Cble Rope Crunch
There are so many different ab exercises that you will come across as you sift through every personal trainer course on the internet. However, one common exercise that keeps popping up is the cable rope crunch, and for good reason. We have our own reasons for disliking conventional crunches, the primary reason being that it is very bad for your back, so the cable rope crunch is a perfect alternative. In order to perform this ab chiseling exercise you need to attach the rope handles to a cable pulley station. Push the handles to the highest level and then get on your knees with your thighs perpendicular with the floor below you. Tilt yourself forward, holding the rope behind your head. Contract your abs and keep your head neutral, slowly go up and down to perform a ‘praying crunch’. Repeat.
Cble Rope Crunch
Russian Twists
We call ’em the Russian Twists but other people might just call them ‘Medicine Ball Obliques’. For this exercise you want to find a nice spot to sit on the. You will need some sort of weight, whether a medicine ball or weighted plate is up to you, in order to get the most torque for the exercise. When you are ready to begin the exercise you need to raise your legs off the ground, tilt backwards while keeping your back straight, and lift up your weighted tool. Bring the medicine ball or the weight left all the way to the ground before bringing it right all the way to the ground. You can go fast or go slow, either way you are going to feel the burn as your obliques get pumped into action. Do these in sets of 20 with a complete left to right motion considered as a repetition. If you can’t handle the weight then just ball up your fists and use them. When people see your abs and obliques afterward you might just have to become a personal trainer.
Russian Twists
Leg Raises
Now there are two variations to this elite ab carving exercise: the seated hanging leg raises and propped up version. For hanging leg raises you will need an overhead bar to hang off of that gives you the ability to keep your arms at least shoulder width apart. If you would rather do the propped leg raises then you need a pair of handles to rest your arms on in order to prop your body in the air. Either way, once you are ready to begin the goal outcome is the same. You will want to keep your eyes forward and your toes pointed up. Keeping your legs as straight as possible you will want to slowly raise them up and parallel to the floor. Hold your legs at this position, feeling the tightness in your lower abs, before lowering your legs and repeating the process. Avoid going too fast as you want this to be a controlled movement, not a momentum based one
Leg Raises
Ab Wheel
If you are already familiar with the nifty little ab wheel then you probably consider it an integral part of your workout routine. If this will be your first time using the ab wheel then be prepared to hate yourself, at least for a little while. Most gyms have ab wheels and people who work out at home can pick one up from any local warehouse store. The ab wheel is literally a rubber wheel with handles. Lower yourself onto your knees and take the wheel’s handles into your hands. As you tighten your core you will slowly roll the wheel forward, tightening your body as you do so. Once you stretch as far as you can you will begin to roll backward to a kneeling position. Rinse and repeat. Make sure to keep your back tight and straight and to monitor your form.
Ab Wheel
Leg Ladder Climbs
This is an easy to do ab exercise that can be performed with no equipment anywhere that you have the space to lay yourself down. For leg ladder climbs you will want to get flat onto your back with one leg resting knee up and the other raised into the air. Now what you need to do is reach hand over hand as you climb up the raised leg, tapping first your thigh and then your knee and then up to your ankle. Repeat the process with each leg upwards of 10 to 15 times in a set. To make the move more difficult then skip some of the ‘climb’ moves and reach straight from your side to your toes. Keep your back straight and your core tight in order to get the most out of this exercise.
Leg Ladder Climbs
Ball Crunches
For this exercise you will need one of the larger body balls in the gym to lean against and brace yourself. We like crunches when they are performed in a controlled manner with back support and that is exactly what you’ll get out of a Swiss Ball. For this exercise lean your back against the Swiss Ball with your feed slightly stretched out for support to keep the ball from rolling around. Now you will put your hands behind your head and focus on tight, slow, concentrated crunches. The ball supports your back which takes away some of the emphasis we would have otherwise put on keeping your spine straight. To really make this exercise difficult you can opt to hold a weight in your hands and reach upwards toward the ceiling on every ‘crunc’.
Ball Crunches
Planks
The most popular alternative to the common crunch or sit up is a long sit down and planking session. In order to plank properly you will need a spot of floor with a comfortable rubber mat beneath you. Lay on your stomach and then slowly raise youserlf up to your toes while using your forearms as a brace. Now you should be a few inches off of the ground and no part of your body should be touching the floor, sort of like a closer push up position. From here you need to hold the position for as long as you can. Don’t be surprised to start seeing sweat pour. The plank is so much more difficult than most people realize. If you do have an easy time with the plank then you can add additional weight onto your back which can be added by a friend or a gym partner.
Planks
Front Squats
The conventional squat is one of the most important lifts in the world of weight training. Squats completely transform your body while simultaneously giving you a ton of actual every day strength. The front squat is a slight variation that works out your core as well, resulting in tighter abs. For this work out you will need to use the squat to perform it safely. Raise the barbell up to shoulder height and put a small amount of weight on the bar to test your strength. Now get the bar to your shoulders with your hands, keeping your elbows parallel to the floor. Now your fingertips should be the ones primarily supporting the bar. Slowly lower yourself into a squat as low as possible while keeping your back stiff and then bring yourself up. Repeat and heighten the weight as needed.
Crunch And Throw
Crunch And Throw
Now this exercise will get you sweating and burning up but you will need to keep your form tight and have a partner by your side as well. Set down a pair of heavy dumbbells in order to rest your feet under as you get into a crunching position. Be holding a medicine ball at this point as well, the lighter the better. Now you will do a controlled sit up holding the ball before exploding to the top of your crunch form, throwing the ball to your partner. Your partner will catch the ball and throw it back and you will do your next crunch, and repeat.
Crunch And Throw
Cntrolled Intake
Our final suggestion for you, in order to get rock hard abs, is a routine that you must start at home and inside of your kitchen. The truth path to long term chiseled abs is to maintain a healthy diet that is free of excess fats and sugars. The appearance of abdominals comes down to having a low BF% while stimulating your muscles with a strong workout. Getting abs is 50% exercise, 50% diet, and 100% determination.
Cntrolled Intake
