What Are Some Of The Best Ab Exercises?

By Vikki Cooper


When you're beginning an ab workout you probably start off with crunches. These are what most people think of as the best ab exercises; but are they really the be all and end all when it comes to sculpting well defined ab muscles?

The gym teachers of the past must have known something because crunches are one of the best exercises you can do for your abs. But, like most things in life, the basic crunches that we used to do in gym class have evolved into a better workout and one that is overall better for your body. Sitting on an exercise ball to perform your crunches is a great example of how crunches have changed over the years. The ball is aced under your mid or lower back. You can place your arms behind your back or cross them over your chest. Use your abs to pull the bottom of your ribcage down towards your hips. The goal is to keep the ball stable. This is part of the way that you are working more than your abs with this simple exercise.

One of the better known improvements on the old school crunch is to use an exercise ball. You can lie on these balls, keeping them situated under your lower back with your arms crossed over your chest or crossed behind your back. It's pretty simple from there: just use your ab muscles to pull your ribs down towards your hips while maintaining the stability of the ball. This works your abdominal muscles and other muscle groups all with one simple exercise. One of the other ways in which crunches have evolved is in where you place your arms during the crunch. Usually, you'd put your arms behind your head while you do crunches, but one of the best exercises is to stretch out your arms behind your head and use your abs to lift your shoulders off the floor instead of using them to sit up.

Reverse crunches are another improved crunch you can try out; here, you'll lift your knees towards your chest instead of the other way around. Remember not to lift your hips with the momentum of your leg motion - your abs should be doing the work. Finally, there are full vertical crunches. This exercise works both lower and upper ab muscles. Start by lying on your back with your hands behind your head and lift your legs up, pointing your feet towards the ceiling. Now using your ab muscles, lift your shoulders off the floor and try to bend yourself into a U shape.

While crunches are still one of the best ab exercises, there are some others which you'll want to incorporate into your workouts. Bicycles are a good one to try; it's an exercise which targets the rectus abdominus (the muscle which forms the six pack) as well as the obliques. Lie on your back, your hands behind your head and pull up your knees towards your chest. Using your abdominal muscles, lift your shoulders off of the floor and straighten out your left leg while turning your torso to the right and bringing your left elbow to your right knee. Alternate sides and do 2 to 16 reps, depending on your endurance and fitness level. When you add exercises like these to crunches and the other best ab exercises, you'll be able to have that six pack you've always wanted before you know it.




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