The Best Male Ab Exercises

If you are seeking six-pack abs instead of a beer belly, you need three things: a healthy diet, regular cardiovascular exercise and good abdominal training. Your abs are made up of the rectus abdominis, which displays that six-pack, the obliques, which give you the eight-pack along your sides, and the transversus abdominis, which holds your belly flat. When it comes to training your abs, strategy is important. Perform too many crunches that focus on your rectus abdominis, for example, and your belly will stick out and look larger instead of appearing tight and trim, says "Abs Revealed" author Jonathan Ross. Consult a doctor before trying any new exercise.

Bicycle

One of the most effective ab exercises you can do is the bicycle maneuver, according to a 2001 American Council on Exercise study. That's because it is a complete abdominal workout that hits your upper and lower rectus abdominis as well as your external obliques. Exercises like the bicycle maneuver that require consistent abdominal stabilization along with body rotation generate the most muscle activity in your obliques, according to the ACE article. To perform the bicycle maneuver, lie flat on the floor and press your lower back into the ground. Raise your knees to a 45-degree angle. Slowly mimic a bicycle pedal motion, touching your right elbow to your left knee and then your left elbow to your right knee.

Plank

The plank is one of the best overall abdominal exercises, though many men are not excited to try it because it's a yoga-based move, says "Built for Show" author Nate Green. However, the plank helps you develop a strong and stable abdominal platform for many other moves you'll do in the gym, such as standing shoulder presses and seated cable rows. In fact, most weightlifting maneuvers require you to brace your midsection, which the plank trains you to do effectively. To perform a plank, contract your abdominals and assume the top of a pushup position. Avoid hiking your hips upward or letting your hips sag. Keep your shoulders over your elbows and do not shrug your shoulders. Work up to holding this position for one minute.

Dead Bug

If you want to strengthen your abdominal muscles to prevent a sore lower back, the dead bug will help stabilize your core to provide the support you need, say Leon Chaitow and Judith Walker DeLany, authors of "Clinical Applications of Neuromuscular Techniques." This exercise boosts stamina in your transverse abdominal muscles, which help stabilize your spine. If you already have lower back pain, consult your doctor because you may need rehabilitation before performing this exercise. To perform this maneuver, lie on your back and press your lower back into the floor. Raise both of your arms into the air, then both of your legs. Your knees can be bent. Hold the position for 10 to 15 seconds before slowly lowering your arms and legs to the floor.

Chair Exercise

You frequently use your abdominal muscles secondarily when you perform other moves. Thus, some of the best abdominal exercises recruit these muscles as both primary and secondary movers, notes Louiza Patsis, author of the "Pocket Guide to Fitness." For example, sit sideways on a chair with your glutes on the edge of the chair. Put your hands behind your head. Lift your legs and shoulders simultaneously. Increase the intensity of this exercise by holding your knees and shoulders as close together as possible when they are raised.