Abdominals

Abdominals

It is no secret that the fat that most of us carry on our midsection is the hardest thing to get rid of. While people use the chest and the bench press as a determining factor in strength, people look at your overall condition by looking at your midsection. People are so determined in developing such an great looking stomach that numerous abdominal gear such as 3 minute abs video exercises and the electro ab stimulator have skyrocketed a multi-million dollar industry.

People are always looking for the easiest way to develop an impressive midsection, but like any other body part it takes hard work, patience, discipline and dedication. The exercises below are only a few of many different varieties of abdominal exercises that can be done in the comfort of your home. It is also important to keep in mind that for the abs to show, a low fat diet and proper nutrition must be followed. Doing abdominal exercises helps shape the abs and the obliques, but without a well balanced diet your well defined and formed abs will not be prominent!

Floor Crunch
The floor crunch is one of the most basic, simple, and well-known abdominal exercises out there. This can be done either with feet on the floor or with the feet on top of a flat bench. If done properly, it targets the upper abdominals.

Starting Position
Lie on your back with both hands either behind your head or crossed on your chest. Place both heels on top of a bench or chair so that your legs form a 90 degree angle.

The Exercise
Slowly raise your shoulder and back from the floor and contract your abs. You do not need to come up to a sitting position, this takes the focus out of the midsection. Raising yourself 3-4 inches from the floor without pulling on your neck will be more than enough to stimulate your midsection and get a good abs workout. Pause and slowly return to the starting position.

Sets
3 sets of 10-15 reps

Tips
- Keep the head aligned with the body.
- Inhale at the start of the exercise and exhale at the completion.
- Do not pull on your neck to raise your back off of the floor.
- For an added variety - when raising the shoulder and the back - twist to one side so that the elbow is pointing to the opposite knee. Alternate and repeat.

Decline Crunch This exercise provides for a better isolation of the ab muscles and is more difficult than the basic crunch.

Starting Position
Place and hook your feet on the pad on the decline bench. Make the necessary adjustments to set the bench to your liking. Sit on the bench with your feet locked in, and place your hands on the back of your head. Your body should be perpendicular or about 80 degrees to the bench, already creating tension to the abs.

The Exercise
Slowly raise your body and contract your abs keeping the head aligned with the body. Hold, and slowly move back to the starting position. To hit the obliques, raise your body and twist to one side so that the elbow is pointing towards the opposite knee. Continue contraction of the abs until the elbow touches the knee or up to the point when it is no longer comfortable. Slowly go back to the starting position and repeat.

Sets
3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Tips
- To keep tension on the abs, do not the let back touch the bench back at the starting position.
- Avoid tucking the chin onto the chest or pulling your neck to raise your body.

Reverse Crunch
This is an excellent exercise as it promotes balance and works both the upper and lower abdominals.

Starting Position
Sit at the end of a flat bench with your legs hanging straight together at the edge. Grab ahold of the side edges of the bench with both hands for support. Position your upper torso so that it is roughly at a 45 degree angle from the bench, forming a very wide "V".

The Exercise
Raise your knees and your upper torso slowly to meet towards the middle, keeping the legs together, the feet pointed downward, and the head aligned with the body. Contract the abs and slowly go back to the starting position extending the feet once more, repeat.

Set
3 sets of 12-15 repetitions

Tips
- Concentrate on your form for each repetition
- If you are having trouble with your balance, keep the upper torso at the sitting position and concentrate on raising the knees.

Lower Abdominal Crunch
This is an exercise that strictly targeting the lower abdominals.

Starting Position
On a decline bench, position yourself so that you holding onto the top of the bench with the knees bent at a 45 degree angle. Adjust the angle of the bench to your preference, the greater or steeper the angle the harder and more intense the exercise will be.

The Exercise
While holding on to the top of the decline bench slowly pull your knees towards your chest contracting your abs. Your buttocks should come up off of the bench with the small of your back. Squeeze and hold for a second and return to the starting position.

Sets
3 sets of 10-15 repetitions

Tips
- Avoid the use of momentum by swinging your legs- pull your knees by contracting your abs.
- Avoid the arching of the back.

Hanging Knee raises
This is one of the most difficult abdominal exercises out there, but is very effective. This requires both upper body and lower body strength along with endurance. The primary focus of this exercise is the lower abdominals but with an added twist it is also very effective for the obliques.

Starting Position
Place your hands at about shoulder width apart or a little bit over shoulder width using an overhand grip on a pull up bar. Your feet should be hanging off of the floor.

Quite a bit more intense than regular leg raises, these place stress on the entire abdominal wall, but primarily the lower half. Hanging from a chin-up bar with your legs bent at about 15-20 degrees, lifting your legs until your feet are higher than your hips. Pause and then slowly lower your legs back down to starting position.

The Exercise
Slowly, without the use of momentum swing, lift your knees towards your chest. Pause and contract the abs before slowly lowering back to the starting position and repeat.

Sets
3 set of 10-12 repetitions.

Tip
- to target the oblique muscles ""lift the knees to each side alternately "" without the use of momentum.
- to add variety to the exercise try raising your legs instead of your knees until they are parallel to the floor.