A well-rounded abdominal training program challenges your muscles from different angles creating muscle confusion, which builds muscles fibers for greater hypertrophy and strength. Perform three circuits of ab exercises on alternating days of the week, allowing one rest day between circuits. This will yield greater strength gains and reduce over-training risks, according to the Mayo Clinic. In a 30-day program, each circuit can be completed five times.
Isometric Contractions
A pitfall of traditional abdominal exercises--crunches, for example--is breezing through the movement using momentum. This circuit utilizes isometric contraction--holding a position of muscle tension with little or no joint movement--and provides stabilization for abdominal muscles. Remember to breathe when performing isometric exercises.
Planks: Lie on your stomach and place forearms and elbows on the floor. Keeping abs in lift entire body up in a straight line.
Side Planks: Lie on one side with elbow under the shoulder and forearm flat on the floor. Raise entire body up in a straight line. Repeat on the other side.
One-Hundred: Lie on your back with legs raised perpendicular to the floor, arms at your sides. Raise head, shoulders and arms slightly and flutter arms steadily for a count of 100.
Hold each position for 30 seconds, then repeat for a total of three sets.
Obliques
The second circuit targets the oblique muscles which run along your sides and support a V-shape silhouette. Each exercise works the oblique muscles from a slightly different angle and with differing joint movements.
Crunch Circles: Lie on the floor with knees bent and feet flat. Place hands behind your head. Lift shoulders off the floor in a clockwise movement as if you're tracing the inside of a barrel with your head. Repeat counterclockwise.
Russian Twist: Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet in front of you. Hold a weighted medicine ball with arms in front of you at shoulder level. Twist to one side and tap the ball to the floor. Twist to the other side and repeat.
Bicycle: Lie on the floor with hands behind your head and bent legs raised. Bring one knee in to your chest as you twist with the opposite arm. Lead with your armpit not your elbow.
Perform 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise then repeat for a total of three sets.
Lower Abdominals
The final circuit challenges the lower abdominal muscles which support a flat stomach and improve posture.
Ball Pass: Lie on the floor with legs raised straight up. Hold a medicine ball in your hands overhead and crunch up to place it between your feet. Lie back down reaching arms overhead. Repeat to retrieve ball.
Reverse Crunch: Lie on the floor with bent legs raised. Pull both knees in to your chest using lower abdominal muscles to control the movement. Lower hips to the floor and repeat.
Hip Lifts: Lie on a bench with legs raised straight overhead. Hold onto the bench behind your head and neck. Select a point on the ceiling and raise legs upward, keeping them perpendicular. Lower slowly and repeat.
Perform eight to 10 repetitions of each exercise then repeat for a total of three sets.
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