When working your abdominals you want work smarter, not harder. All abs exercises aren’t created equally. A study sponsored by ACE and headed by Dr. Peter Francis at San Diego State University’s Biometrics lab tested and found the most effective abdominal exercises. Any combination of these workouts, with the right diet and cardio exercise, can give you the tight, toned tummy you’ve been looking for.
Bicycle Crunches
Bicycle crunches are the most effective abdominal exercise, according to the San Diego University study. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your hands behind your head. Bring your knees into your chest and kick out your left leg while twisting your torso to the left. Bring your leg back in and repeat on the right. Complete 10 to 15 reps on each leg for two to three sets.
Captain’s Chair
Captain's Chair is the second most effective abdominal exercise and the best exercise for the obliques in the ACE sponsored study. Step into a fitness rack and place your back on the back rest, your arms in the arm rests and your hands on the hand grips. Raise your knees up to your chest and then bring them straight down. Keep your legs together and don’t swing your legs as you raise them up and down. Repeat for 10 to 15 reps and two to three sets.
Exercise Ball Crunch
Exercise ball crunch ranks as third most effective exercise. Lie on an exercise ball and walk your feet out until the ball is positioned under your lower back. Place your hands behind your head and crunch your body up by bringing your shoulders and torso off the ball. Return to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 15 reps and two to three sets.
Vertical Leg Crunch
The vertical leg crunch is the fourth most effective workout and the fifth best for the obliques in Dr. Francis’s abdominal exercise study. Lie on the floor with your hands behind your head and your legs together pointing straight in the air. Next, crunch your body up by bringing your torso and shoulders off the ground. Return to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 15 reps and two to three sets.
Torso Track
The Torso Track ranked fifth most effective abdominal workout in the ACE sponsored exercise study. Place your knees on the Torso Track’s knee rest and grip the handles. Contract your abs and exhale as you slide forward along the track going out as far as you can. Inhale and pull your body back into the starting position. Repeat for eight to ten reps and two to three sets.
Long Arm Crunch
Sixth most effective is the long arm crunch abdominal exercise. Lie on the floor with your feet flat on the floor and your arms extended above your head. Place your hands on top of each other palms facing up. Crunch your body up by bringing your shoulders blades off the floor. Return to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 15 reps for two to three sets.
Reverse Crunch
The reverse crunch is the seventh most effective abdominal workout and the third best at working the obliques. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your feet flat on the floor. Bring your knees into your chest, keeping them at a 90 degree angle. Contract your abs so your hips do lift off the floor. Make sure to use your abs to raise your hips and not just lift your hips up and down wildly. Return to starting position and repeat for 10 to 15 reps and two to three sets.
Crunch with Heel Push
The crunch with heel push lands in eighth place in the study. Lie on the floor with your hands behind your head and your feel flat on the floor. Point your toes in the air and curl your shoulder blades and torso off the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat for 10 to 15 reps and two to three sets.
Ab Roller
The ab roller is the ninth most effective abs exercise. Sit on the ab roller and grab the bar overhead. Contract your abs and roll forward using your abdominals to create the movement, not just relying on the momentum that’s pulling you forward. Complete 10 to 15 reps for two to three sets.
Plank (Hover)
The tenth most effective abdominal exercise in the study is the Plank, and the fourth best at working the obliques. Lie on the floor face down while resting on your forearms. Push your body up in the push-up position while still resting on your forearms. Keep your body aligned and your back flat. Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat for a total of one to two minutes.
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