Ab exercises are one of the most popular, and yet, most controversial topics in the exercise and health/fitness industry. Hundreds of ab belts, ab gadgets, ab gimmicks, and ab exercise machines have flooded the exercise market for people looking for sexier and flatter abs… that sexy six-pack abs appearance that everybody wants.
The problem is that most of the ab exercises that are recommended all over the internet, and in magazines, etc, are not necessarily the best method to get that six-pack abs appearance. First and foremost, the most important aspect for great looking six pack abs is losing the extra stomach fat that is covering up the abs. To be honest, most people already have decent abs underneath, yet the six-pack is simply covered up by all of that extra flabby belly fat.
Instead of focusing so much on ab exercises to make your belly flatter and more like a six-pack, you will lose much more abdominal fat by focusing the majority of your workout time with special combinations of high intensity full-body, multi-joint exercises. The best exercises for losing that sloppy ab fat are the exercises that work the largest portions of the body at once.
Exercises that work the much larger muscle groups of the legs, upper and lower back, and chest give you the biggest metabolic bang for your buck in terms of ab fat loss. Combining these types of big multi-joint exercises in high intensity super-set, tri-set, or circuit fashion gives you the biggest fat-burning and metabolism boosting response from your workouts.
And that is one of the best kept secrets for flat sexy abs that are actually visible as a six-pack!
Now when it comes to ab-specific exercises, another mistake most people make is mindlessly pumping away with hundreds of crunches and other meaningless abdominal exercises that barely give your abs much resistance to work against. If you want to actually develop your abs to the best extent possible, don’t waste your time with exercises that you can do more than 20 or 25 reps… that means you are definitely not doing an exercise that provides enough resistance to the abs. Exercises that give you enough resistance to get you down into the 6-15 rep range per set works great for the abs.
Generally, higher resistance ab exercises that provide a much larger stimulus to the abdominals come in the form of exercises that involve raising/curling the legs and pelvis either upward or inward closer to the trunk. A couple great examples of these higher resistance ab exercises are hanging leg raises or knee raises using a “pelvic curl up”, or an exercise like lying hip thrusts. Many times, the same people that can do 80 or 100 crunches, can’t even complete more than 2 or 3 properly executed hanging leg raises, because they simply have never worked the abs under heavier resistance.
If you really want tighter flatter abs that look like a six-pack, remember that losing that extra stomach fat is actually the MOST important part. Also, when it comes to ab-specific exercises, always remember higher resistance exercises that involve curling/raising the legs and pelvis upward or inward are what develops the abs to the best extent possible. Grab a FREE fat-loss report packed with over 29 more specific secrets for losing belly fat and revealing your six pack at Ab Exercise & Abdominal Workout Myths
Michael Geary (CPT) is a recognized International Fitness Expert, contributing writer for Muscle & Fitness Hers Magazine, and author of the internationally-selling book, Truth about Six-Pack Abs and owner of www.BusyManFitness.com. Another superb resource for fat-loss and muscle building is Lose Fat and Build Muscleget back with girlfriend

Most people are constantly searching for the best ab workouts to lose belly fat or gain six pack abs. They believe that some miracle ab workouts can help them get a flat stomach. While everyone has varying amount of excess body fat in the abdominal region, the best way to burn off extra belly fat continues to elude most.

The truth is ab workouts do NOT get rid of belly fat. They only tone and strengthen the underlying abdominal muscles. The main focus should be on a full body resistance training workout that maximizes your fat burning and metabolism boosting effect.

Doing lots of slow cardio isn’t an effective and efficient way to lose body fat either. It does not create the greatest metabolic or hormonal response. Studies have shown that people who performed cardio-based workout routines lost significantly less body fat compared to people who did mainly resistance training based routines. Some even gained body fat on the cardio-based workouts! What you really need is a complete training program that focuses on training the entire body with resistance training and multi-joint exercises in a higher intensity fashion.

The key secret to losing excess belly fat is a combination of healthy diet and high intensity full body workout. This is much more effective than doing endless crunches, sit ups or leg raises. In fact, abdominal exercises do NOT burn stomach fat.

Don’t even waste your money on ab gadgets, machines or belts… they don’t work either. If you had been suckered into buying any of them, you were ripped off!

