Throughout my teenage years and into adulthood I have been an extremely active person. Not only when I danced everyday for 3 hours but also now as I try to workout at least 3x a week.. But even doing cardio and abs religiously I never was able to figure out how to get a hard stomach let alone a "six pack" and maintain it.
Until now...
I was doing everything wrong! I was doing a ton of abs but only doing a strict regiment of basic crunchs. I didn't mix it up or try anything new. That's why I never saw results.
Now. My stomach has never been stronger, I have a six pack and I have gotten rid of any stomach fat there ever was.
Here are some basic 101 ab rules and quid lines.. as well as some basic routines.
1. Regular crunches on the ground - AIN'T gonna cut it! You NEED TO ADD WEIGHT!
Whether its hand weights, ankle weights, or a weight ball -
2. Abs need to be worked everyday - Morning and night
Muscle in the abdominal area seems to fade fast if you don't do it frequently!
3. Mix it up - Use the floor, exercise ball, and flat balance ball
4. Breath! Breathing and especially exhaling during the exercise will help oxygen flow into the muscle thus giving you a "burning" feeling.
5. Lift up the toes - During regular crunchs and ones on the ball lift up your toes so your heels stay on the floor - this helps you use your core to balance as well as the contraction of the ab routine.
6. Small pulses - instead of long extended crunch movements, small tight crunches help keep the abs contracted and working.
Here are a few routines for the floor, balance ball, and flat balance ball:
1. On A Matt -
- 3 sets of 18 : hold a weight 10-12 pounds above stomach, bring head up and crunch in the legs, keep elbows close to the ground and make sure to extended legs and feet all the way out
- 3 sets of 18: Lift upper torso off ground/ lift legs up to 90deg and twist with weight from either side of your body towards to the ground, fast small movements
- 3 sets of 18: Lay on back with legs a 90degs, place 1 hand weight on ankles and hold there while doing regular crunches up
- 3 sets of 18: Lay on back, lift up head off ground, with the weight on your ankles at 90deg legs: lift and lower ankles to ground and back up to 90 degrees.
With Ankle weights:
- Knee crunches in
- Lift and lower legs
- Bicycle
-Pulse with legs hoovering ground and head lifted up
- Flutter kicks just above the ground
2. On a Balance ball -
- 3 sets of 18: Hold 10-12 pound weight behind your head (1 weight flat behind the neck) Crunch up
- 3 sets of 18: Hold same weight with both hands right above chest with arms almost completely extended
- 3 set of 18: With weight do twist crunches from side to side moving weight to either side of the hip
