We would all like to have a flatter stomach, a six pack or even a four pack on our midsection. Training your abs can be done once per week with more volume or more frequently through the week with less volume. Each way works different for every individual. Never forget the most important factor to getting your abs visible is your diet and your eating habits. If you want true fat loss then training your abs is only the beginning. It starts with your diet and never forget that abs are made in the kitchen!
The first exercise I would like to highlight is the plank. Why are planks so beneficial? These really engage the stabilizers of your core from front to back. If you are doing these correctly then you would have your hips and pelvis in the correct position. Your tailbone should be pointing down towards the floor and you are contracting your glutes. Your lower back should not be arched. If your lower back is arched, then you aren't engaging your abdominals correctly and your hips are in the wrong position and you might start feeling back pain. Keep your abdominals drawn in tightly and keep your butt down. Keep your elbows directly under your shoulders.
Next we will go over the ball crunch. The ball crunch is better than the basic floor crunch. These have more benefits for your abs then being on the flat ground. You are recruitin gmore stabilizers and recruiting more muscle fibers, but sitting on the stability ball or the bosu ball. More unstable environment will get you better stability and a stronger core. these are very effective for the abs. Always exhale as you cantract the abs and inhale on the way down and make sure you go through the full range of motion. Use a slow and controlled movement and avoid using any momentum on these. Go for 3-4 sets of 15-25 reps . These are a killer ab workout.
Last but not least we will go over leg lifts. Leg lifts are great for the lower abdominals and strengthening the hip flexors. Make sure you stretch your hip flexors frequently. If you have a desk job and you are sitting for a good amount of time, then theres a good chance you have over active hip flexors and this can cause a lot of pain, particularly in the lower back area. The kneeling hip flexor stretch is very effective for this. Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds on each side. Kneel down on one knee and raise the same arm of the knee that is on the ground in the air. When you are doing leg lifts for your abs you can lie down on you rback and place your hands wiht your palms facing the ground for stability. Lift the legs up into the air while you exhale and then slowly lower your legs back to the ground while you inhale. Aim for 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps. When you are finished you can go into the cobra stretch and hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
Try incorporating these movements into you ab workouts and you are really going to get a lot out of these. These are three of my favorite ab exercises that I add into my workout routine every week.
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