The best way to build those perfect abs
an whole abs workout:
How to do it: Complete one or two circuits—performing one exercise after the next without rest—two or three days a week. Rest one minute between each circuit and at least a day between each session. Do 10 repetitions of each exercise.
1.Flat Stomach:
Lie on your back, with your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat.
Place your hands palms down so that your thumbs rest on the upper portion of your abs and your fingers on the lower portion.
Pull your navel to your spine and push your lower back into the floor. Hold for five seconds while breathing normally. That's one rep.
If that's too easy, raise one leg during the hold. (Alternate legs each set.)
2.Slow Up/Slow Down:
Lie on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Hold your arms straight, your palms down. Keep them parallel with the floor throughout the entire exercise.
Take five seconds to sit up fully. Pause for one second, then take five seconds to lower your torso back to the floor at a constant speed—no collapsing.
3.Push-up Hold:
Lie facedown on the floor, with your legs straight and your lower arms folded under your chest, parallel to each other, hands making a fist.
Pull your navel to your spine and raise your body to form a straight line from your shoulders to your legs.
» Hold for five seconds, then lower yourself back down to the starting position. Pause 1–2 seconds. One rep.
» If that's too easy, perform the hold in a push-up position.
4.Curl Up and Twist:
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Hold your arms straight with your palms down. Keep them parallel with the floor throughout the entire lift.
Sit up and twist to your left.
For each rep, take one second to lift and twist your body, pause for one, then take three seconds to lower your torso back to the floor.
5.Cycling Russian Twist:
Sit on the floor with your legs straight and lean back so your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor.
Interlock your thumbs and hold them perpendicular to your upper body.
Lift your legs so they're elevated but parallel.
Pull your left knee to your chest as you twist your torso to the left.
Lower your left leg and twist to the right as you pull your right knee to your chest. Take 2–3 seconds to move to each side. Don't let your legs touch the floor at any time.
6.Knee-up:
Lie on the floor with your hips and knees bent 90 degrees, and press your lower back into the floor.
Keep your knees bent 90 degrees and lift them to your chest. Pause for one second.
Take two seconds to lower and straighten your legs until they're almost parallel with your body. (Continue to press your lower back into the floor.)
7.Weighted Curl-up:
Lie on the floor with your feet flat and your knees bent 90 degrees, and hold a weight plate across your chest.
Lift your torso to a sitting position as fast as possible, without allowing your feet to raise off the floor.
Take two seconds to lower your body back to the starting position.
8.Side Raise:
Lie on your back with your knees together and bent 90 degrees. Without moving your upper body, roll your knees to one side so that side is touching the floor. Place your fingers slightly behind your forehead so they form a straight line with each other.
Raise your torso as high as you can. Pause for one second, then take two seconds to lower your upper body back to the starting position.
9.Wrist-to-Knee Curl-up:
Twist your upper body to the left as you pull your left knee in as fast as you can until it touches your right wrist.
Without pausing, take one second to return to the starting position. That's one repetition. Repeat with the opposite side.
Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps, resting two minutes between sets.
10.Medicine-Ball Curl-up:
Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat. Hold a medicine ball above your head with your arms straight so the ball touches the floor.
Quickly sit up by contracting your abs and forcefully thrusting the medicine ball ahead of your body, as if performing an overhead throw in soccer (but without letting go). Keep your arms straight for the entire move. Lower yourself to the floor as fast as you can and repeat, touching the ball behind your head momentarily.
BY MensFitness.com
an whole abs workout:
How to do it: Complete one or two circuits—performing one exercise after the next without rest—two or three days a week. Rest one minute between each circuit and at least a day between each session. Do 10 repetitions of each exercise.
1.Flat Stomach:
Lie on your back, with your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat.
Place your hands palms down so that your thumbs rest on the upper portion of your abs and your fingers on the lower portion.
Pull your navel to your spine and push your lower back into the floor. Hold for five seconds while breathing normally. That's one rep.
If that's too easy, raise one leg during the hold. (Alternate legs each set.)
2.Slow Up/Slow Down:
Lie on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Hold your arms straight, your palms down. Keep them parallel with the floor throughout the entire exercise.
Take five seconds to sit up fully. Pause for one second, then take five seconds to lower your torso back to the floor at a constant speed—no collapsing.
3.Push-up Hold:
Lie facedown on the floor, with your legs straight and your lower arms folded under your chest, parallel to each other, hands making a fist.
Pull your navel to your spine and raise your body to form a straight line from your shoulders to your legs.
» Hold for five seconds, then lower yourself back down to the starting position. Pause 1–2 seconds. One rep.
» If that's too easy, perform the hold in a push-up position.
4.Curl Up and Twist:
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Hold your arms straight with your palms down. Keep them parallel with the floor throughout the entire lift.
Sit up and twist to your left.
For each rep, take one second to lift and twist your body, pause for one, then take three seconds to lower your torso back to the floor.
5.Cycling Russian Twist:
Sit on the floor with your legs straight and lean back so your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor.
Interlock your thumbs and hold them perpendicular to your upper body.
Lift your legs so they're elevated but parallel.
Pull your left knee to your chest as you twist your torso to the left.
Lower your left leg and twist to the right as you pull your right knee to your chest. Take 2–3 seconds to move to each side. Don't let your legs touch the floor at any time.
6.Knee-up:
Lie on the floor with your hips and knees bent 90 degrees, and press your lower back into the floor.
Keep your knees bent 90 degrees and lift them to your chest. Pause for one second.
Take two seconds to lower and straighten your legs until they're almost parallel with your body. (Continue to press your lower back into the floor.)
7.Weighted Curl-up:
Lie on the floor with your feet flat and your knees bent 90 degrees, and hold a weight plate across your chest.
Lift your torso to a sitting position as fast as possible, without allowing your feet to raise off the floor.
Take two seconds to lower your body back to the starting position.
8.Side Raise:
Lie on your back with your knees together and bent 90 degrees. Without moving your upper body, roll your knees to one side so that side is touching the floor. Place your fingers slightly behind your forehead so they form a straight line with each other.
Raise your torso as high as you can. Pause for one second, then take two seconds to lower your upper body back to the starting position.
9.Wrist-to-Knee Curl-up:
Twist your upper body to the left as you pull your left knee in as fast as you can until it touches your right wrist.
Without pausing, take one second to return to the starting position. That's one repetition. Repeat with the opposite side.
Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps, resting two minutes between sets.
10.Medicine-Ball Curl-up:
Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat. Hold a medicine ball above your head with your arms straight so the ball touches the floor.
Quickly sit up by contracting your abs and forcefully thrusting the medicine ball ahead of your body, as if performing an overhead throw in soccer (but without letting go). Keep your arms straight for the entire move. Lower yourself to the floor as fast as you can and repeat, touching the ball behind your head momentarily.
BY MensFitness.com