Most people enthusiastic about body conditioning work hard to build up their abdomen. Often they overlook the fact that the abdomen is not a single muscle. The abs is in actuality a collection of muscles. Thus, one must use a collection of abs exercises when developing the muscles in the abdominal area. There is an assortment of exercises one can select from to get the best work out for the abs.
The abs exercise with the highest popularity is the crunch. This exercise is executed by lying face up on the floor with the knees slightly bent and then lifting the upper-body off of the floor towards the thighs. To deepen this exercise, one can execute the crunch while holding an exercise ball between ones legs.
A nice variation on the popular crunch is to bring the left foot up and rest it on the right knee across the body. Repeat the crunching action while in this position. Follow this by placing the right foot across onto the left knee across ones body. Alternating the crunch exercise provides different stimulation for the muscle group which is an excellent work out for the abdominal muscles.
One more variation of the crunch is referred to as the reverse crunch. To perform the reverse crunch, one would lift the bottom half of ones body off of the floor instead of lifting the torso while lying on ones back. Swift motions is incorrect Slow, strong movements is proper form for the highest level of effectiveness in this as well as other abdominal exercises.
Another exercise which is excellent for abs is the hanging knee lift. This exercise is done by hanging from a pull-up bar and bending at the pelvis to lift your knees towards your upper torso. People sometimes execute this exercise incorrectly because they allow there upper body to sway and bend at the hip. By swaying and bending at the hip, one works out the hip flexor, not the abdomen. The way to execute this exercise correctly is to keep ones upper body as still as possible and lift at the pelvis moving the legs and knees as one unit.
Another good abdominal exercise is the bicycle. The bicycle is done by lying face-up on the floor and lifting the legs at a 45 degree angle above the ground. With hands held tightly behind the head, one would motion the legs as if riding on a bike. To get the best results form this exercise, the upper body should twist so that ones elbows can alternately touch the opposite knees as the legs contract and extend keeping the abdomen tight throughout this exercise.
An alteration to the bike exercise is to change the speeds of ones legs from fast to slow and then fast again. The changing of the speeds causes different levels of resistance for the abs which helps them improve. One more alteration to the bike exercise is to extend one leg fully and hold it above the floor for a few seconds leaving the other leg in a crunched position. Alternately switch to the other leg and hold it fully extended above the floor for a few seconds while crunching the first leg.
Alternate the days when performing these exercises and alterations. One should not work the same muscle group with the same exercise too consecutively. Also, keeping the movements slow and controlled is the best way to avoid the risk of injuring ones abdomen. The best work out for the abs can be obtained by using a group of the best abdominal exercises.
The abs exercise with the highest popularity is the crunch. This exercise is executed by lying face up on the floor with the knees slightly bent and then lifting the upper-body off of the floor towards the thighs. To deepen this exercise, one can execute the crunch while holding an exercise ball between ones legs.
A nice variation on the popular crunch is to bring the left foot up and rest it on the right knee across the body. Repeat the crunching action while in this position. Follow this by placing the right foot across onto the left knee across ones body. Alternating the crunch exercise provides different stimulation for the muscle group which is an excellent work out for the abdominal muscles.
One more variation of the crunch is referred to as the reverse crunch. To perform the reverse crunch, one would lift the bottom half of ones body off of the floor instead of lifting the torso while lying on ones back. Swift motions is incorrect Slow, strong movements is proper form for the highest level of effectiveness in this as well as other abdominal exercises.
Another exercise which is excellent for abs is the hanging knee lift. This exercise is done by hanging from a pull-up bar and bending at the pelvis to lift your knees towards your upper torso. People sometimes execute this exercise incorrectly because they allow there upper body to sway and bend at the hip. By swaying and bending at the hip, one works out the hip flexor, not the abdomen. The way to execute this exercise correctly is to keep ones upper body as still as possible and lift at the pelvis moving the legs and knees as one unit.
Another good abdominal exercise is the bicycle. The bicycle is done by lying face-up on the floor and lifting the legs at a 45 degree angle above the ground. With hands held tightly behind the head, one would motion the legs as if riding on a bike. To get the best results form this exercise, the upper body should twist so that ones elbows can alternately touch the opposite knees as the legs contract and extend keeping the abdomen tight throughout this exercise.
An alteration to the bike exercise is to change the speeds of ones legs from fast to slow and then fast again. The changing of the speeds causes different levels of resistance for the abs which helps them improve. One more alteration to the bike exercise is to extend one leg fully and hold it above the floor for a few seconds leaving the other leg in a crunched position. Alternately switch to the other leg and hold it fully extended above the floor for a few seconds while crunching the first leg.
Alternate the days when performing these exercises and alterations. One should not work the same muscle group with the same exercise too consecutively. Also, keeping the movements slow and controlled is the best way to avoid the risk of injuring ones abdomen. The best work out for the abs can be obtained by using a group of the best abdominal exercises.
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