Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to do hundreds of crunches to develop your stomach muscles. In fact, you can work your abdominal muscles just like any other muscle group. Set a target number of repetitions -- usually between 12 and 25 -- and work up to completing that number of repetitions with good form. If you can do more than 25 repetitions of any given ab exercise with good form, adding extra resistance creates a more efficient workout.
Frequency
Your core muscles, including your abdominals, work constantly during everyday motions. But you should still give them at least a full day of rest between resistance workouts, just like any other muscle group. So if you do a resistance workout for your stomach muscles on Tuesday, wait until Thursday before doing another resistance workout for the same muscles.
Rectus Abdominus
Connective tissue creates the distinctive "six-pack" appearance of a well-trained rectus abdominus. This muscle flexes your lumbar spine and also holds your spine stable against your erector spinae, a group of back muscles that act to extend the spine. One of the easiest ways to work your rectus abdominus is with crunches. Lie flat on the floor, knees bent. Squeeze your abs, flexing your ribcage down toward your pelvis. Lie back and repeat.
Obliques
You have two layers of oblique muscles, with the aptly named "internal obliques" located deep, or closer to your spine, than the external obliques. Both sets of obliques flex your spine to the front, rotate your spine and also flex your spine to the side. Doing crunches while lying on a stability ball powerfully activates your rectus abdominus and obliques together. You can also work these muscles with so-called diagonal or oblique crunches. Lie on your back, both knees bent. Place your right hand on your left thigh. Keep your arm straight as you contract your stomach muscles, simultaneously crunching up and bringing your right shoulder to center. This will allow your right-hand to slide up your left leg toward the knee. Complete a full set before switching to the other side.
Adding Resistance
Your own body weight acts as resistance when you perform crunches and other stomach exercises. One of the easiest ways of adding extra resistance is to extend your arms over your head when doing crunches -- this lengthens the lever that your abs are moving, making the exercise harder. You can also hold a small dumbbell, weight plate or medicine ball close against your body for additional resistance. Other ways of adding resistance to stomach exercises include holding onto a cable-pulley handle or straps, or using a strength-training machine to work your abs.
Other Exercises
A number of resistance exercises target your rectus abdominus and obliques. Examples include single-arm or cross-body rows, twisting sit-ups, plank twists, wood chops, push-ups and pullovers. Any exercise in which your muscles stabilize your body against twisting or spinal flexion also acts as an isometric-resistance exercise for your stomach muscles.
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