Although there is no such thing as a men's abdominal exercise or a women's abdominal exercise, some exercises may be easier for men to do because they require more upper-body strength. Even though men tend to be naturally stronger in their upper bodies, they should still progress their ab exercises in a logical sequence to increase strength without a high risk of injury. You can work your abs three to five days per week, but take at least one day off between ab workouts to recover.
The Plank
The plank may seem easy at a glance, but it is a difficult exercise that provides a foundation of abdominal strength to make other ab exercises easier and safer. The plank should be mastered before trying ab exercises with heavy weights, certified athletic trainer and strength coach Keith Scott says in an article for "Men's Fitness" called "The Plank." This exercise calls for strong upper-body strength, especially in the front of the shoulders and arms, making it somewhat easier for men to perform. The plank exercise is basically holding a modified push-up position. To do this routine, hold yourself off the floor on your forearms and toes with your back flat. Your neck is kept in line with your spine and your arms should remain bent at right angles placed on the floor below your chest. Beginners can often hold the position for 30 seconds, but you can work up to holding it longer. Perform one to three sets of a single rep.
The Sit-Up
The sit-up exercise is a classic abdominal routine, but if done incorrectly it can strain your neck. A good way to do this exercise and protect your neck is to hold your arms parallel to the floor at your sides instead of placing them behind your neck, "Men's Fitness" advises. The sit-up is done by lying face up on the floor with knees bent at right angles and your feet flat on the floor. By tucking your chin as you sit all the way up and rounding the lower back as it comes off the floor, the ab muscles get a good workout without hurting your neck. The rectus abdominis muscle that is responsible for flexing the spine and bringing the ribcage closer to the hips is the primary ab muscle worked during a sit-up, but the transverse abdominis and the hip flexors will also be used. The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) suggests two to three sets of 12 to 20 reps when doing core exercises.
Cable Crunch
Cable crunches specifically target the abs and can be done with a cable machine. Sit-ups build strength with just your body weight, but cable crunches are more difficult because you pull down on a cable attached to a weight stack on a machine. This allows you to continually challenge your abs by increasing the weight as your abs get stronger. All you have to do is kneel in front of a cable machine and hold a rope handle attached to the top pulley of the machine. Hold one side of the rope in each hand next to your head with your arms bent, then bend forward at the waist to bring your shoulders toward your knees and pull the cable down using your ab muscles. Perform two to three sets of 12 to 20 reps.
References
- Mensfitness.com: The Situp
- Myfit.ca: Cable Crunch Exercise
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training: Course Manual"; Michael Clark, Scott Lucett, Rodney Corn; 2008
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