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A recent study lead by Peter Francis, PhD, director of the
Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University, looked at a variety of
common ab exercises in order to determine what really works.
The study looked at 13 ab exercises, ranging from the
traditional crunch to more complicated activities, using at-home and
gym equipment.
Each of the
13 exercises was ranked for muscle stimulation (measured with EMG) in
the rectus abdominus (the long, flat muscle extending the length of
the front of the abdomen) and the internal and external obliques (the
long, flat muscles extending along the sides of the abdomen at an
angle).
The top three ab
exercises were:
- Bicycle maneuver
Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the
ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring your knees up to
about a 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal
motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your
right elbow to your left knee. Breath evenly throughout the
exercise.
- Captain's chair
This was one of the few on the "most effective" list that
involves gym equipment. Start with legs dangling and slowly lift
your knees in toward your chest. The motion should be controlled
and deliberate as you bring your knees up and return them back
to the starting position.
- Crunch on an exercise
ball
Sit on the exercise ball with your feet flat on the floor. Let
the ball roll back slowly and lie back until your thighs and
torso are parallel with the floor. Contract your abs
raising your torso to no more than 45 degrees. To work the
oblique muscles, make the exercise less stable by moving your
feet closer together.
These ball
exercises will challenge your balance, increase
your ab strength and stability.
- Warm up
with 5 minutes of light cardio
- Perform
each exercise as directed, clicking on the
pictures for a closer view
- Steady the
ball against a wall or chair for extra
stability in some exercises
- Do this
workout 3 or more times a week with a day of
rest in between.
- Combined
with regular cardio exercise and strength
training, this workout can
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Exercise |
Description |
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Ab Roll
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Ab Roll
Place arms
parallel to one another on ball. Pull belly
button towards spine, roll forward until
your chest touches the ball. Pull body back
using arms/abdominals. Don't arch back!
Repeat 8-10 times |
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Balance on Ball
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Balance on
the Ball
Lie
facedown with ball under hips/abs, hands on
the floor, legs straight out. Your body
should be in a straight line from head to
toe. Hold for 10-30 seconds.
More
Difficult: Slowly raise right arm out to the
side while keeping body stable. Lower and
switch arms. Repeat 4 times on each side,
touching your toes on the floor for balance
if needed. |
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Rotation on Ball
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Rotation on
Ball
Lie face-up
with ball under shoulders/mid-back. Tighten
buttocks to lift hips in a bridge position
and straighten arms over chest with hands
together. , arms straight up over chest,
hands together. Twist the body to the left,
concentrating on the abs, and bring arms
parallel to the floor. Repeat to the other
side. Do for 10 to 20 seconds, rest and
repeat. |
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Twist on Ball
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Twist on
Ball - *This is an advanced exercise
Lie down in
pushup position with feet propped on either
side of the ball (hugging the ball). With
body straight, twist the ball to the right,
keeping torso and hips straight, then
to the left. Don't sag in the middle. Do for
10 to 20 seconds, then rest and repeat. |
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