How to Do The Correct Exercises For Your Abs

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By georgelarson
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Sit-ups are good, how you do them is better.

What types of exercises you are doing for your abs are important, but how you do them will make the difference for how well they tone your muscles. After performing sit-ups consistently it is easy to get irritated that there are not noticeable results. Many people believe by simply doing sit-ups, if they perform enough, will give them body builder abs that are shapely and well defined. That is not the outcome unless you do them correctly.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Understand the correct way to exercise your abs.
Have time to workout consistently.

Step 1

--Stomach exercises--To get the result of a flat stomach you have to exercise with a flat stomach. You need to train your muscles to assume this shape. To achieve flat abs
-tighten your stomach muscles while doing your ab workout.
-suck your stomach in as if you were tucking in your shirt and tighten your stomach muscles.
-Continue to keep your muscles tight through all your reps.
-When you finish your reps you should feel a lot more burn in your abs versus what you felt without tightening your abs.

Keep your muscles tight and pulled in when you perform an exercise to tone and shape your abdomen muscles. The key for the exercise is for them to remain in that shape instead of being strong but unshaped.
Step 2

--Sculpted Abs-- To have sculpted abs your need to have a variety of abdominal exercises in your workout regime. Each area, including upper abs, lower abs, and muscles on your sides have different exercises to tone and strengthen. To reach your ultimate goal of having your stomach look tight, toned, and strong you should create a workout that includes exercises for them all.

Although sit-ups are the most widely used exercise for abs, abdominal workout routines that make your stomach flat and abs tighten will yield excellent results since these workouts will work the smaller and harder to tone muscles in your abdominal area. These are exercises for overall toned abs.
Step 3

--Abdominal Exercises-- 1.) CROSSOVER CRUNCHES - Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross your right leg over your left leg so your right ankle is resting on your left knee. Place your fingertips to the side of your head just behind your ears. Begin a crunch, but twist your torso and touch your left elbow to your right knee. Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching over to the other side.

2.) SIDE BENDS - Holding a dumbbell in you right hand, stand with feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent. Place your left hand behind your head and slowly bend sideways to your right lowering the dumbbell down to your knee. Return to an upright position and repeat for the desired number of reps.

3.) MEDICINE BALL SIT UPS - Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a medicine ball (choose a 5 pound ball to begin) to your chest and have a partner stand at your feet (not on them). Push your lower back into the floor flattening the arch and hold. As you curl up throw the ball to your partner. Hold the crunch as your partner catches the ball and throws it back to you. Catch the ball and slowly return to the start position. Tip: Don't sit right the way up as you wait for the return pass. Your shoulders should be no more than 6 inches off the floor.

4.) OBLIQUE CRUNCHES - Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Slowly drop your legs to the left and let your knees rest near the floor. Place your fingertips to the side of your head just behind your ears. Push your lower back into the floor flattening the arch and hold. Curl up slowly so both your shoulders lift off the floor a few inches. Hold for a count of 2 and return to the start position. repeat for the desired number of reps and switch to the other side.

5.) SEATED OBLIQUE TWISTS WITH MEDICINE BALL- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a medicine with both hands directly out in front of you, twist to your right and place the ball on the ground behind you. Quickly, but smoothly, turn to your left to retrieve the ball and repeat for the desired number of reps. Repeat the process for the left side. Tip: if you have a training partner, sit back to back and pass the medicine to each other.
Step 4

*Ab Exercise Guidelines:*

-Perform several (3-5) abdominal exercises 2-3 times a week with at least a days rest in between each workout.
-Start with 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions for each exercise. As you improve move to 3 set of 20 repetitions.
-You do not need to do all the exercises. Simply select 3-5 that work well for you and vary your routine over the months.

(Abdominal and Core Strength and Endurance Exercise List From Elizabeth Quinn, Your Guide to Sports Medicine)
Step 5

Washboard Abs -- It is possible for anyone who wants it badly enough but getting your abs into this shape and maintaining it is a lot of work and not entirely realistic for most people. However, getting your stomach to flatten out and stay toned with abdominal exercise is a very real possibility and doesn't require you to devote your life to the gym to accomplish this.