In four weeks, you can significantly develop your abdominal muscle, or your rectus abdominus, with frequent and effective workouts. Building muscle anywhere requires a workout program of high frequency and volume. With four weeks to develop a significant amount of muscle, it's important to complete the most effective abdominal exercises.
Training Schedule
During the four week training program, work out three days per week with a day of rest in between. For example, work out Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The day of rest in between each session is essential to allow your muscles enough time to rest and recover. The rest period is when your muscle increases in size.
Abdominal Exercises
Dr. Joseph Chromiak of the National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends completing three to four exercises per muscle to adequately overload that muscle and stimulate growth. According to the American Council on Exercise, the four most effective exercises for developing the rectus abdominus muscle are the bicycle crunch, the Roman chair, crunches on an exercise ball and straight leg crunch.
Exercise Techniques
To complete the bicycle crunch, lie on your back with your feet up in the air and your arms behind your head with elbows flared out. Crunch up and curl to the left while simultaneously bringing your left knee toward your chest so that your left knee and right elbow meet. Return back down to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side, bringing your left elbow to your right knee. To complete the Roman chair, situate yourself in the chair so that you're holding yourself up, with your body weight on your elbows. Begin with your thighs parallel with the floor and then lift your knees to your chest. Control your knees down so your thighs are parallel with the floor again and then repeat. To complete crunches on an exercise ball, situate yourself on the ball so that your lower back rounds around the ball and your feet are firmly planted on the floor, with your knees at 90 degrees. Place your hands behind your head with elbows flared out. Crunch straight up toward the ceiling. To complete a straight leg crunch, lie on your back with your legs held straight up toward the ceiling and your hands behind your head. Crunch up toward the ceiling.
Volume
According to Dr. Chromiak, to effectively build muscle, complete at least eight sets that target the rectus abdominus. Therefore, complete two sets of each of the four exercises for a total of eight sets. Do each set until fatigued.
Considerations
Participating in a consistent, effective abdominal training program will develop your rectus abdominus muscle. However, it's important to understand that in order for that muscle definition to be visible, you will need to be of a healthy body composition. If you have an excess amount of fat on your stomach, your defined rectus abdominus muscle will be covered up and efforts need to be made to decrease your overall body fat composition.
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