The Mayo Clinic cites a number of benefits from core training, which includes strengthening your abs. Among the listed benefits you'll find improved balance, stability and ease of movement plus a toned, attractive midsection and a jump-start toward meeting your fitness goals. The days of doing thousands of crunches to tone your midsection are over; there's a nearly endless variety of abdominal exercises and crunches you can do to work your abs.
Traditional Crunch
You'll still encounter the traditional crunch everywhere from exercise videos to group fitness classes. The traditional crunch was used as the baseline for testing other ab exercises' efficacy in a 2001 study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise.
To do traditional crunches lie down on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Cross both arms over your chest. Squeeze your abs to lift your head and shoulders slightly off the floor; think of bringing your ribs down toward your pelvis.
Long Arm Crunch
A long arm crunch extends the length of the lever your abs are moving, thus forcing them to work harder. Do a long arm crunch just as the traditional crunch described above, but instead of crossing both arms across your chest, extend them straight overhead and keep them there throughout the motion.
Vertical Leg Crunch
The vertical leg crunch performed significantly better in the ACE-commissioned study than both the traditional crunch and long arm crunch. Do vertical leg crunches just as the traditional crunch described above, but instead of resting your feet on the floor, extend both legs straight up over your hips and keep them there throughout the motion.
Bicycle Maneuver
The bicycle maneuver ranked first in the ACE-commissioned study for activity in the rectus abdominus and second for activity in the obliques, making it one of the most effective ab exercises. To perform the bicycle maneuver, assume the position for the vertical leg crunch. As you crunch up, bring your right knee down and your left elbow up and across your body until they meet, or nearly meet. Lower back down and straighten your right leg, then on the next crunch, bring your left knee and right elbow together. Continue alternating back and forth. Lower your legs closer to the floor to make the exercise more challenging as your abs get stronger.
Oblique Crunches
Another way of working your obliques is to assume the traditional crunch position, then perform an oblique crunch. Drop both your knees to the left; your hips will naturally rotate to the left, too. Squeeze your abs to pinch the right side of your ribcage closer to the right side of your pelvis. Complete a full set on this side before dropping your knees to the right to work the other side of your abdomen.
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