5 Abdominal Exercises for Men
Your abdominal muscles are like any other muscles in your body: they need to be worked properly and fueled properly.
Try to do core exercises about three times a week. Like any other muscle group, you can overdo them, so it's not necessary to work them every day.
When it comes to defining your abs, sit-ups and crunches aren't the only forms of exercise that really make them pop.
Below are 5 exercises that will kick your next ab workout into high gear:
1. Hanging knee raises
These hanging knee raises work the entire transversus abdomininis. These are the muscles that keep your stomach tight and flat.
In addition to working these core muscles, the hip flexors, shoulders, latissimus dorsi and biceps will also be engaged during this hanging knee raise.
These hanging knee raises work the entire transversus abdomininis. These are the muscles that keep your stomach tight and flat.
In addition to working these core muscles, the hip flexors, shoulders, latissimus dorsi and biceps will also be engaged during this hanging knee raise.
Here's how to do it:
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Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing out, shoulder-width apart. Your feet should be together.
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Bend your knees and hips simultaneously, and place your lower back underneath you as you lift your thighs toward your chest.
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Pause when your thighs reach your chest, then slowly lower your legs back to the starting position. Engage your core to avoid rocking your hips and torso.
Advanced movement:
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Hang in the same starting position as before. Raise your legs so that your calves and thighs are parallel to the floor.
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Pull your legs up as you exhale until your shins almost touch the bar above you. Try to straighten your legs as much as possible as you are at the top.
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Lower your legs as slowly as possible until you are back to the starting position.
2. Pump
This move requires a TRX strap. If you don't have one available, you can substitute a stability ball for the TRX.
With a TRX strap:
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Get on all fours on the floor, facing the TRX anchor, and slide your feet into the bottom of the TRX handles.
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Push up until you are in a push-up position with your shoulders, head, and hips in a straight line. Only your palms should touch the floor. This is your starting position.
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Perform a hanging push-up by bending your elbows to lower your torso until your chest is 2 inches off the ground. Keep your center of gravity engaged and don't let your hips sink. Return to the starting position.
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Keeping your legs straight, immediately push your hips up into a pike position. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position.
With a Swiss ball (gym ball):
To perform this exercise on the gym ball, your hands will be placed in the same position on the floor while your toes will be on the Swiss ball
You will, however, be doing an incline push-up instead. The execution of the knucklebone knife will be the same: keep your legs straight and raise your hips as you push-up and roll the gym ball inward.
3. Continue doing the plank
This is a regular plank with a little endurance twist. Planks support your entire body weight in one movement, while stabilizing and lengthening your spine.
This variation of the original plank will work your obliques at the same time.
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Get into a push-up position by resting your weight on your toes and forearms. Your elbows should be bent at a 90-degree angle directly under your shoulders.
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Place your palms directly in front of you. Your neck, back, and hips should be in a straight line. Hold this position for one minute.
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After a minute, roll onto your right side. Don't let anything fall on the floor! Shift all your weight onto your right elbow with your left foot on top of your right foot.
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Keep your hips off the floor, your right shoulder directly above your right elbow. Keep your left hand on your waist. Hold this side plank for 30 seconds.
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After the 30 seconds are up, roll onto your left side without your knees or anything else touching the ground, keeping your body weight on the ground. Only your left foot and elbow should be touching the ground now.
You will do the plank for two minutes straight. Repeat as many repetitions as possible without going down.
Keep track of how many minutes you worked each week and see how you progressed.
4. Abs with roulette
Don't have an ab wheel? If not, you can always use a dumbbell instead.
This exercise must be done correctly. It is not recommended for people with lower back problems or herniated discs.
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Place the roller on the floor and hold it with both hands, palms facing out. Kneel on the floor.
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Slowly roll the ab roller, extending your body forward. Lower yourself as far as you can without touching the ground with your body. Be sure to keep your center of gravity tight so your back doesn't swing. Breathe during this part of the movement.
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After pausing in the stretched position, engage your core and exhale as you begin to return to the starting position. Tighten your core to avoid any strain on your lower back.
5. Oblique crunch
This is a bit more sophisticated than the usual bicycle crunch. All you need is a weight bench or a stationary bench that doesn't move.
This move strictly works your internal and external obliques. The obliques are the diagonal fibers that run from your pelvis to your ribs.
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You lie on your right side with your upper body extended on the bench. Bring your bottom leg forward and hook your heel under the bench, then bring your top leg back and hook your toes under the bench.
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Extend your torso toward the floor, about 30 degrees lower than the bench. Raise your left hand so that the palm of your hand is in contact with your head and place your right hand on your obliques, squeezing your torso so you feel them contract.
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Stabilizing with your legs, straighten your left elbow out to the side, bringing it into your left hip as high as possible. Slowly lower yourself back down to your starting position, just below the bench. Repeat 15 times, then switch to the left side.
If this move is too difficult at first, move your hips back so that less of your torso is hanging off the bench.
We hope you enjoy these 5 exercises to define your abs.
Push and challenge yourself with these new moves, but remember to always work your abs.
What are the best ab exercises for fast results for men?
