The top exercises to strengthen your abdominal muscles are the basic crunch, the bicycle, long-arm crunches, vertical leg crunches and reverse crunches. These are all effective abdominal exercises, but if your abs are covered by fat, the results will be unseen, so be sure to incorporate a healthy diet in combination with a minimum 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week.
Basic and Long-Arm Crunches
Lie on your back. With your legs together, bend your knees so they face the ceiling and place your feet flat on the floor. For the basic crunch, place your hands behind your head to comfortably support your neck during the crunch. It's your decision to lace your fingers or not, but do not look down and be sure to keep your neck straight during the crunch. Keep your hips firmly on the ground and use your trunk to lift your shoulders to a 30- to 45-degree angle. If you lift your shoulders higher, your hip flexors take over the movement, and you will not get an effective abdominal workout. Hold the crunch for one second, then return your shoulders to the floor. Repeat. Long-arm crunches are performed the same way, but instead of supporting your head with your hands, you stretch your arms straight out above your head.
Vertical Leg Crunches
Lie flat on your back and support your head with your hands the same way you do with the basic crunch. Bring your legs up vertically and cross your legs. Keep your hips firmly planted on the floor while you raise your shoulders off the ground toward your knees. Your abs should be contracted so only your trunk is controlling the motion of your crunch. Hold this crunch for one second and return to your starting position. Repeat.
Reverse Crunches
Lie on the floor with your arms to your sides on the floor. Cross your feet and bring your knees toward your chest at an approximate 90-degree angle. Without swinging your hips, use your abdominal muscles to pull your hips off the ground so your feet go toward the ceiling. Hold this for one second and lower your hips back to the ground. Repeat the motion.
The Bicycle
If you only have time to do one of the five best abdominal exercises, choose the bicycle because it works all areas of your abdominal muscles. Lie with your back on the floor and support the back of your head with your hands. Using your abdominal muscles, bring your shoulder blades off the ground, remembering not to exceed a 45-degree angle. Straighten your right leg and bring it approximately 6 inches off the ground. Bring your left knee toward your chest and slightly twist your trunk to meet your knee with your right elbow. In a pedaling motion, simultaneously straighten your left leg and bring your right knee toward your chest and meet it with your left elbow. Repeat the motion.
Quantity
Complete 8 to 12 repetitions of each of the five abdominal exercises. These exercises can be performed seven times per week, or a minimum of three to five times per week. According to the University of New Mexico, unlike other muscle groups, you rarely experience fatigue in the abs, so taking muscle recovery days off is unnecessary.
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