As is the case with any other muscle group in the body, training abdominal muscles requires awareness of your desired results. In other words, you should know if you are training abs for muscular endurance, strength or power. Knowing this will assist you in your plan regarding what exercises to include in your program. A periodized approach including elements of all three modes is ideal as part of your abdominal routine.
Swiss Ball Crunches
Performing core exercises on unstable surfaces like a Swiss ball or BOSU Trainer helps promote muscular endurance, as the abs are under constant pressure to achieve and maintain balance. Assume a basic crunch position on top of the ball with your hands beneath your head for support. Ideally, your head, neck and shoulders will rest slightly off the ball. Crunch forward, lifting your upper torso off the ball and slightly toward the knees. Execute the move slowly and with control to fully engage the abdominals.
Medicine Ball Toss
Any time you perform ground-based abdominal exercises, you are primarily focusing on muscular strength and/or power. Incorporate a medicine ball in your basic sit-up to add resistance to the move. Essentially, you assume a sit-up or crunch position on your back. Flexing your arms to hold the ball overhead, crunch forward, lifting your torso off the ground, and toss the ball to a partner. Maintain the upright position until the ball is tossed back, and slowly return to start position.
Seated Russian Twists With Medicine Ball
Power differs from strength when a variable -- i.e., speed, time, distance -- is added to the equation. The aforementioned medicine ball toss, for example, becomes a power move if the goal is to complete a designated number of repetitions in a specific time. Russian twists are good power-producing core exercises. Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Lean back slightly to engage the abdominals. Holding the medicine ball with both hands, twist and touch the ball to the floor on either side of you. Quickly rotate the ball from side to side. The goal is to complete as many revolutions as possible in an allotted period of time. Increase the weight of the medicine ball you use as you become more advanced in the move. Heavier dumbbells can be used to increase the intensity.
References
- "The New Rules of Lifting"; L. Schuler and A. Cosgrove; 2006
- "ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal"; A Periodized Approach for Core Training; J. Willardson, Ph.D; Jan/Feb. 2008
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