Get a belly you can be proud of in just 15 minutes, three days a week.
The stakes of an ineffective ab workout at home go far beyond wasting time. In fact, some exercises, if done improperly, can cause back injury or serious pain.
So if you are looking for a good and effective ab workout look no further. This series of ab exercises is very varied and effective. It will help you get stronger and build a core of steel by the end of the month.
First, let's start with some basic anatomy: the abdomen is actually made up of several muscles.
The rectus abdominis muscle is probably the one you are most familiar with.
It runs along your midline from your sternum to your pubic bone, and it's the muscle people typically talk about when they're looking for six or eight inch abs.
Next up are the obliques, which are technically two sets of muscles. They run diagonally below the rectus abdominis, starting at the lower ribs and ending at the hips.
The transverse abdominis runs even deeper, wrapping around the sides of your torso and stabilizing your core.
Of course, no quality abs program neglects the lower back muscles, which play a vital role in defining the core.
Both aesthetically (they remove some of the excess fat on the sides) and functionally (a strong lower back helps you rotate your trunk and stand straighter) it will help you carry your children.
If your home abs workout program doesn't devote some time to them, we recommend taking pictures of your abs, it will be much easier and much prettier.
But our workout targets everything: abs, obliques, lower back.
These 10 moves will turn your midsection into an ab machine without the need for a gym membership or a bathroom mirror selfie.
Of course, no core workout will get you a flat stomach if it's not accompanied by smart eating and cardio training.
But follow us and we'll help you get closer to that goal, in less time than you think.
15 Minute Ab Workouts for Men
Once you can perform the exercises below comfortably, add reps to your set, or sets to your circuit, to continue challenging yourself.
V-Sits
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat in front of you. Place a medicine ball between your feet. Lean back and lift your feet off the floor, straightening your legs until your weight is balanced in a V-position.
Hold this position for 30 seconds, or for a more advanced challenge, bend and straighten your legs while maintaining the V position. Relax and repeat. Relax, then repeat.
Flutter Kick
Lie on your back with your legs straight and your heels about 6 inches off the floor. Place your hands at your sides or under your lower back for support.
Begin by kicking your legs up and down, as if you were doing the backstroke in the pool. Kick for 20 seconds, rest 10 times, then repeat for 20 seconds.
Plank
Get into a lying position to do push-ups, then lower yourself to your elbows. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe and hold this position for 60 seconds.
For variations on this theme, try the side plank (stand on one elbow, then lift your hips off the floor to create a straight line between your feet and shoulders).
Leg jump
Lie on your back on the floor with your legs straight up in the air and your feet together. Place your hands at your sides or under your lower back for support.
Without bending your knees, lower your legs just above the floor, then raise them back up to vertical. Do 10 repetitions, rest 10 seconds, then do 10 more repetitions.
Jackknife
From a lying push-up position, engage your abs and raise your hips into the air until your body forms an inverted V.
Hold this position for three counts, then lower back down to a lying push-up position, keeping your back flat. Repeat the sequence for 60 seconds.
Knee raise pull-ups
Perform a standard pullup using an overhand grip. Once your head is over the bar, hold the contraction while bending your knees toward your chest (for an easier version, hang from the pullup bar with your arms straight).
Bend your knees toward your chest, then release them). Do 8-10 reps, 30 seconds rest. 2 sets.
Russian Twist
Grab a medicine ball or a 5- to 7-pound dumbbell. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat in front of you. Hold the weight in both hands, with your arms extended in front of your chest.
Lean back so that your body is at a 45-degree angle (half-sitting position). Rotate to the right, letting your arms swing to the right side.
Rotate to the left, letting your arms swing to the left side of your body. This is one rep. Do 10 reps, rest 10 seconds. Do 3 sets.
Reverse Crunch
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat in front of you. Lean back so that your body is at a 45-degree angle (half-sitting position). Extend your arms out in front of you for counterbalance.
Engage your abs and lower deeper into the floor (don't let your shoulders touch the floor), then immediately return to the starting position.
Do up and down movements for 30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat for 30 seconds.
Pulley side pull
You'll need a cable machine for the next two exercises. However, you can replace the machine with long stretch bands securely attached to a door.
To do this, stand perpendicular to the cable machine or door, with your left side closest, placing the pulley or band at chest height.
Keeping your feet and hips still, rotate your torso to the left and grab the pulley or band handle with both hands, arms straight.
Pull until your arms are straight in front of your body and your torso is straight over your legs. Hold for one count, then rotate toward the machine to return to the starting position.
Do 8-10 reps, then repeat on the other side. Do 2 full sets.
Diagonal chop
Come into a half-kneeling position perpendicular to the cable machine or band, with your left side closest to the machine and your left knee bent in front of you (right leg on the floor).
Place the pulley or band just above head height. Keeping your lower body still, twist to the left and grab it with both hands, arms straight.
Pull diagonally until your arms are level with your right hip, torso rotated to the right side. Hold for one count, then rotate to the left to return to the starting position.
Do 8-10 reps, then repeat on the other side. Do 2 full sets.
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