You can do hundreds of crunches all-day, everyday and never see those ripped, washboard abs. The key to obtaining those sexy, hard, visible abdominals is having the right balance of cardio and abdominal exercises.
You Have to Lose the Layer of Fat
If you want your abs to show, then losing the fat blanket is essential. Cardio is key in losing the layer of fat covering your sexy abs. The best cardio you can do to see those abdominals is interval training, which is pushing yourself to an elevated heart-rate coupled with a short recovery period. Interval training fires up your metabolism for optimum post-workout calorie burn. Try running on a treadmill for two to three minutes at a high speed, getting to 80 percent to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. Then recover by walking or jogging for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat the interval 10 to 12 times two or three times a week.
Muscle Confusion: Keep Your Abdominals Guessing
Performing crunches and sit-ups for days on end is not likely to be effective because your muscles get used to the work and stop changing. Variety and increasing the intensity are important for defining abdominal muscles. A variety of abdominal workouts, changed on a rotating basis, can keep your abdominals guessing.
Standing Abs
Standing abdominal work adds variety to ground abdominal work with an added benefit of cardio. Start with doing high-knees with your arms either straight out in a T or above your head. Use your abs to lift your knees above your hips. Continue with the high-knees but add an upper-body twist with your elbows tucked into your ribs to work your obliques. Next, do some tuck jumps using your abdominals to lift your legs above your hips. Make sure you land softly on your toes with knees bent to protect your knees. Perform each exercise back to back for 30 to 60 seconds each. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat the sequence three times.
Ground Abdominal Work
Start on your back with legs bent and knees pointing toward the upper left with your left arm straight out away from you and right arm behind your neck. Lift your head and shoulders while simultaneously straightening your legs. Use your left arm for support and reach for your toes with your right arm. The ending position should be a V-sit position on your left hip. Return to the starting position and slowly repeat eight times, then switch to the other side.
Next, do 32 fast crunches without letting your shoulders touch the mat. Then lift up into a C-sit position with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground and lean back toward the mat until you feel your abs contracting to hold you up. Your back should not be touching the mat. Then clasp your hands together and rotate your chest until your elbow reaches behind the mid-line of your back and rotate the other way so your other elbow reaches behind your back. Repeat until you have performed eight rows on each side. Lastly, stay in the C-sit position and hold for 10 seconds while pulsing and contracting your abs. Repeat the entire set two more times with no rest between.
Planks
Planks are effective because they work your abdominals, core stabilizing muscles located throughout your trunk, arms, chest and back. Plank position is correct when your arms are supporting your body and are in direct alignment with your shoulders and your head, neck and back are all in line. You can also perform a low plank by clasping your hands together and supporting your body on your elbows.
Plank Circit
Start in a low plank on your elbows and concentrate on squeezing your abs and glutes. Then lift one leg off the mat about six inches and pulse eight times and repeat with the other leg. Next, move directly into a high plank and repeat the leg pulses again. Return to a low plank and lift one leg and bring your knee toward your elbow while trying to keep the rest of your body as still as possible. Alternate legs for eight reps on each side and then move into a high plank and repeat the sequence. Rest for 30 seconds and then repeat the entire sequence three times.
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