"Strength Training Anatomy" explains that the abdominal muscles work together to not only move your torso in relation to your legs but also to support your internal organs. Strong abdominal muscles help give you a flat stomach, while weak abdominal muscles bulge from the pressure behind them. This is especially true for men, who tend to store fat around the internal organs instead of outside the abdominal wall. Men should use their strength to their advantage to build the entire core with difficult exercises.
Abdominal Hold
The abdominal hold barely looks like an abdominal exercise, but it will work your core strongly, tightening the muscles that hold in your gut. It requires upper-body strength and is a particularly effective exercise for men. To perform an abdominal hold, sit on a stable chair. Fitness Magazine emphasizes that the chair needs to be sturdy for your safety. Hold the front edge of the seat. Press down and lift your butt off the chair. Lift your feet off the ground. Hover above the chair for reps of 10 seconds. Perform as many reps as you can fit in one minute.
Plate Twists
The plate twist works the upper and lower rectus abdominis--the six-pack muscle--equally, while also working the obliques. It's a simple but difficult exercise that builds the kind of core strength men need for a flat stomach. To perform plate twists, sit on an exercise mat with your feet flat on the floor. Hold a weight plate or medicine ball several inches from your chest. Lean back and lift your feet from the ground, balancing on your butt. Slowly twist to either side, holding the weight away from your body. A twist to each side equals one rep. Perform sets of 10 reps.
Ab Wheel Rollout
The ab wheel rollout requires upper-body strength but gets deep into the rectus abdominis, especially the lower portion. You'll probably feel your lower abs working harder than they ever have before. To perform an ab wheel rollout, kneel on the ground with your hands on the handles of an ab wheel. Roll forward, extending your arms before you, until your arms, torso and thighs make a straight line that's nearly parallel to the ground. Use your front hip flexors and lower abs to pull your body back into a kneeling position. Perform sets of 10 reps.
Deadlift
According to Arnold Schwarzenegger in "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding," the deadlift works nearly every muscle in the body. Because of this, you can move a tremendous amount of weight compared to other exercises, and that's the key to its core-building ability. To keep your spine from folding forward under the weight, your core fully activates to create internal pressure. This builds strength in the web of abdominal muscles that hold in your organs. To perform a deadlift, stand before a barbell on the ground with your feet a bit narrower than shoulder-width apart. Squat and grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip. This will place your forearms outside your legs. Keep a strong back, look straight ahead and stand with the barbell. Follow the same path to return the barbell to the ground. Perform sets of four to six reps.
References
- "Strength Training Anatomy 3rd Ed."; Frederic Delavier; 2010
- Fitness Magazine: Our Top 10 Abs Exercises
- "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding"; Arnold Schwarzenegger; 1998
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