hold for a moment before slowly releasing your
legs back to a straight position. Wrist straps are
often used to assure a firm grip on the bar. Attempt
three sets of 10-15 reps per set.
Any of these exercises can be done
with your torso twisted at an angle in order to hit
those stingy, hard-to-develop obliques. Also, abdominal
muscles should be trained as frequently (no more,
no less) as any other muscle group, which is on the
average of one or two times a week.
