Chiseled, washboard abs give you that beach-ready body you want, but great abs can help with more than just your appearance. Strong abdominal muscles also help with movements like bending and lifting, and help to keep your back strong and injury-free. Specific workouts, done consistently and properly, can get you closer to the perfect six pack.
Pulldowns
Pulldowns help to not only work your abs, but also build your back muscles. This helps maintain balance between your abdominal muscles and your back to prevent putting excessive pull and strain on your spine.
Sit down facing the pulldown machine and grasp the raised bar that's attached to the pulley and weights. Orient your hands so your palms are facing away from you, knuckles pointed toward the ceiling, and spaced a couple feet apart. Pull the bar down straight toward the floor, avoiding the temptation to pull it toward your waist or thighs. Slowly relax and let the bar raise back up to complete one repetition. "The Abs Diet" handbook recommends doing two sets of 10 repetitions and resting for 30 seconds between sets.
The "L"
The "L" is one of the top three exercises for getting chiseled abs, reports "Esquire" magazine. Lie down with your back on the floor. Interweave your fingers and place your hands up and behind your head. Straighten your left leg on the floor with your right leg slightly bend. Raise your left leg while contracting your abs until your leg is pointed straight at the sky, thus creating an L-shape with your torso. Lower the leg back down, switch leg positions and repeat with your right leg. Aim for 25 repetitions for each leg.
Medicine-Ball Curl-up
To accelerate your ab development, "Men's Fitness" recommends adding a medicine ball -- a small, weighted ball about 12 inches in diameter -- to your workout. Lie with your back on the ground. Bend your knees so that they form a 90-degree angle, but keep the soles of your feet floored. Stretch your arms up and over your head, holding the medicine ball and resting it on the ground. Lift your entire torso up into a sitting position while moving the medicine ball in front of you as if you were throwing it overhead. Lower your body back to the ground while raising the ball back above your head. Attempt to do three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions each.
The Mermaid
This fitness regimen will give you guaranteed great abs, according to "Shape" magazine. Rest your right forearm on an exercise ball and straighten your torso out to the left so that your feet and legs form a 45-degree angle with the floor. Lift your left arm straight overhead. While leaning on the ball, lower your arm until its perpendicular with your body while simultaneously lifting your left leg straight away from your body. Hold this for a second, then lower your leg and raise your arm back up to finish one rep. Repeat for a total of 20 repetitions, then switch sides on the ball.
References
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; 2005
- "Esquire": Best Exercises for Your Abs
- "Men's Fitness": Abs in Depth
- "Shape": Great Abs Guaranteed
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