Six-pack abs are a goal of many a gym-goer, and in addition to the aesthetic benefits, exercising your core abdominal muscles can help to improve your balance and stability, prevent lower back pain and injury and help your performance in other physical activities. With a huge selection of ab toning devices on the market, choosing the best exercises can be confusing. Once you understand how to best target your abdominal region, you'll be able to chose the best toning device to meet your goals.
Ab Training 101
Your abdominal region is made up of the rectus abdominus, or "six-pack," the obliques running along each side of your torso and the transverse abdominus, the deepest layer of abdominal muscle involved in respiration. To get the most effective abdominal workout, you'll need to hit each of these muscle groups by varying the type of movement or contraction you perform. For example, a crunch involves shortening and lengthening contractions to work your rectus abdominus muscle, while rotating your torso from side to side contracts your obliques. When choosing ab toning equipment, you'll want something that doesn't restrict you to a single type of motion.
Captain's Chair
An American Council on Exercise-sponsored study tested the effectiveness of 13 abdominal exercises, several involving equipment. Researchers measured the amount of muscle activity generated as 30 healthy adult men and women performed each exercise for 10 to 12 repetitions, and one piece of equipment came out on top. The captain's chair, or Romain chair, generated the most muscle activity in the obliques and the second-most in the rectus abdominus. Perform the exercise by leaning against the back pad while resting your forearms on the arm rests. Grip the handles lightly as you pull your knees up toward your chest.
Fitness Ball
Crunches on a fitness ball placed third for rectus abdominus activity, but the device's main strength is its versatility. The large inflatable balls are an affordable addition to a home gym, and you can perform a wide range of exercises for a complete ab workout. Exercise possibilities include crunches, planks, side leg lifts, reverse crunches and the bridge. To perform a crunch on a fitness ball, sit on the ball with your knees bent to a 90 degree angle. Slowly walk your feet forward until your lower back rests on the ball and your thighs are parallel to the floor. Crunch up to a 45 degree angle before slowly lowering your shoulders to the ball.
Ankle Weights
If you need an additional challenge in your ab workout once you've mastered proper technique, try adding resistance in the form of ankle weights. Wearing ankle weights while performing leg lifts, the bicycle maneuver or the captain's chair will force your abdominal muscles to work harder than with body weight alone.
The Best Equipment is No Equipment
Many of the most effective abdominal exercises don't require any special devices. To work your abs without spending a dime on extra equipment, try the bicycle maneuver, ranked first for rectus abdominus activity and second for oblique activity in the ACE-sponsored study. Lie on the floor with your hands behind your head and your legs extended. Contract your abdomen as you pull your right knee in toward your left elbow. Reverse the movement in a slow cycling action.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Core Exercises -- 7 Reasons to Strengthen Your Core Muscles
- University of New Mexico; SuperAbs Resource Manual; Len Kravitz, Ph.D.
- American Council on Exercise; New Study Puts the Crunch on Ineffective Ab Exercises; Mark Anders; May/June 2001
- MayoClinic.com: Slide Show -- Core Exercises With a Fitness Ball
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