The Best Ab Workouts to Get a Flat Stomach

Program Description
Many ab workouts and exercises exist. Finding the most appropriate for you and your goals is important. Though no exercise will give you instant washboard abs, such exercises, when combined with a healthy diet, can strengthen and tone your muscles, resulting in more sculpted, tight abs.

Actions
1. Set aside 15 - 20 minutes, once or twice per day to focus on ab work. Record your exercise sessions in your fitness journal or calendar. Committing to a daily routine such as this is key.

2. Avoid exercises that put strain on your spine, such as standard sit ups (sitting all the way up with each repetition) or any abdominal exercise without a proper mat. Address such strain immediately to avoid injury and improve results.

3. Incorporate a variety of crunch exercises that address different parts of your ab region, such as standard crunches (lifting your head toward the ceiling from a lying down at position), reverse crunches (lifting your legs toward the ceiling from a lying down position) and oblique crunches (standard crunches with your knees positioned sideways).

4. To add cardio activity to your ab work out, try bicycle crunches, by cycling your legs and touching your elbows alternately to each leg as they rise, all from a lie-down crunch position.

5. As you do your ab exercises, be sure that you are breathing properly (breathing from your diaphragm and exhaling as you contract), carrying proper form and focusing your attention on pulling strength from your ab region. When in doubt, seek guidance from a trusted fitness professional.