Best Ab Workout Routine

In case of both, men and women, abs is the area which gets undivided attention. Men want to have six pack abs, and women, on the other hand, want to have a flat tummy. The best ab workout routine is the one which helps to strengthen and firm the abdominal muscles. The abdominal muscles also include external as well as internal oblique muscles. There are various researches which have been carried to find the best abdominal exercises. To get results from your ab workout, you will have to choose the abdominal exercises which will suit your needs more. For example, if you have problems with the upper abdominal area, you will have to choose more exercises for the same and vice versa.

Guidelines To Do The Abdominal Exercises

• Abdominal exercises should be performed 3 to 5 times every week.
• Do NOT be very ambitious and start off with too many exercises or repetitions. Its good to start slow, but be regular with the exercises. After you have reached a comfortable fitness level, you can increase the number of exercises and repetitions.
• It is not necessary to do all the exercises. You will need to select only those exercises which suit your condition.
• It is also important to change your workout routine, after every 6 to 7 weeks, so that you are not stuck in your comfort zone.

Best Ab Workout Routine - Exercises

Find below some abdominal exercises, which will help you to get the flat tummy or your six pack abs.

Side Bending
This is a wonderful exercise, if the problem area are the love handles, or in other words obliques. Let's see how to do this exercise.

• Hold a dumbbell in any one of your hands. For example, we will hold it in the right hand. Stand with shoulder width distance between your feet and bend your knees slightly.
• Your left hand should be placed behind your head. Now slowly bend sideways and try to reach the dumbbell in the right hand, to the right knee.
• Slowly stand in upright position, to repeat the exercise for at least 15 times on either sides.

Crunches
This is the most traditional of the abdominal exercises. It is a great exercise for the upper abs.

• Lie with your back on the mat, but place your feet on the floor, so that your knees are raised up.
• Support your neck with your hands and slowly raise your head off the mat and make sure you crunch your muscles, when you do that.
• Remember, you are supposed to use your ab muscles when you do this exercise and not your neck muscles, lest you will sprain your neck.
• Hold in the crunch position for 5 seconds and then slowly release.
• This exercise also has to be repeated at least for 2 sets of 15 repetitions each.

Leg Raises
If your problem area is both the upper as well as the lower abs, you will have to make sure, you do include this exercise in your quest for well toned abs. Without this exercise, your routine will be incomplete. Let's see how to do this exercise.

• Lie on a mat, with your back on the floor. Your legs should be stretched downwards and place your hands next to your buttocks.
• Slowly lift your legs off the floor to make a 90 degrees angle with the ground. Then bring your legs down, but do NOT touch your legs to the floor. Your legs will be at a six inch height off the floor
• This exercise will have to be repeated at least 15 times. You can gradually increase the number of repetitions.

Reverse Curls
This is essentially a lower ab exercise which also marginally helps the upper abs.

• Lie down with your back on the mat. Bend your knees and keep your feet on the floor.
• Your hands should be placed besides you on the floor.
• Lift your legs of the floor and bring your knees towards your chest. Now slowly contract your abs and lift your buttocks off the floor.
• Lower your buttocks and repeat the exercise again.

Plank Exercise
This is one of the strengthening exercises to work out the ab muscles and also to build strength and stability in the core. Be careful and read the instructions correctly.

• Lie with your chest on the floor. Now come into a plank position, with all the weight on your forearm and toes. Your toes should be curled under.
• Keep your torso straight and rigid. Your body should be in a straight line from your ears to toes without creating an arch with your back.
• Keep your head relaxed and keep looking at the floor.
• Hold in this position for 10 to 15 seconds initially. You can then gradually increase the holding time.

I have only mentioned abdominal exercises in this article. Depending on your requirements, you will have to design your ab workout. You may also choose to talk to your trainer and choose the best ones for yourself. Along with these abdominal exercises, you will also have to do some cardiovascular exercises. Following a healthy diet, which is free of sugar, refined flour, etc. and rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables is recommended.