I see people giving incorrect advice on ab training in fitness forums. Consequently, many still believe that they have to do hundred reps of ab workouts to lose belly fat or get six-pack abs. Don’t listen to this type of advice!

Nevertheless, a certain amount of ab specific exercises is beneficial when combined with a proper full body workout. Ab exercises help to strengthen and tone abdominal muscles, support a healthy back and improve posture when done correctly. Remember, ab exercises do not reduce belly fat and should only form a very small part of your workouts.

The 2 most important aspects are full body training workouts and a healthy and balanced diet. Many of the full body exercises also indirectly work the abdominals and core due to the stabilization required in some of the more difficult variations. Abdominal exercises are the least effective way of getting rid of stubborn stomach fat. Learn 5 REAL secrets on how to lose belly fat and get ripped six pack abs that turn heads!WP Robot WordPress Autoposter

Rock hard abs are the hallmark of a sexy body today. No abs? So sorry… goodbye! But developing that six pack belly doesn’t come easy. There’s no machine that can do the work for you. Abs must be developed the old fashioned way. You have to earn them — and you start with core training.Before you attempt any of these exercises, if you have any kind of lower back problem be sure to check with your doctor. The purpose of these exercises is to strengthen your core, which form the foundation for killer abs. The three exercises are:   1. The PlankGet into a pushup position. It’s important to have your body absolutely straight. Support your upper body by putting your forearms on the floor.Remember to keep your body in an absolutely straight line. Don’t lift up your butt, drop your head, or arch your back because those things will make the exercise easier — and that isn’t the point! Hold this position for 30-60 seconds or as long as you can. To make the exercise harder — so that you will get more benefit from it — lift and hold one foot a few inches off the floor during this exercise. Loading your core unevenly will make the Plank tougher, and thus more effective.2. The Side PlankIf you thought the plank was tough, wait until you try the Side Plank! Lie down on one side. Now brace your forearm on the floor and lift your hips off of the floor. The only parts of your body touching the floor should be your forearm and your feet. Remember to keep your body in a straight line… don’t bend forward. Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds or as long as you can. To get more benefit from the Side Plank, try lifting the top foot just a few inches while you are in position. It’s surprising how really tough this exercise is — but it is also a very effective exercise for strengthening your core. 3. The SupermanYou’ve seen superman fly, right? SO lie down on the floor on your belly and stretch your arms out in front of you. Spread your arms so that they make a “V” with your head. Now keeping your legs together, raise them off of the floor. Be sure to get your knees up OFF the floor! Hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds or as long as you can. These three exercises are just the FOUNDATION. By themselves they won’t give you killer abs, but they are a good beginning. Unlike wimpy weight machine exercises, they’re hard. But remember what Vince Lombardi said, “The dictionary is the only place where ‘results’ comes before ‘work’.” That sums it up when it comes to conquering that belly flab — without core training, no results! mikejan635
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First off let me say that if you have significant hip pain you should seek consultation from a licensed health professional. Okay now that that’s out of the way let’s talk a little about why you might feel pain in the front of your hip during abs exercises. The muscles that are in the front of the hip are the hip flexors. The hip flexors bend the hip and attach to the pelvis and lower back. In addition to playing a role in lower back pain during ab exercises they also play a role in hip problems. Anytime you perform an abs exercises in which your legs are moving, your hip flexors will work and more pressure will be placed on the hip. In my experience I have met quite a few people who feel a popping or clicking in the front of their hip when doing ab exercises like leg raises, scissors, flutter kicks, sit ups, or even bicycle crunches. In my opinion there are 2 main things that can contribute to pain or clicking in the front of the hip during abs exercises. First, tight (overactive) hip flexor muscles can potentially cause pain or clicking in the hip. Generally speaking people are sedentary and sitting around all day or at a desk tends to decrease the flexibility in the hip flexors. Just think for a moment, you probably sit in the car or on public transportation on your way to work. Then, you sit at work for 8 or more hours. Then, you sit in the car on the way home. And, then many of us sit in front of the television. All this sitting really affects the flexibility in the hips. When the hip flexors are tight and inflexible, they may click when you extend your leg. Runners also tend to have tight hip flexors, and I have met many runners that have clicking and hip pain when they do certain abs exercises. So if you sit at work and run for exercise, chances are your hip flexors are too tight and inflexible. A simple solution to this problem is to stretch the hip flexor muscles. Stretching the hip flexors is great for everyone, especially people with hip pain or lower back pain during ab workouts. The second reason people might experience pain in the hips during ab workouts is weak abdominal muscles. This may be difficult to understand, but I’ll do my best to make it straight forward. When your abs are weak, your pelvis is less stable. When your pelvis is less stable, your hip is less stable. Sometimes, clicking is a sign of instability. When your pelvis is unstable, your hip may pop or click when you move it during exercises like leg raises. A simple solution to this problem is to continually work on improving your overall core stability with exercises like the drawing in maneuver, bridges, the plank, and reverse crunches. If you have felt hip pain or clicking in the front of your hips during your ab workouts, try stretching your hip flexors before your workout. Also focus on overall core stability and overall flexibility. In addition to focusing on overall flexibility, try avoiding the exercises that cause the most discomfort until you build up your body to be able to perform them correctly with no problems. Lastly, if simple stretching and strengthening does not improve your discomfort seek assistance from a licensed health professional. Charles A. Inniss, Jr. has a Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy and is a Certified Personal Trainer. He is dedicated to helping people to live healthier happier lives.

