Oblique Crunch

Work your lower abdominals with this exercise that will flatten your stomach.
Directions:
1) Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Position your knees about 6 inches apart.
2) Lifting your back off the floor about 6 to 8 inches, reach your hands to the right side for 3 seconds. Rest.
3) Now, reach to the left side.
4) Repeat, doing 10 reps. Build to 25 reps.
If your neck hurts, hold it with your hands, with elbows bent. Keep arms open, not crunched at the ears.

Stomach Crunch

Here's the classic, performed by athletes for centuries.
Directions:
1) Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, elbows bent and open to the ceiling.
2) With legs bent at the knees and feet firmly on the floor, sink the small of your back into the floor and raise up, so that your shoulders leave the floor.
3) Repeat for 25 reps. Build to 100 reps.

Raised Leg Crunch

This exercise has cardiovascular benefits in addition to strengthening your abs.
Directions:
1) Lie on your back with your right leg fully extended. Your left leg should be bent at the knee, foot on the floor.
2) Place your hands behind your head with elbows bent, taking care to keep your elbows open to the ceiling.
3) Lift your head slightly off the floor while lifting your right leg 2 feet off the floor. Keep your leg straight as you lift.
4) Repeat for 10 reps. Then switch legs. Build to 25 repetitions.

Toe-Touch Crunch

Work your abs and strengthen your thighs with this exercise.
Directions:
1) Lie on your back with your arms extended behind your head and knees bent, with toes touching the floor.
2) Keeping your right knee bent, lift it while bringing your left arm up and out to touch the right toe.
3) Alternate, bringing right arm up to touch left toe.
4) Keep the non-moving leg firmly on the floor.
5) Repeat for 10 reps; build to 25 reps.
Tip: If your neck hurts, modify the exercise by holding your head with your hands and lifting it up towards the ceiling for each repetition. Continue to alternate legs.

Bicycle Exercise for Abs

The Bicycle exercise is the best move to target the rectus abdominis (i.e., the 'six pack') and the obliques (the waist), according to a study done by the American Council on Exercise. To do this exercise correctly:

1. Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck.
3. Straight the left leg out to about a 45-degree angle while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 12-16 reps.

 

Captain's Chair

The Captain's Chair is the second most effective move for the rectus abdominis as well as the obliques and can be found in most health clubs and gyms. To do it right:

1. Stand on chair and grip handholds to stabilize your upper body.
2. Press your back against the pad and contract the abs to raise the legs and lift knees towards your chest.
3. Don't arch the back and remember to breathe smoothly.
4. Slowly lower back down and repeat for 12-16 reps.

View this exercise.

 

Exercise Ball Crunch

Exercise Ball Crunch

The exercise ball is an excellent tool to strengthen the abs and comes out number three for working the rectus abdominis. To do it right:

1. Lie face-up with the ball resting under your mid/lower back.
2. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head.
3. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips.
4. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., you shouldn't roll).
5. Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 12-16 reps.

 

Vertical Leg Crunch

Vertical Leg Crunch

The vertical leg crunch is another effective move for the rectus abdominis and the obliques. To do it right:

1. Lie face up on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed.
2. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet.
3. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

 

Torso Track

The Torso Track is a tough exercise because it can hurt your back if you're not careful.

1. Grip the handles of the Torso Track and pull the abs in without holding your breath (as though bracing them).
2. Exhale and glide forward as far as you comfortably can. If you collapse in the middle and feel it in your back, you've gone too far.
3. Contract the abs to pull your body back.
4. Add tension by using more tension chords.

 

Long Arm Crunch

This move, ranked 6th in the ACE study, emphasizes the upper part of the abs. To do it right:

1. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

 

Reverse Crunch

Reverse Crunch

It may seem like the reverse crunch is for the lower abs but, remember, the rectus abdominis is one long muscle, so you can't separate upper from lower. To do this move right:

1. Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
3. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.
5. It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.

 

Full Vertical Crunch

In a full verticul crunch, you really work the abs by involving both the upper and lower body. To do it right:

1. Lie on your back and extend the legs up towards the ceiling.
2. Place hands behind your head (lightly cupping it) and contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. At the same time, press the heels towards the ceiling, creating a 'u' shape with the torso.
4. Lower down and repeat for 12-16 reps.

 

Ab Rocker

The Ab Rocker (or roller) is number 9 for targeting the rectus abdominis. To do it right:

1. Sit on the Ab Rocker and grab the bars in each hand.
2. Contract the abs to rock forward.
3. Release and repeat for 12-16 reps.
4. Go slowly to reduce momentum. Try to focus on the abs rather than pushing with the arms.

 

Plank on Elbows and Toes

Plank

The plank exercise ranked number 10 in the ACE study and is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as stabilizer muscles. To do it right:

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air.
5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

Tips for Better Abs

 

How to develop a stronger, flatter midsection

If you want to develop a strong, flat midsection you aren’t alone. The abdominal group is one of the most exercised muscle groups. However, to develop great abs you need more than just exercise. Sure lots of crunches may give you great tone and endurance, but to see the best results you need to reduce the layer of body fat and reveal those flat, visible cuts referred to as 'six-pack' abs.

Nutrition
The first key to losing body fat and gaining muscle is with proper nutrition. You need to create a diet that burns slightly more calories than consumed. Begin by reducing your portion sizes and maintaining a balanced diet of carbs, protein and fat. Eating several small meals throughout the day helps many people stay more satisfied and reduces hunger. Other tips for avoiding fat gain include: getting calcium, eating breakfast and eating high fiber foods. Make sure you stay well hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. Also, be sure not to cut calories too drastically or you could inadvertently lower your metabolism.

Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise is the best way to burn calories and manage (or lose) weight. Reducing your calories without exercise will lead to initial weight loss, but you'll likely reach a plateau and you may also lose muscle. A personal exercise plan will get you past plateaus and can help you maintain muscle.

Abdominal Exercise
Finally, to get defined abs you should perform specific abdominal exercises that work all the abdominal muscles. There are many exercises you can do to work the abs. Here is a list of 17 different abdominal strength and toning exercises to find the ones you like best. There are also some great products that you can use at home. One of the better ab tools you can invest in is an exercise ball. Exercise balls are great for crunches, twists and other movements. Because you stabilize your torso on the ball you use more muscles than when performing standard crunches. For a list of the best abdominal exercises see: Best and Worst Abdominal Exercises.

Core Training
You can also perform core stability exercises to improve your torso strength, balance and stability. Your core is made up of abdominals, lower back and hips and creates a foundation for all other movement. These muscles stabilize the spine and create a strong center around which the extremities can move. A strong core is important in every aspect of movement; especially power movements.

Combining a bit of each – good nutrition, aerobic exercise and core specific strengthening – will go a long way to give you those strong, flat and functional abs.