According to Dr. Michelle Scharff-Olsen, professor of exercise science at Auburn University, "one crunch does not fit all," and when it comes to working your abs efficiently, the more variety of exercises the better. One of Dr. Scharff-Olsen's tips for seekers of the perfect six pack is to understand that the abdominal muscles are mostly endurance muscles and should not be trained as if you were trying to build muscle with one power movement as you would with quadriceps or biceps.
Focus on Variety
Instead of picking one supposedly perfect ab exercise and performing tons of repetitions, try performing a variety of different exercises that target different areas of the abs for 15 to 20 repetitions each. For targeting the waist or obliques, try side-lying torso lifts with your feet braced under a bar or heavy chair, instead of the usual elbow to knee crunches. Try elbow planks to strengthen both the abdominal wall and the back at the same time. Start in push up position then lower yourself down until you are resting only on your forearms and toes. Keep your spine perfectly straight, with your abs held tight and your butt tucked in and down. Hold for a count of 10 to 20 seconds.
Focus on Form
Using proper form is necessary to receive the maximum benefit of the exercise, but it is equally important for injury prevention. When performing abdominal crunches or torso lifts, be careful not to pull on your head or strain your neck. To help avoid this problem, do not interlace your hands behind your head; instead place your finger tips wide apart behind your head closer to the ears. Keep your lower back flat on the floor, being careful not to arch when performing lying leg lifts or bicycle type movements. Try to keep your abdominal muscles contracted and held in tight throughout the duration of all abdominal exercises.
Focus on Proper Breathing
Try not to hold your breath at any time during abdominal exercises. The best breathing technique is to exhale upon the exertion part of the movement and inhale on the return. Work on breathing from the lower belly as opposed to shallow chest breathing.
Don't Forget Your Cardio
Another very important tip when it comes to achieving great abs is not to forget your fat burning workouts. If you have a problem with love handles or a lower belly paunch, you will need to engage in some form of aerobic activity such as power walking, cycling, step aerobics, swimming or jogging in order to burn the layers of fat that cover your sculpted ab muscles. For optimum results, you should shoot for 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise 4 to 5 times per week.
References
- Dr. Michelle Scharff-Olsen, professor of exercise science
- "The AbSmart Fitness Plan"; Adam Weiss, Washinton, D.C.; 2009
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