Exercise For Abs

It's hard to believe that the best exercise for abs, and as in abs I mean having a lean mid-section that reveals shows off your stomach muscles (the rectus abdominus), isn't an ab exercise at all, it's actually a combination of cardio, strength training, nutrition, and your favorite ab exercises thrown in for good measure.

CARDIO
Cardiovascular exercise is an essential component of reducing body fat. There a number of machines available at most gyms including treadmills, elliptical, stair climbers, and step mills. You should choose the machines you feel comfortable with, but also be aware that some machines require more effort which results in more calories burned. Generally, a treadmill burns more calories than an elliptical machine or stationary bike. You have the freedom to change the speed, resistance, and incline to create an easier or more difficult workout.

Total calories burned will be directly related to your heart rate during the exercise session and the duration of your workout. HIIT or high intensity training is cardiovascular exercise designed to increase endurance, speed, and overall performance. HIIT is generally the same type of training that produces a leaning and toning of the abs. During these workouts, heart rate of 80% max heart rate is suggested. A popular form of HIIT is Guerilla Cardio which includes alternating bursts of sprints and recovery for specific time intervals.

STRENGTH
Doing some form of resistance training is important for general health as well as developing core strength and toning the abs. Through regular resistance training, you will build muscle mass which in turn increases both your resting metabolism and calories burned during exercise. As I said before reducing body fat to reveal abs will only happen when you burn more calories than you consume on a daily basis.

There are a variety of different combinations you can use as a resistance training program. I would create one that fits with your weekly schedule and current fitness level.
Here is one example of a week-long resistance and cardio training program:

Monday: Chest / Exercise For Abs
Tuesday: Back/ Cardio
Wednesday: Cardio
Thursday: Legs/Cardio/Abs
Friday: Shoulders/Cardio
Saturday: Arms/Cardio
Sunday: OFF

NUTRITION
Basic healthy nutrition principles apply here. Try to eat 4-6 small meals per day. Each meal should be balanced containing complex carbs, lean protein, and some amount of fat. Snacks can be limited to two of the three food categories (PRO, FAT, CHO), but in general you want to eat 40-40-20 as a ration of Protein (PRO), Carbs (CHO), and fat. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day and try to include leafy green veggies in at least three meals per day.

EXERCISE FOR ABS (and your entire body)
My favorite way to work the abs is by using the simple 'toy-like' giant ball that can be found at almost every modern gym today.

The exercise ball first became popular in a rehabilitative setting, but as its effectiveness in developing balance and core strength became more and more evident, strength coaches and trainers began to integrate them as part of their conditioning programs. Stability balls not only give you an ab work out, but can also be used to work the entire body!

The unstable, moving nature of the ball allows you to perform the same weight training movements you do on a bench, while activating the core and having a positive impact on your joints. Comparing a chest press machine to an exercise ball push-up is a great example. The motion is the same, but using a ball to execute the press stimulates the soft tissue surrounding the moving joints to work harder in order to stabilize the joint and activates the core muscles to keep the spine in the neutral position. This allows you to work both the core and chest muscles while also improving joint function and strength, and decreasing risk of injury.

Incorporating these exercise for abs tips into your fitness plan will not only improve your overall fitness level, challenge your balance and stability, and increase the intensity of your workout but it will help you to move towards your goal of toning abs. Although these tips may seem as if they don't apply, mastering them is actually quite challenging. I've had a lot of fun learning to do what it takes to reach my fitness goals and you can too!

Don't be afraid to take the plunge and incorporate the stability ball into your routine, you'll be amazed at the adaptations and improvements you'll see in your overall fitness level and athletic performance.