Abs Exercises Made Easy

May 23rd, 2009 |

Author: Marcos

Working towards great looking abs is a common goal for many people. So what types of abs exercises are the most effective? This is a short list of some of the more effective abs exercises that you can do to see some results in a short time.

One key thing to note is that abs are made up of many muscle groups and are a “system”, not separate parts. The most effective way to improve your abs is to work on the overall muscle group as a whole to gain optimal performance.

Exercise ball crunch: An exercise ball is a very effective tool for core strengthening and will produce the fastest most noticeable results in the appearance and toning of your abs. This particular exercise works your rectis abdominis muscle.

• Position yourself, face up on the exercise ball, your mid to lower back should be resting on the ball. Place your arms behind your head.
• Concentrating on your torso, contract your abs and pull the bottom of your ribcage towards your hips.
• As you curl upwards, try to keep the exercise ball steady (don’t let it roll).
• Lower yourself back down, and repeat this for 12 – 15 reps.

Vertical Leg Crunch: This exercise will work your obliques as well as your rectis abdominis.

• Lie on the floor on your back and extend your legs up with your knees crossed.
• Contract your abs so that you feel your shoulder blades lift off the floor
• Keep your legs still and envision moving your belly button to your spine at the top of the movement.
• Lower and repeat the entire movement 12 – 15 times.

Bent Leg Hip Raises: This exercise will target your lower abs and is safe for your lower back.

• Lie on the floor with your knees bent, heels on the floor and your chin towards your chest.
• Keep your feet together and concentrate on using your lower abs to raise your hips off the floor, bringing your knees towards your forehead.
• At the top of the movement, your feet should be directly above your head.
• Lower your legs back down, let your feet lightly touch the floor, repeat 12 – 15 times.

These are just a few effective exercises. There are many more, and to add difficulty and intensity, weights can be added in to most abs exercises.