It is only natural, most people want to look their best, and exercising their To discover over 27 more abdominal fat loss and metabolism-boosting secrets, muscles is usually a huge part of most fitness programs. If so much time and energy is going to be focused on this muscle group, it is a good idea to know what the best abdominal exercises are. There are many resources available for finding the best abdominal exercises, and plenty of people to say what they consider the best, so how can a person decide for themselves which truly are the best exercises for working their abdominal muscles?
First of all it is important to note that the best abdominal exercises are those that a person is willing to do. No matter how effective the exercise is, if a person isn't going to do them consistently the exercise will not benefit that particular individual. It is also important to note that the best abdominal exercises do not necessarily require equipment to perform them, although some machines and equipment may work quite well for some people.
When a person decides on a fitness program that includes abdominal exercises, it is best to include abdominal exercises that work the different parts of the abdominal If a person simply concentrates on one area of their abdominal, there workout will not be as effective. The best abdominal exercises, combine working the oblique, which are the side muscles, the lower abdominals, the mid section and also the upper section.
Some of the most popular abdominal exercises are crunches. These are a very effective exercise and very convenient since they can be performed anywhere without any equipment. The next abdominal exercise that is also very popular and goes along with the basic crunch is the side crunch, which works out the oblique.
Some people consider the best abdominal exercises to be included in a Pilate's workout. The reason for this is because in Pilates, the whole focus is on the core of the body which is the abdominal, or abdominal muscles. Every movement in a Pilate's workout will work the abdominal muscles either directly or indirectly. These exercises can be found on the internet, either the exercise itself or video's that can be purchased.
Another good exercise that some fitness experts considers to be one of the best abdominal exercises involves laying flat on your abdominal, leg straight and then raising your body up using your arms as your hands are clasped together and keeping your body straight as if doing a pushup. Hold this position as long as you can stand. This is an excellent movement to strengthen the whole abdominal.
Remember again though that just because one person may consider a specific exercise to be the best abdominal exercise that does not necessarily mean it is the best for everyone. Each person's body is different and will respond differently to certain movements. Any one serious about working on the abdominal muscles will find it most helpful to try several different abdominal exercises and then determine which one they can both feel and see results with. If one exercise is simply too hard to do correctly, or does not feel like it has done anything for the muscle group worked, that exercise is clearly not the best and the person should find what works best for them.
People ask me what to do for their stomach on a daily basis. Without question "abs" exercises are probably the most requested item. The funny thing is most people already have an idea in mind of some sort of spinal flexion exercise. You see it everyday in the gym. Perhaps you do it everyday! Crunches, sit-ups, v-ups, and hanging knee-ups are just a few exercises the common person performs during their own personal training to work the abdominals. While they are not bad additions to a varied training program, exponentially better exercises are out there to utilize. Today, I'm going to share my favorite abdominal exercise, the plank and my favorite of its numerous variations.
Average fitness enthusiasts prefer exercises such as crunches because they feel the burn in the anterior front) area of the core musculature also affectionately known as the abs. Keep in mind; the exercises are not the problem. It's the dependence and subsequent overuse of them that is. Why are people so attracted to exercises that cause this burn in their abs? Short answer, one of the largest misconceptions in body transformation: feeling the burn at a given body part is synonymous with said area being transformed at that exact moment. This is known as spot reduction.
Body transformation does not occur due to any one exercise or any one training session this way. You can do crunches until your blue in the face, but you won't tone your stomach without total body training and healthy nutritional habits. However, you could end up with the consolation prize of back pain instead! Usually any given individual already has abs. But the problem is he/she may also have of a layer or 10 of fat covering them. Another problem, genetics predetermine the way we lose fat. People often become discouraged and regress to primitive techniques because they may lose fat everywhere else on their body before the stomach begins to lose. This creates an illusion of their abdominal fat looking even more exaggerated.
Now the big revelation, I consider two basic criteria when I evaluate abdominal exercises: use of all abdominal musculature and how much activation of the total body it causes to increase metabolic rate and therefore fat loss. This is why I like the plank. It activates more abdominal musculature. Other muscles throughout the total body such as the quadriceps and shoulders are also activated. Here is another benefit: it can serve to correct negative and unhealthy movement patterns for people who repetitively flex their spine. So I can use it to burn fat while simultaneously re-grooving healthy movement patterns for people who crunch and sit at desks all week long. This is usually good for people with back issues because as they groove these patterns they find their lives miraculously pain free!
My favorite version of the plank involves a knee-in motion. I like it because it combines the activation throughout the total body and abdominal muscles with a unilateral component. Usually a strength or flexibility imbalance exists between one side and another. Making one limb act alone helps to correct these imbalances. The knee-in motion also transforms the static or non-moving nature of the basic plank into a dynamic or moving exercise. Begin in the standard four-point plank position. Four points: left and right forearms and left and right toes are in contact with the ground. Shoulders are aligned over the elbows and the elbow joint is at 90 degrees. Keep the spine neutral by bracing your stomach (think of the contraction your stomach makes when you cough and hold it) and tilting your pelvis forward while keeping your chin tucked in to align your spine. You'll know your holding the plank correctly if all the power you're generating in this position causes shaking. As you hold the plank, take one foot off the ground and bring your knee toward your chest. Hold this position for at least a second, more as you advance, then switch.
I've yet to see an exercise that turbo charges the abdominal muscles like the plank does. Unlike crunches and sit-ups, which mainly work the rectus abdominis and hip flexors, it works all aspects of the abdomen: rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques, and the transverse abdominus etc. Don't waste another moment on another ab-bench and power up your training by adding planks into your own personal total body workouts so you can see the explosive results on your abs today!
Both Li Ming Wong & Lou Kristopher are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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