Abdominal strength exercises improve the appearance and function of the entire body. Strong abdominals also help decrease instances of back pain and injury. Hundreds of abdominal exercises exist; most are variations of basic exercises. Perform these exercises three times per week, with at least 48 hours between workouts to allow the muscles to rest.
Crunch
The basic crunch targets the front sheath of the abdomen (the rectus abdominus) and the internal abdominal muscle (the transverse abdominus). Lying on your back, bend your knees and plant your feet flat on the floor, about one foot away from your buttocks. Cup your hands behind your head, draw your shoulder blades together and open your elbows wide. Draw the chin slightly toward the chest as you exhale and contract your abdomen. Curl your torso toward your thighs and visualize bringing your rib cage toward your pelvis. Lift your shoulders and upper back off the mat and hold briefly. Keep your elbows open throughout the exercise and your feet and lower back solidly on the mat. As you inhale, slowly lower to the beginning position. Work your way up to three sets of 15 repetitions. Avoid tugging at the head to encourage the lift; be sure the abdominals are contracting. If you find the move causes neck strain, try folding your arms in front of your chest as an alternative or touching your hands to the side of your head.
Bicycle Crunch
The bicycle crunch activates the muscles at the sides of the abdomen known as the internal and external obliques. Lie with your back pressed into the floor and your hands lightly cupped behind your head. Draw the knees up to a 45-degree angle and methodically extend and bend the legs as if you were pedaling a bike. As your right knee comes toward your torso, lift your left shoulder off the mat and twist to touch the left elbow to the knee, and switch for one repetition. Work your way up to three sets of 12 repetitions. This move was named the most effective abdominal exercise by a study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise in 2001.
Plank
The plank activates the rectus abdominus, the obliques and the transverse abdominus. Lie face-down on a mat and support your weight on your forearms and toes. Draw your abs toward your spine, bracing like you do when you sneeze or cough. Maintain a straight back, preventing a sag in the hips. At first, simply alternate between holding the position for 10 seconds and resting for 10 seconds for an entire minute. Over the course of several weeks, work up to holding for longer periods, with shorter rest periods until you can hold the position for a minute straight.
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