BUILDING GREAT ABDOMINALS

  The abdominal area is one of those spots that people often ask me how to build greater definition. 

The first step to developing a defined mid section is to shed body fat.  It is common for both men and women to store excess body fat right around the mid section.  Without reducing your body fat, you simply won’t see much abdominal definition, no matter how developed your abs are.

  There are a variety of different ways to train your abs.  A good place to start evaluating the effectiveness of any abdominal exercise is to see that the motion draws your rib cage closer to your pelvis, or visa versa. 

  Another way to evaluate the effectiveness of an abdominal exercise is to insure that you are able to maintain a proper pelvic tilt.  As soon as your lower back begins to arch you are losing the necessary tension on the abdominal muscle and placing yourself at risk for back pain.  Cheating on form is a common error in the pursuit of better abs.

  Lastly, keep your repetitions between 8 and 25.  Too often I am asked to evaluate someone’s abdominal routine only to discover that they are performing a 100 sit-ups in a row. Select abdominal exercises that suit your level of strength. Also, you can add weight to the exercises to keep your repetitions within the correct zone, so long as you maintain proper form. 

The abdominal crunch is a great place to start. 

ABDOMINAL CRUNCH

• Lay flat on your back with your knees bent.  Perform a pelvic tilt by pressing your low back flat against the floor and pulling your belly button towards the floor.

• Curl upwards by raising your shoulders from the floor, while keeping your lower back pressed against the floor.  Return to the starting position without allowing your lower back to arch.  Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

• For greater intensity, pause at the top of the motion for 3 to 5 seconds with each repetition.

For more abdominal exercises click here!