Many people think that doing hundreds of standard crunches will get them ripped abs. This is not true. The greatest workout you can perform to work out the abs is going to be one that works all areas of the central abdominal as well as the oblique muscles. This means varying your crunch exercises. An abdominal workout on its own won't see you achieve ripped abs, however, for that you will also need to work on your diet and cardio.
Bicycle Maneuver
The bicycle maneuver sits at the top of the list of abdominal crunches recommended by American Council on Exercise. This is because it works both the upper, lower and oblique abs at the same time. Simply lay on your back, place your hands behind your head with elbows out and bring your knees up toward your chest. Now twist as you crunch, allowing the left elbow to touch the right knee and then the right elbow to the left knee. Perform sets of 10 reps on each side.
Exercise Ball Sit-up
The exercise ball targets the upper abdominal. It is superior to the standard situp because of the balance that is required to perform the exercise on the ball, which brings extra work to the muscles. Lay on your back across the top of the ball, keeping knees bent and feet flat. Now perform a standard crunch like motion, coming up to 45 degrees, tensing the muscles and then returning to the start position. Perform sets of 20 reps.
Captain's Chair
The captain's chair is a crunch exercise which will target the lower abdominal effectively but also work the upper segment. Position yourself in the chair with your back straight and supporting your weight with your arms and shoulders as they grip the handles. To perform the exercise, raise your knees until they are parallel with your hips, as shown by Bodybuilding.com, then return to the start position. A set of ten 10 should be your first target.
Torso Twist
Provide isolation work to the obliques by utilizing the torso twist machine. Adjust the padding, handles and weight to your liking. Kneel on the pads and grip the handle bars. Now, twist your body to the right as far as the machine will allow. You will feel tension in your obliques as the weight tries to pull you back into alignment. Hold it for a moment and then twist the other way. Perform sets of 10 reps.
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