Visit his website to learn flexibility and stretching exercises and hip stretches whitesmoke software

I received a workout question today from a Sergeant who was looking for high intensity workouts with some work for abs, core, and full body to take his team of 30+ soldiers to a new level of fitness in preparation for their PT testing.

He told me that his men had reached a high point in their physical training and needed something different with a real high intensity to take them out of the plateau.

My response to him is detailed below… Keep in mind that although this workout I gave him uses bodyweight-only exercises, it is still VERY intense and for people looking for advanced fitness levels.

With that said, keep in mind that if you are not yet at an advanced level, you can still use this by simply using the basic format of the workout, and just do less of whatever exercises that are too difficult for you, or choose an easier alternate exercise that is similar.

Here it is…

“Hi Jason. To get your soldiers to the next level in their physical fitness, we’re going to keep a very high intensity here and use the entire body. Keep the rest periods short, and use full-body multi-joint exercises as much as possible.

I will give you a killer workout idea below that not only incorporates abs and core, but the whole body as well in an intense nature. I’m unsure what (if any) equipment you have available, so I will give you a great workout that is body-weight based. Here is an example to take your men through:

Start with a 2-3 minute warmup of jumping jacks, light jogging, or jump rope.

Then, move through these exercises in circuit fashion, one right after the other with only 10 seconds rest between each (repeat the circuit 3-5 times for a killer total body workout):

1. bodyweight squats – 12 reps

2. plyo pushups (clapping) – 10 reps

3. walking lunges up 6 steps and back 6 steps

4. floor mountain climbers for 30 seconds

5. lunge jumps – 6 reps to each side

6. lying leg thrusts (abs) on floor – 12 reps

7. squat jumps – 8 reps

8. side plank hold 30 seconds one side, then 30 seconds on the opposite side

Rest 2 minutes after each circuit; repeat circuit 3-5 times

If that doesn’t get them through the plateau and ready for the next PT test, nothing will! Want lots more option? This site has over 5,000 workouts professionally designed for every fitness goal imaginable: http://ThousandsOfWorkouts.com/
Don’t miss out on a free report on the truth about losing stomach fat and ab exercises at Abs Workout, Best Abdominals Exercise, and Fat Loss Diet
For all of you cardio addicts out there, learn a better way to exercise at Best Cardio WorkoutsWP Autoblogging Plugin

As a fitness professional, I often get asked what the best types of exercises and workouts are for losing stubborn stomach fat in order to bring out visible six pack abs. The problem is that most people with excess stomach fat looking to try to uncover their abs are searching for some “miracle abdominal workout” that is going to slash the fat off their abs in no time.

The thing is… they are going about the problem entirely the wrong way! The truth is that you don’t lose stomach fat by doing ab workouts. So the answer to the age-old question of “What is the best ab workout for fat loss?” is…

Not an ab workout at all!

