How to Get Abs Fast & Easy

Getting strong abdominal muscles and losing belly fat are not the same.

You can engage your abdominal muscles quickly with specific stomach exercises to begin building strength right away. Performing hundreds of crunches hourly is not necessary to get stronger abs. However, getting strong abdominals does not mean that a stomach with excessive belly fat will turn into a six-pack. The idea that you will lose stomach fat quickly or easily is untrue. Spot reduction is a common fitness fallacy.

Things You'll Need

• Stability ball
• Captain's chair apparatus at a gym

Instructions

Do Effective Abdominal Exercises

1. Do abdominal exercises that will activate the stomach muscles (rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus and obliques) quickly and effectively. A sit-up is not the most effective exercise because you can use back muscles to get all the way off of the floor.

2. Perform a stability ball knee-tuck exercise. According to the American Council on Exercise, a stability ball knee tuck -- in which you lay on top of a stability ball, contract your abdominals to pull your knees and shins up and on the ball and back down -- is very effective. It engages the rectus abdominus and the transverse abdominals. Do 10 to 15 of these.

3. Do bicycle abdominal exercises. Lie on your back and bring one knee in toward your chest while the opposite elbow reaches toward that knee at the same time. Then quickly do the other knee, going back and forth. Perform 15 to 20 of these.

4. Perform hanging knee raises. Use a captain's chair apparatus at the gym to hoist yourself up so you're balancing on your elbows. Hang both legs straight below you. Pull both knees up toward your chest, initiating the movement from your abdominal muscles, and then lower your legs back down. Complete 10 to 15 repetitions.

5. Do planks. To do a regular plank, get down in a push-up position with hands on the floor, a straight body and on your toes. Hold this position with your abdominals contracted and back flat for 30 to 60 seconds. To do a side plank (modified), lay on your side and use your bottom arm (elbow to wrist) to support you and lift your hips and legs off the ground. You will be supported by your arm and feet in this position. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Then switch sides. Do several rounds.

6. Perform a variety of effective abdominal exercises three to five times a week. If your stomach muscles are quite sore after a day of core exercises, wait 24 to 48 hours before performing stomach exercises again. If you do not have excessive soreness, you can do more the next day.

Tips & Warnings

• If your abdominal muscles are quite weak to begin with, modify the exercises and do simple crunches or pelvic tilts to start.

• Do aerobic exercise such as walking, biking, dance classes and swimming to burn calories and lose weight. Excess body fat will be lost through these activities, even in the stomach area.

References

• 24 Hour Fitness: Best and Worst Abdominal Exercises
• Simple Fitness Solutions: Truth about Training the Abdominal Muscles
• American Council on Exercise: Stability Ball Knee Tucks
• American Council on Exercise: Side Plank

Resources

• The Proven Program: Health and Fitness
• Ab Core and Stomach Exercises: The Most Effective Ab Exercises Abdominal Muscle Activation Study