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Exercises to Get Those Washboard Abs in No Time! |
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Written by Jeff Behar, MS, MBA
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Do you want flat perfect abs? Want to learn the best exercises to target all parts  of the stomach? If your answer is yes to either question, then look no further. Here are 4 of the best exercises to help you get on your way to developing those 6-pack abs that you have always wanted.
- Leg Raises - Leg raises place primary stress on
the lower half of the rectus abdominis although the muscle fibers of
the upper rectus abdominia are recruited as well. Secondary stress is
also placed on the intercostal muscles.Because this movement works the
hard to work lower abs you want to do this exercise before crunches.
How to do: 1. Lie on your back on an inclined ab board with your head
toward the raised end. 2. Grasp the end of upper bench with your hands
to stabilize your body. 3. Bend your leg 15-20 degrees or until you
feel your back relax. 4. Use your abdominal muscles to raise your feet
in an arc to a position directly above your head. 5. Drop your feet in
a return arc until they clear the bench. 6. Repeat until failure (get
15-25 reps).
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Reverse Crunches - Reverse Crunches are a great exercise for working
the lower abs. 1. Lie flat on your back with legs extended. Raise your
legs into an L position with your abs. You can flex your knees a bit.2.
Lower them to almost floor level and raise again.3. Keep going until
failure.
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Roll up Crunch - Targets: Rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscle). 30
percent more effective than the standard crunch because the move
challenges your abs through a fuller range of motion, recruiting more
muscle fibers. 1. Lie back with legs straight and arms extended above
head next to ears. 2. Bring arms forward, tilt chin down, and slowly
curl upper body up, reaching hands to toes. 3. Repeat 15- 25 times.
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Bicycle Crunch - Targets: Upper Abdominals, Obliques, And Hip Flexors.
1. Lie back with legs straight and arms extended above head next to
ears.2. Bring arms forward, tilt chin down, and slowly curl upper body
up, reaching hands to toes. 3. Repeat to failure.
About the Author Jeff Behar
Jeff Behar, MS, MBA
Jeff
Behar, MS, MBA is a recognized health, fitness and nutrition expert, regularly writing about hot topics in the areas of
health, fitness, disease prevention, nutrition, anti aging and alternative medicine. His work also often appears in
several of the major health and fitness newsletters, health and fitness magazines, and on major health, and
fitness websites. Behar is also a well sought after personal trainer, motivational speaker, and weight loss expert.
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