The problem is that focusing most of your efforts on abs exercises and ab workouts to try to flatten your belly and bring out 6-pack abs is simply wasting your time from doing the REAL workout techniques that will acutally reduce your body fat for good.

If I were to choose an answer as to what the best exercises are for losing belly fat, my answers would include full body exercises like various forms of squats, lunges, deadlifts, clean & presses, snatches, swings, presses and pulls, mountain climbers, sprinting, etc. These types of exercises would encompass a much higher percentage of the workouts I would design instead of abs exercises directly targeting the midsection. The way you combine those full body exercises into a strategic workout that maximizes your metabolism is also very important.

Don’t get me wrong… I do recommend a certain amount of exercises that directly target the abdominals and core area, but this is only a small fraction of the programs I design for my clients as your time is better spent focusing on the full body exercises that stimulate the greatest hormonal and metabolic changes within the body. In addition, a side-effect of training using mostly full body multi-joint combo exercises are that you indirectly work your entire core area even though you are not specifically trying to target the abs.

Keep in mind that the most important aspect of losing body fat to see your abs is actually in the nutrition arena. No matter how hard you workout, if your diet is full of junk, then your abs will be covered with fat. Nutrition is simply the “king of getting six pack abs”.

So lets clear this up for good…

Stop wasting so much of your time focusing on crunches, situps, leg lifts, and all those silly worthless “ab gadgets” in your efforts to try to develop flat six pack abs. Instead focus on high intensity combinations of full body lifts using combination multi-joint exercises all strategically combined into highly effective workouts. Couple that with a clean diet full of unprocessed natural whole foods as close to their natural state as possible, and those elusive 6-pack abs will be in your future in no time!

See below for more of my key strategies for getting flat sexy six pack abs for good. Pick up my free fat loss & metabolism increasing report, and see below to discover the truth about Abs Exercises
For those looking for great workouts you can do at home without equipment, check out Home Fat Loss Workouts
If you’re skinny and looking to gain muscle fast go to Truth about Building Muscleswarovski rhinestones

Time is something you don’t want to waste during your workouts. I see too many people at the gym using up workout time doing pointless and ineffective exercises that will NEVER produce results. Now some things you can’t do without – like a warm up. Your chances of injury are multiplied many times over when you don’t take the few minutes required to warm up. Some simple stretching and calisthenics – like squats and lunges – are fine for your warm up. Once you’re ready to begin your abs building workout, there are four golden rules that you need to remember – whether you are designing your program, or having a trainer design it for you:   1. Stability ExercisesAfter you complete your warm up, stability exercises are next. These use only your body weight as resistance. You need to do these exercises intensely – don’t stop with a set number of reps. The rule is do your reps until you can’t do another one. Stability exercises include crunches, flutter kicks, reverse crunches, or other exercises that you don’t need any weights or other apparatus to accomplish. 2. Stability with Resistance ExercisesTHe next rule is to follow immediately with stability + resistance exercises. These are basically the same exercises that you have done before – but with WEIGHT ADDED. Some examples of stability with resistance exercises are an incline bench crunch, a weighted crunch or a weighted straight leg crunch. 3. Core Strengthening ExercisesThe next rule is to follow with core strengthening exercises. these include the most complex movements of all. The require exact body position and execution.Some core strengthening exercises that you can do lying down are the Plank, the Side Plank, and the Superman. Core strengthening exercises that you do standing are cable torso twists, woodchoppers, and “around the world.”4. Unbalanced ExercisesFinal rule: finish your workout with unbalanced exercises. These are the hardest part of your total routine. The idea here is to do an exercise that actually throws your body out of balance. For example, you might get into a push-up position with your body straight, then lift one arm toward the ceiling and open your entire torso to that side. Repeat on the other side. Very hard to do, even if you’re in awesome shape!You can’t do many reps of the exercises and you shouldn’t. Five or ten of each unbalanced exercise is enough. Remember no workout “works” unless you eat the right foods and build up your workouts porperly.Be sure to keep these 4 golden rules in mind when developing your workout routine. And if there’s a 5th golden rule, it’s that your form must be absolutely perfect. That’s the only way to design an effective workout that will definitely build goregous rock hard abs. mikejan635
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