Core Workouts

Consistent core workouts and a balanced nutritional plan are the keys to getting six pack abs.

One of the core exercises of an ab workout is the ab crunch. The ab crunch can be performed on the floor or on an exercise ball. Performing the crunch on an exercise ball recruits more of your core muscles because you are trying to balance and stabilize your body on the exercise ball.

Their are many variations of the ab crunch. You can perform the crunch with your feet on the floor, in the air, or on a bench. You can perform the crunch with an exercise band for added resistance. And of course the oblique crunch focuses on the abdominal muscles on the sides of your stomach - your obliques.

When performing crunches, there are a few things you should remember:

1) Always contract your abdominal muscles when beginning the crunch movement, and keep them contracted throughout the entire movement.

2) Don't let your shoulders touch the floor during the exercise; keep slightly raised at all times.

3) Keep the movement slow and controlled.

4) Don't put your hands behind your head unless you need to lightly support your neck. People typically use their hands and pull on their neck as their abdominal muscles become fatigued, and we don't want that to happen.

5) Exhale as you crunch up, and inhale as you lower yourself back to the floor.

One of the best ab exercises that is commonly found in ab workouts is the plank. The plank is actually a yoga move that really challenges all areas of the ab region. You'll find a detailed description of the plank, as as some great variations to it, on the Best Ab Exercises page. Two tips when performing the plank: keep your butt down and your abs contracted, and don't forget to BREATHE!

Your abs are like any other muscle and need to be continually challenged in order to grow and get stronger. One way to add an additional challenge to the crunches is to use additional weight during the exercise. Grab a dumbbell or weight plate and hold it over your chest as you perform the crunch movement. Similarly, if you're performing exercises with an exercise band, add additional tension to the band be changing your grip.

Your abs also need time to grow and repair between workouts. Allow your ab muscles to rest for 48 hours between ab workouts.

The ab exercises featured in this section are a great start and will give you one of the best ab workouts you'll ever have. There are more ab exercises that can be performed at the gym with appropriate equipment which we'll look at in the future.

Exercises:

Ab Exercises

Workout Options:

I've listed some of my best ab workouts below. You have a few options when performing them:

1) Do two sets of each exercise - two sets each of 25 reps. Rest for 20 seconds between each set, and 30 seconds between each exercise.

2) Do one set of each exercise, 50 reps each.

Core Workout 1

Ab Crunch

Frog Ab Crunch

Side Plank

Core Workout 2

Ab Crunch on a Ball

Bicycle Ab Crunch

Reverse Ab Crunch

Core Workout 3

Ab Crunch with Legs Up

Oblique Ab Crunch on a Ball

Ab Crunch with Legs on Bench

Core Workout 4

Kneeling Ab Crunch with Band

Twisting Lying Ab Crunch with Band

V-Ups

Core Workout 5

Wood Chops

Leg Lifts

Leg Grab

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