Bikini Bootcamp: 10 Best Ab Exercises

I am currently on my own bikini mission.  My personal goal is to wear my first bikini ever this summer.  This will require supreme dedication because my spare tire has been around forever.  So while I put myself on lockdown I figured I should share some tips with all of you. 

A study conducted at San Diego State University’s Biomechanics Lab (and published by ACE, the American Council on Exercise) says no. Their research revealed that the best exercises for your abs don’t require any gizmos, and are surprisingly easy to fit into your day.

Researchers looked at the effectiveness of 13 common abdominal exercises—everything from crunches to the “Ab Roller” machine. Using EMG (electromyography), researchers measured the muscle activity of the participants to determine which exercises best targeted the abs and the obliques, while also limiting the activity of the hips and thighs (because when an abdominal exercise is executed poorly, the hips and thighs engage to “help out” the abs).

Overall, researchers said that all of these exercises are “relatively effective” ways to train the abs—but some are more effective than others.
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=191

1. Bicycle Crunches	2. Knee Lifts on Captain’s Chair	3. Crunches on Ball
Click here for a demo.	Click here for a demo.	Click here for a demo.

4. Crunches with Vertical Legs: This exercise is just like a traditional crunch (see #11 below), but with your legs extended up into the air, in line with the hips. 
5. Torso Track Machine
6. Crunches with Arms Extended: This exercise is just like a traditional crunch (see #11 below), but you extend your arms overhead, squeezing your upper arms by your ears as your crunch up and lower down. 
7. Reverse Crunches: 

8. Crunches with Heel Push: This exercise is just like the Crunches with Vertical Legs (see #4 above), except that as you crunch up you also slightly lift your hips off the ground (feet towards the ceiling). 
9. Ab Roller Machine
10. Plank: 
11. Traditional Crunches: 
12. Exercise Tubing Pull
13. Ab Rocker Machine 

Action Sparked: It’s important to remember that every individual performs exercises differently, and even in this study, an exercise that proved effective for one person was sometimes ineffective or uncomfortable for another person. So listen to your body and work at a level that is comfortable for you. The big thing you can take from this study is that you really don’t need to buy anything special to train your abs—traditional exercises prove to be better. But if you are going to invest in one piece of exercise equipment, a stability ball is the way to go. Not only are crunches on the ball ranked as #3 above, but the ball is extremely versatile for all types of exercises. 

Remember that your abs are just like any other muscles in your body, so train them accordingly. That means 1-3 sessions per week, and 1-2 days of rest in between abs workouts.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Related Posts:

1. My Current Favorite Gym Machines