Weight Training & Weight Lifting Exercises

Abdominal Training and Ab Exercises

Developing a washboard set of abs takes more than just spending a few minutes a day on some trendy ab cruncher. Like any other muscle group, your midsection needs to be trained in accordance with the proper principles of resistance exercise.

The Ab Workout

• Crunches
• Reverse crunches

#1 Crunches

Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground or on a "sit-up board." Cross your hands and place them on your upper chest. Keep your head and neck stable.

The Exercise: You should visualize the rib cage being drawn down and in toward the pelvis when the abdominals contract. Both the contraction and the eccentric (i.e., lowering) phase should be slow and precise.

Caution: Don't put your hands behind your head. This leads to poor form and possible injury.

Reverse Crunches

#2 Reverse Crunches

Lie on your back on a flat or slightly inclined bench, and grab the top of the bench. Bend your knees, so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor over your hips. Keep your knees and your feet close together to reduce unnecessary motion.

The Exercise: Slowly contract the abdominals, focusing on a bringing the pelvis up and in toward your rib cage. Let the abs do the work. Lower the pelvis to its starting position, maintaining constant tension on the abs.

Caution: Don't perform this exercise quickly; excess momentum can cause you to lose proper form and may lead to lower back injury.

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