When most people attempt to perform ab workouts at home, they usually just lie on the floor and engage in a marathon of crunch repetitions. This all too common approach will never lead to a well-balanced set of six pack abs.
For starters, the floor crunch only provides enough resistance to cause a training effect in beginners. Once you develop a base of strength, the crunch will only serve as an exercise capable of maintaining your current strength level.
Secondly, the crunch only trains the abs in one range of motion: flexion of the trunk. Flexing the trunk is only one of the many ranges of motion that your abdominal muscles are capable of. Any well designed ab workout will include exercises that target all major ranges of motion. The bottom line is, the crunch alone can never provide a complete ab workout.
What you need to do is perform several different ab exercises, with each on working your abs in a different plane of motion. This is not as confusing as it may sound. With a basic understanding of how your abs work, this concept is quite simple.
Don't worry, I promise I'm not to give you a boring anatomy lesson. Instead, I'm going to take all of the guesswork out and provide you with a ready to use workout. Additionally, this workout will require no equipment at all, making it "just what the doctor ordered" for those of you who train at home.
1a) Reverse Crunch On Floor 3x20-25 30 sec rest 1b) Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor 3x12 (5sec hold) 30 sec rest 2a) Plank 3x60 sec 30 sec rest 2b) Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle 3x20-25 30 sec rest
Now I will give you a detailed description on how to properly execute each exercise:
Reverse Crunch On Floor- Lie on your back on a mat. Flex both knees and hips to 90 degree angles. Bring knees toward chest by flexing abdominal muscles, raising butt from floor while maintaining a constant knee angle. Return until hips and knees are again extended to 90 degree angles. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.
Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor- Lie on your side on the floor. Keep your arms straight out above your head. Be sure to keep your legs straight. Lock your fingers together. Now raise both your arms and legs up so that neither are in contact with the floor. Hold this contraction for the prescribed number of seconds.
Plank- Get on the floor in a push up position. Support your body on your forearms and your toes. Be sure to hold your body in a straight line by keeping your abs tight. Do not let your hips or head sag. Hold for the prescribed number of seconds.
Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle- Sit on floor and cross your arms across your chest, grabbing the opposite shoulders. Lean back until your upper body makes a 45 degree angle to the floor. Rotate trunk to the right while simultaneously bringing your right knee towards your chest. At this point your left elbow will be touching your right knee. In a smooth motion rotate to the left and repeat this on the other side. Continue to alternate until you finish the prescribed number of reps. One full rotation equals one rep.
And there you have it! A simple ab workout you can perform anywhere with no equipment necessary. Do this workout 2-3 times per week for up to a month. After a month, it will be time to progress to a more advanced routine.
A great six pack is only a few weeks away! Start today and sculpt your stomach faster than you thought possible! - 16083
For starters, the floor crunch only provides enough resistance to cause a training effect in beginners. Once you develop a base of strength, the crunch will only serve as an exercise capable of maintaining your current strength level.
Secondly, the crunch only trains the abs in one range of motion: flexion of the trunk. Flexing the trunk is only one of the many ranges of motion that your abdominal muscles are capable of. Any well designed ab workout will include exercises that target all major ranges of motion. The bottom line is, the crunch alone can never provide a complete ab workout.
What you need to do is perform several different ab exercises, with each on working your abs in a different plane of motion. This is not as confusing as it may sound. With a basic understanding of how your abs work, this concept is quite simple.
Don't worry, I promise I'm not to give you a boring anatomy lesson. Instead, I'm going to take all of the guesswork out and provide you with a ready to use workout. Additionally, this workout will require no equipment at all, making it "just what the doctor ordered" for those of you who train at home.
1a) Reverse Crunch On Floor 3x20-25 30 sec rest 1b) Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor 3x12 (5sec hold) 30 sec rest 2a) Plank 3x60 sec 30 sec rest 2b) Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle 3x20-25 30 sec rest
Now I will give you a detailed description on how to properly execute each exercise:
Reverse Crunch On Floor- Lie on your back on a mat. Flex both knees and hips to 90 degree angles. Bring knees toward chest by flexing abdominal muscles, raising butt from floor while maintaining a constant knee angle. Return until hips and knees are again extended to 90 degree angles. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.
Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor- Lie on your side on the floor. Keep your arms straight out above your head. Be sure to keep your legs straight. Lock your fingers together. Now raise both your arms and legs up so that neither are in contact with the floor. Hold this contraction for the prescribed number of seconds.
Plank- Get on the floor in a push up position. Support your body on your forearms and your toes. Be sure to hold your body in a straight line by keeping your abs tight. Do not let your hips or head sag. Hold for the prescribed number of seconds.
Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle- Sit on floor and cross your arms across your chest, grabbing the opposite shoulders. Lean back until your upper body makes a 45 degree angle to the floor. Rotate trunk to the right while simultaneously bringing your right knee towards your chest. At this point your left elbow will be touching your right knee. In a smooth motion rotate to the left and repeat this on the other side. Continue to alternate until you finish the prescribed number of reps. One full rotation equals one rep.
And there you have it! A simple ab workout you can perform anywhere with no equipment necessary. Do this workout 2-3 times per week for up to a month. After a month, it will be time to progress to a more advanced routine.
A great six pack is only a few weeks away! Start today and sculpt your stomach faster than you thought possible! - 16083
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