Upper Ab Exercises

These are the days to look perfectly in shape with washboard abs. However, it is not as simple as it seems to be. To achieve the perfect six pack abs one really has to be consistent with his/her efforts. The two main pillars are rigorous training and a well-balanced diet. At the same time, cardiovascular exercises also have their role to play. Often people only concentrate on their abdominal muscles, when they want to shed the flab of their abs, which is not the right method of dealing with the problem. As are the abdominal exercises important, the aerobic exercises help to reduce the amount of fat present in the body and in the long run help to trim the abs.

The ab exercises are divided into upper and lower ab exercises. Although these exercises do not work either the upper ab or just the lower ab, they have their effects on the other regions of the abdomen as well. There are different ways in which you can do the upper abdominal exercises. You either do ab exercises with weights or without weights. You can do the resistance band exercises for the abs or do the stability ball exercises.

How to Do Upper Ab Exercises

When you do the upper abdominal exercises, make it a point to hold the exercise for a few seconds before you release. Holding the exercise adds resistance to the muscles and helps tone the abs as well.

Abdominal Crunches
One of the best exercises for the upper abdomen and also easy to do. This is the best abdominal exercise as it not only gives good results, but it can also be done at home easily. Lie on the floor with your legs bent and feet placed on the floor. Interlace your fingers and place them behind your head to support your neck. Lift your shoulders off the floor and bring your head closer to your knee. Slowly come back, but do not touch the shoulders to the floor and repeat the exercise.

Oblique Crunch
Although the name of the exercise is oblique crunch, it works the obliques as well as the upper ab muscles. Hence, it is counted among the good ab exercises. Lie on the floor with feet placed on the floor and hands placed behind the neck. Place the ankle of the right leg on the left knee. Slowly lift your shoulders, twist to the right and try to touch the left elbow to the right knee. Come back and repeat the exercise on one side, before you switch sides.

Vertical Leg Crunch
This exercise is similar to the abdominal crunches. The difference you do while doing this best ab exercise is that the legs are extended up in the air and crossed at the ankles. The rest of the steps of this exercise are to be repeated like the abdominal crunches.

Long Arm Crunch
One of the best ab exercises for women at home. To do this exercise, lie on the floor, with your feet placed flat on the floor. Extend the arms above your head. Gradually lift your shoulders of the floor and crunch towards the knee. When you are doing this exercise make sure you do not strain your neck. If you feel a lot of strain on the neck, then you can support the neck by placing one hand behind the neck.

Sit-Ups
This is a great upper ab exercise. To do this ab exercise at home, lie on your back, with your legs extended out straight. Interlace your fingers and place them behind your head. Lift your shoulders and upper and lower back off the floor and sit up straight. Slowly come back to the starting position and repeat the exercise without lying on the floor for a long period of time.

The upper ab exercises can also be done using the medicine ball, but care should be taken, while doing the core exercises with medicine ball, as it can cause injury, if the ball is not stable. Before you do the upper abdominal exercises make sure you do the warm up exercises. There are a number of warm up exercises, which you can choose from.