Just like any other muscle group, your abdominals need at least a day of rest between serious workouts. But that doesn't mean they ever stop working entirely. Your abs and other core muscles, including your erector spinae and glutes, are responsible for stabilizing your spine during everyday activities. Get the most out of your workouts -- and those everyday activities -- by following a few simple abdominal training tips.
Use a Stability Ball
According to a 2001 study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise, stability ball crunches are one of the most effective abdominal exercises. The act of balancing on the stability ball works every core muscle, including your abs. You can use the stability ball as a substitute for an office chair, or use it as a weight bench for an extra ab workout as you work other muscle groups.
Work Smarter
You don't have to do hundreds of crunches to get a firm, toned midsection. Aerobic exercise, not crunches, will melt extra fat away efficiently. Once you've lost the extra fat, one to three sets of 10 to 25 repetitions is adequate for toning your abs. The key is that you should be fatigued by the end of your sets. If you can keep doing more than your target number of repetitions, check your form. Slow down and, if necessary, add extra resistance or do a more difficult variation so that you get fatigued by rep number 25.
Ditch Infomercial Equipment
Ab equipment infomercials commonly promise to relieve the pain and discomfort of doing crunches. But crunches don't hurt if you do them right, and although stability balls do help you train your abs, you don't actually need any special equipment to tone your midsection. Make sure you're keeping both knees bent, feet flat on the floor when you do your crunches. Cross both arms on your chest, or place them to either side of your head instead of directly behind it, so you don't pull on your neck. Raise your head and shoulders a few inches off the floor. Keep your cervical spine in neutral position -- look up at a point on the ceiling as you crunch.
Add Variety
Just like any other muscle, your abs adapt to whatever stimuli you present them with. If you feel you've hit a plateau or are getting bored with doing the same abdominal exercises every other day, vary your ab workout so that the muscles must adapt to new stresses. You can either include new ab exercises, such as doing bicycle crunches or using the captain's chair for knee raises, or do core-intensive activities such as swimming or rock climbing. Suspension exercises, such as using gymnastic-style rings to do push-ups, also work your abs intensely.
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