Getting six-pack abdominals requires consistent core workouts that focus on developing the rectus abdominus muscle, which runs down the front of your torso. The rectus abdominus controls your posture and helps you stand up straight and contracts to flex your spine. When working out to increase muscle tone, complete enough repetitions to overload the muscle so that it's forced to adapt and build itself up.
Step 1
Complete your abdominal exercise routine three days per week. Resting for 48 hours between workouts is necessary for your abdominal muscles to recover and develop. Not allowing adequate rest for your muscles will not only adversely affect your performance on subsequent workouts, but will keep you from achieving the highest level of definition.
Step 2
Complete multiple abdominal exercises during your workout routine. The abdominal exercises that most effectively recruit the rectus abdominus muscle that do not require any additional equipment are: the bicycle, crunches with your legs up in the air, reverse crunches and the traditional crunch.
For the bicycle exercise, lie on your back, put your hands behind your head and lift your feet up off the floor with your knees bent. Crunch up and move your left elbow towards your right knee, then come back down and switch, crunching to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.
The crunch with legs in the air is done on your back with your legs held straight up towards the ceiling. Hold your arms up and touch the top of your feet as you crunch up.
The traditional and reverse crunches begin in the same position, lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. For the traditional crunch, either place your hands behind your head to support your neck or hold your arms straight up towards the ceiling. Crunch up from your abdominals, pulling your head and shoulder blades up off the floor. For the reverse crunch, instead of lifting your shoulder blades, you keep your shoulders on the floor and curl up from your bottom half, picking your hips up off the floor.
Step 3
Complete three sets of 30 repetitions of each exercise. By completing 90 repetitions of each exercise, you will do an overall total of 360 abdominal repetitions in each session, which will be adequate to overload your rectus abdominus and trigger the muscle to grow in size.
Tips and Warnings
- While abdominal exercises are what develop the definition of your abdominal muscles, the six-pack could be covered up and unnoticeable if you have a significant amount of body fat. Fat tissue is completely independent of muscle and it lies over the top of your muscles, which could mask any definition that you've created through your abdominal workout routine.
- During each repetition, concentrate on using your rectus abdominus muscle to complete the movements. Do not jerk in an attempt to complete more repetitions. Keep your neck in a neutral position to prevent muscle strains.
Things You'll Need
- Exercise mat
Member Comments