Eventually, you'll attain the waist size you want through your exercise routine. Once you've done this and you're abs are beginning to show, you may need to switch your focus to develop tone and definition in your abdominal muscle. While your core muscles are primarily responsible for tightening your waist, tone is accomplished by building definition between abdominal muscle groups and the ligaments that cross the rectus abdominis to create a six pack. This requires lower-rep exercises that target the outer abdominal muscles of the upper and lower rectus abdominis and the external obliques.
Plate Twists
Plate twists are good for toning the abs due to the combination of isometric crunching and added resistance. To perform a plate twist, sit on an exercise mat and hold a weight plate or medicine ball. Lean back and lift your feet from the floor so that you balance on only your butt. Twist the weight to each side once for one rep. Perform sets of 10 to 20 reps. Increase the weight once you can perform 20 reps. The "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding" explains that plate twists build the upper, lower and oblique abdominals, and the intercostals.
Press Sit-Up
The explosiveness of the press sit-up will shock your rectus abdominis into growth, causing the muscle to bulge between the ligaments of the tendinous inscriptions. To perform a press sit-up, lie back on a decline bench. Hold a barbell to your chest. Press the weight up, and at the same time perform a sit-up. Lower yourself back down in a controlled manner, and at the same time lower the barbell back to your chest. Perform sets of 10 to 15 reps. Advance by adding weight, not reps.
Cable Crunches
Cable crunches are very effective at adding definition to the lower abdominals, especially the pyramidalis located beneath the rectus abdominis. Attach a rope to a high pulley and kneel on the ground. Hold the rope with both hands in front of your forehead. In "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding," Arnold Schwarzenegger advises that you think of your arms as only attachments, and crunch the weight down with your abdominals. Don't use heavy weight, just enough to consciously contract against. Relax back up to the starting position. Perform sets of 10 to 20.
Side Jackknife
The side jackknife allows the experienced lifter to contract the oblique abdominals better than any other exercise. This will carve in the definition between the obliques and the rectus abdominis, creating the double "V" shape running towards the groin. To perform a side jackknife, lie on your side on an exercise mat. Stack your feet one on top of the other and put the fingers of your upper hand behind your upper ear. Lift your top leg and at the same time perform a side crunch with your upper body. Contract tightly at the top, then relax back down. Switch sides between sets. Perform 10 to 20 reps per set. If you aren't done after 20 reps, you aren't contracting hard enough.
Hanging Reverse Crunches
The hanging reverse crunch is a very difficult exercise that will add definition to your lower abdominals by forcing you to crunch your pelvis towards your chest under the resistance of your legs. To perform hanging reverse crunches, hang from a vertical bench or a chin-up bar. Raise your legs forward, crossing your ankles and bending your knees a bit. This is the starting position. Keep your legs raised until the set is complete. Crunch your pelvis up. Hold for a moment, then lower to the starting position. Perform sets of 10 to 20. Bend the knees more to reduce the difficult of the exercise.
References
- "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding"; Robert Kennedy; 2008
- "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding"; Arnold Schwarzenegger; 1998
- "Strength Training Anatomy 3rd Ed."; Frederic Delavier; 2010
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