Weighted abdominal exercises will build your abdominal "six pack." This highly visible muscle is actually your rectus abdominis, shaped on its borders by well-developed oblique muscles. All of your hard work in the gym training abdominal muscles will be enhanced if you decrease your body fat levels. Include a full-body weight-training program and four to five days of aerobic exercise, and cut your daily caloric consumption by 500 calories per day.
Step 1
Train your abdominal muscles three days per week on alternate days. Spend 45 to 60 minutes per abdominal workout. Focus on your abs by working them after an aerobic session or as a separate workout.
Step 2
Do primarily weighted abdominal exercises using progressively heavier weights. Complete four to six sets of six to 12 repetitions to increase the mass of your abdominal muscles.
Step 3
Perform a different abdominal workout for every abdominal session during the week. Focus your first abdominal workout on using a moderate amount of weight to complete 12 repetitions per set. Use a slightly heavier weight for your second abdominal workout so you can complete eight to 10 repetitions per set. Use even heavier weights so you can only do six to eight reps per set.
Step 4
Create pairs of abdominal exercises including an exercise for your rectus abdominis or "six pack" muscle with an exercise for your obliques, or an exercise for your transverse abdominals with an exercise for your obliques. Work the obliques on your left side then the obliques on your right side as another type of exercise pair. Do one set of each exercise within a pair of exercises without resting between sets.
Step 5
Pair hanging knee raises with Saxon bends, reverse crunches with dumbbell side bends, crunches on an exercise ball with oblique medicine ball throws against a rebounder and lying oblique crunches on the left side then the right side. Include the V-ups on an exercise ball or flat bench with barbell side bends, ball bridges with hanging oblique raises and reverse crunches on an incline bench with oblique crunches using glide discs.
Step 6
Strap ankle weights around your ankles to do hanging bent-knee, straight-leg or oblique raises. Hold a dumbbell above your chest when you do sit-ups on a flat or decline bench. Rest a weight plate against your chest and underneath your chin to do crunches on an exercise ball. Use a rope attachment to do crunches on a functional trainer or pull down machine. Place ankle weights around your ankles when you do reverse or double crunches.
Things You'll Need
- Ankle weights
- Arm slings
- Weight plates
- Dumbbells
- Weight benches
- Medicine ball
- Rebounder
References
- "Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 1997
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Which is More Effective for Maintaining a Healthy Body Weight: Diet or Exercise; Linda Pescatello, PhD; Sept./Oct. 2004
- American College of Sports Medicine: Progression Models in Resistance Training for Adults
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