The Best Ab Exercise For At Home

Although manufacturers flood the market with at-home ab devices guaranteed to give you a ripped midsection in just four minutes a day, the best ab exercise to do at home doesn't involve any of them. You need a stability ball to do this simple, but effective, ab exercise. A stability ball should cost you no more than $30 at any department store or sports store.

ACE Study

The American Council on Exercise, a non-profit fitness group, sponsored a study that tested the effectiveness of various ab exercises and devices. Researchers used electromyography equipment to measure the amount of activity each exercise elicited in the abdominal muscles. Although the bicycle maneuver topped the list, ACE rated the ball crunch as the best overall ab exercise because it elicited much less activity in the thigh muscles than other ab exercises.

The Movement

Sit on a stability ball with your feet on the floor. Step forward a few times, rolling forward until your torso is supported by the ball. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest. Push your low back in the ball and do not lift it off the ball at any time during the exercise. Exhale as you crunch up, pulling your rib cage toward your pelvic bone. Look at the ceiling and keep your neck aligned with your spine. Inhale as you slowly lower back down.

Difficulty Levels

Change the difficulty of this exercise by moving your torso forward or back on the ball. As you move forward, the ball supports more of your upper body. Your shoulder blades and upper back are on the ball. This makes the exercise easier. Push yourself back so your shoulder blades hang off the edge of the ball to make the exercise more difficult. The farther back you start, the more your upper body hangs off the edge of the ball. This increases the instability and therefore, the difficulty, of the exercise.

Variations

The stability ball crunch is a versatile ab exercise. Twist as you crunch up to target your obliques, or side abs. Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball to add weight to the exercise. Try different variations of the ball crunch to keep your ab routine fresh and challenging.