There are a variety of ways to work your abs, so it can be difficult honing in on the routine that works best for you. There are some key elements to remember when designing your ab routine, and as long as you include these, your ab regimen should attract the right kind of attention at the gym.
Work All Facets
When planning your routine, abs are not the only target area to consider. Your entire group of core muscles should be the area of emphasis. The core includes your abdominals, but also your obliques and lower back. It is important to include these additional muscles in your routine so your physique is balanced. Many lower-back issues can be attributed to neglect of the core.
Work All Angles
Forcing your midsection to experience the loads associated with working from varying angles is a must. How much benefit will you reap if you only do crunches from the floor? Not much. Do crunches on a decline bench, leg raises on an incline bench or the traditional leg raises using the hanging arm straps. You don't have to repeatedly perform the same exercises from the same angles. Variations can help you avoid a training rut.
Put on Some Weight
Add resistance to your core routine. If you want sculpted, washboard-style abs, you have to work them just like any other muscle. Biceps work is done with weights, so apply the same principle to your midsection, even your lower back. Add ankle weights to your leg raises, a 5- to 10-pound weights to your decline crunch and weight plates to your planks.
Add a Twist
Twisting movements can be added to any routine. When you include an exercise that forces you to twist your torso, you are engaging your entire core, specifically your oblique muscles, which are on either side of your abs. When you add a twisting movement to your routine, you add a functional element to what you are doing. It becomes more applicable to the movements that your body produces on a daily basis.
Make New Friends
To avoid tedium, it is important to introduce your body to new equipment. You can include equipment like the BOSU balance trainer, which works your stabilizing muscles while you do a plank. You can do your crunches or leg raises on a stability ball for extra intensity. You can do crunches on a cable machine, using the rope attachment similar to triceps extensions. Add variety. Do not stick to one exercise or a single range of repetitions.
Remember Your Lower Back
One of the most important things that comes from an exercise routine is the protection from injury that it provides. However, sometimes you can cause injury by not exercising properly. You must include lower-back exercises with your ab routine. If you neglect your lower-back muscles too long, the abdominal muscles will become dominant and it could produce an imbalance in your core.
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