Fast Six Pack Exercises

If you want to exercise your ab muscles in the quickest and most effective way, there is one particular move that is ranked No. 1 by the American Council on Exercise. The bicycle maneuver, which you can perform virtually anywhere any time, is the six-pack ab seeker's mother lode. A home routine that incorporates the bicycle maneuver along with a few other top-ranked abdominal exercises can help you achieve strong, sleek abs without having to spend hours a day at the gym.

Bicycle Maneuver

The bicycle maneuver not only requires constant stabilization of your abdominal wall, but it also involves body rotation which generates the most muscle activity in the obliques. To perform the bicycle, lie flat on the floor or a mat with your lower back pressed to the ground. Place both hands behind your head with your elbows open wide, lined up with your ears. Bring your knees up to about a 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion by extending your right leg out just above the floor. Contract your abs in tightly and draw your right knee into your chest as you simultaneously extend your left leg. Continue alternating legs. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Remember to breathe normally without holding your breath throughout the exercise. Perform two to three sets of 20 to 30 repetitions. To increase the intensity, have an assistant place his hands just above your knees and offer resistance to the bicycle move.

Stability Ball Crunches

Basic abdominal crunches performed on a stability ball are ranked No. 3 by the American Council on Exercise of the most effective abdominal exercises. Not only does this exercise recruit the rectus abdominis muscles, but it does it without utilizing your hip flexor muscles which makes it even more effective. To begin this exercise, sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the floor. Slowly walk your feet out in front of you until the ball is resting comfortably in the curvature of your spine. You can either place your arms across your chest or behind your head. Exhale as you slowly lift your upper torso up off the ball until it reaches no higher than 45 degrees. Inhale as you return to starting position. Perform two to three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.

Vertical Leg Crunch

Finish off your six-pack ab routine with the vertical leg crunch and you will have recruited all the abdominal muscles in a fast effective home workout program. To perform this exercise, once again, return to the floor with your lower back pressed into the ground. Extend your legs straight up in the air, directly over your hips with your ankles crossed and your knees slightly bent. Place your hands behind your head but do not pull on the head. Exhale and contract your abs by lifting your upper body towards your knees. Keep you chin in line with your head and your head in line with your spine throughout the exercise. Inhale and return to starting position. Perform two to three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions. To spice up your routine and add a little variety, you can perform one set of bicycles, followed by ball crunches and finally vertical leg crunches, and then repeat the entire sequence one or two more times.