Best Exercises for your Abdominals

We should probably blame abdominals for getting middle-aged men back to the gym. Abdominals are probably the easiest way for someone to know that they are unfit without a doctor’s examination. Watching all those videos of younger men with 6 packs can make anyone get motivated to live in the gym.

One of the most asked questions for fitness trainers is how to get those six packs. The thing that most people forget is that everyone has a six-pack. The problem is that most six packs are hidden within layers of fat. The first exercise that someone should be doing is cardio exercises to reduce the fat in the bodies. Just for aesthetics purposes, cardio exercises can do wonders to your abdominal strength. You will be reducing your fat as well as increasing your cardio strength.

Everyone has attempted to do crunches and sit ups to increase abdominal strength. The only problem is that these exercises tend to put a lot of stress on the lower back and the pain would probably make anyone quit before any results are made. The bicycle exercise for Abs is a great substitute for abs training. It targets the rectus adominis or the six-pack and the waist.

To do the bicycle exercise for abs, lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling the neck. Straighten the left leg out to about 45 degrees while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow toward the right knee. Switch sides and do the same to the other side. Repeat this pedalling motion for up to 15 reps.

The captain’s chair is also another great abs exercise. It will target the rectus abdominis as well as the obliques without too much pain. Stand on a chair and grip the handholds to stabilise your upper body. Press your back against the pad and contract the abs to raise the legs and lift the knees towards your chest. Don’t arch the back and slowly lower the back down repeating for up to 16 reps.

If you just cannot resist the crunch, then do it with an exercise ball. An exercise ball crunch is very effective for your rectus abdominis. Lie face up with the exercise ball under your mid or lower back. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips. Make sure to keep the ball stable as you curl up and lower yourself back down getting a stretch in the abs. Repeat for about 16 reps. This will not only strengthen your abs but also give you better balance.

It is very important to strengthen your abs as they are going to develop your core strength. Without core body strength, you might not get enough out of your other workouts. You also gain a lot of confidence when your abs look good and that can only be a good thing.

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