What Is the Best Abdominal Workout?
Sit ups and crunches are not the most efficient ways to train the anterior portion of the "core" musculature. The best ab workout involves balanced training of the abs along several different planes of motion.
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Use Traditional-Weighted Exercises
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For maximal ab development, you will need to provide adequate resistance to convince the muscles to grow. Skip the endless body weight crunches and treat your abs like any other part of your body--add weight. Keep a medicine ball, dumbbell or weight plate across your chest during your next set of sit ups. Aim for three sets of 10, and gradually increase resistance over time as your abs become stronger.
Static Ab Training
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Static contractions are another way to train the abs. Use "bridges" to accomplish this. Lie face down on the floor, supported on only your toes and your forearms. Keep the remainder of your body in a relatively straight line. You should feel tension build in your abs and lower back the longer you hold this position. Begin by holding the position for 30 seconds, gradually increasing time as you increase in strength.
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Rotational Ab Training
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The abs are also designed to brace the body during rotation. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended, holding a weight plate or light dumbbell over your chest with your arms and elbows fully extended and locked. Perform a half-situp and hold, keeping your torso at a 45-degree angle to the ground. Holding this position, begin slowly twisting your waist completely to the left, then completely back to the right. Start with five twists in each direction, and build up over time.
Diagonal Movement
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The abs also brace the body during diagonal movement patterns (i.e. cross-body movements). The best way to train this is with cable-chops. Standing perpendicular to the cable machine, grab the handle with both hands and extend downward across the body, as though you were chopping wood. You should feel your abs contract with every rep. Repeat 10 times on each side with a light weight.
Imbalanced Ab Training
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The final component of an ideal ab workout will challenge the abs to keep the body upright against uneven resistance. The best way to do this is to perform a standing military (overhead) press training only one arm at a time. By only using one arm, your abs will have to fire with each rep to keep your body from tilting over. Lift explosively and lower the weight under total control, keeping your abs tight throughout the movement. Repeat eight to 10 reps on each side.
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