subject: To Build a Better Set of Abs, Try This Complete Ab Workout [print this page] To Build a Better Set of Abs, Try This Complete Ab Workout
If you've been looking for a complete ab workout, you've come to the right place. With a combination of these ab exercises and a healthy diet, you can develop six pack abs that everyone will envy. It is important to remember to not hold your breath while performing these exercises, and that form is key. You don't want to sacrifice quality for quantity.
When performing this ab workout routine, start off performing 20-25 reps per exercise. If you find this too difficult, lower the number of reps to something a little more comfortable for you. However, try to gradually increase your reps per set. You want the last few reps of your set to be a struggle. Give yourself 30-60 seconds between exercises to really feel a burn.
Cobra
Before any sort of exercise, it is important to stretch. The best way to stretch your abs is to perform a yoga pose called the cobra. Start off in a plank, or standard push-up, position. Relax your feet and point your toes behind you. Slowly walk your hands back toward your waist. Look up at the ceiling to get a good stretch. To increase the stretch, slowly turn your head toward your shoulder and try to look behind you.
Bicycle Pedal
One of the easier ab exercises is the bicycle pedal. Start in a seated position with your arm raised toward the ceiling. Lean back at about a 45 degree angle and extending your legs in an alternating fashion, as if you were pedaling a bicycle. Pedal each leg 20-25 times. If you're finding it difficult to balance as you pedal, lower your hands to the floor.
Wide Knee Heal Raises
Start in a seated position and press your heals together as if you were stretching your groin. Now lie back and raise your butt off the ground. The important aspect to this ab exercise is to keep your knees spread as wide as you can. You're going to want to kick your feet up as you raise off the ground; try not to do this. Concentrate on pushing your heals together and spreading your hips to widen the knees. You should really feel it in your lower abs.
Scissors
Start by lying on your back. Lift your left leg so that your heal is about 6 inches off the ground. Now raise your right leg as far as you can. Hold this position for about a 3 count. You'll laugh when you realize how soon you start counting to 3 a little bit faster. Alternate legs in a scissor fashion. Try to do 25 reps. Don't be afraid to take a break about half way through. This is a tough exercise, but you'll be proud of yourself when you get through it and happy when you see the results.
In and Outs
There are a few variations to this exercise. First off, start off with your legs extended out in front of you and your feet lifted off the ground. Lean back at about at about a 45 degree angle. What you're going to do is bring your knees in toward your chest. The variations to this ab exercise involve what you do with your arms. One way is to extend them straight up while you tighten your abs. You want to keep your chin and chest pointed up toward the ceiling as well to make the exercise more efficient. The second variation is to extend your arms outward, and when you bring your knees in, your bring your arms in as if you wanted to hug your knees. When you extend your legs back out, you bring your arms back to their original position. The third variation is the easiest of the three. To help maintain balance while bringing your knees in and out, place your palms down near your hips.
Y-Situps
Begin by lying on your back and spread your legs so that your body makes a Y-shape. Extend your arms straight up. Now do a situp and once you're sitting straight up, reach over toward your left toes. Once you reach as far as you can, hold your abs tight and return to your lying position. Repeat the exercise, except now reaching for your right toes. To make this ab exercise a little more difficult, instead of extending your legs out, cross them like a pretzel. You'll be able to tell the difference. Try to do 25 reps. During this exercise, inhale as you're doing the situp, and exhale as you are returning to your original position. It's also very important to hold your abs tight when returning to your original position.
Heal Ups
Start by lying on your back. Raise so that they're pointing toward the ceiling. To do this ab exercise, you lift your butt off the ground as you imagine your heals kicking through the ceiling. You should really feel it in your lower abs. Side Bends If you're looking to get rid of love handles, this ab exercise is for you. To perform a side bend, find a free weight that you're comfortable holding for a longer period of time. What you're going to do is hold the free weight at your side in your right hand, and lower it to about your knee. Then you're going to use your oblique muscles on your left side to pull the free weight up to its original position. Try to do 10-12 reps and repeat on the other side. You want to try and not use your arm or shoulder to lift the free weight back up. This is where the comfort level of the weight comes into play. This ab exercise will help you get rid of love handles in no time.
Situp Twists
This ab exercise will probably resemble the picture that pops in your head when your hear the word situp. Start by lying on your back with your hands behind your ears. Place your feet on the floor. The closer you place your heals to your butt, the more difficult (better results) this ab exercise becomes. Now do a traditional situp, but when you get to the top of your situp, twist your right elbow to the inside of your left knee. Repeat the situp except twisting your left elbow to the inside of your right knee. Try to do 25-30 reps.
Core Twists
Start with your feet held about 6-10 inches off the ground. Make a fist with your left hand and grab it your right. What you're going to do is twist your upper body and touch the ground on either side of your with your fist. Touching each side counts as one rep. Try and 25-30 reps to start out.
