Are you looking for some effective ab exercises? Well, here you can find a selection of exercises that you can include in your workout to help you get a six pack:

Ab Exercise 1: Crunches

MAIN MUSCLE WORKED: Abdominals (rectus abdominus)

OTHER MUSCLE WORKED: None

EQUIPMENT: Bodyweight – no equipment needed

PREPARATION: Lying on back on mat facing upwards. Legs either bent with feet on ground, close to body or feet in air. Push lower back into ground or mat. Hands either placed next to legs, across chest or behind head, depending on intensity.

EXECUTION: Lift head and shoulders off ground on exhalation, but keep lower spine on mat. Return to mat on inhalation. Repeat as many repetitions as required, breathing consistently.

Ab Exercise 2: Reverse Crunches

  

MAIN MUSCLE WORKED: Abdominals (rectus abdominus)

SECONDARY MUSCLES WORKED: None

EQUIPMENT: Bodyweight – no equipment needed

PREPARATION: Lie on back on mat facing upwards. Lift your feet into the air and straighten legs towards the sky.

EXECUTION: Lift bum and pelvis of the floor in a controlled manner without swinging the legs and hold in air for a second then return to starting position. Repeat as necessary.

POSTURAL CUES: Keep entire back, shoulders, neck and head pushed into the mat.

Ab Exercise 3: Twisting Crunches

MAIN MUSCLE WORKED: Abdominals (rectus abdominus)

SECONDARY MUSCLES WORKED: Obliques

EQUIPMENT: Bodyweight – no equipment needed

PREPARATION: Lying on back on mat facing upwards. Legs either bent with feet on ground, close to body or feet in air. Push lower back into ground or mat. Hands either next to legs, across chest or behind head, depending on intensity

EXECUTION: Lift neck and head and twist one shoulder towards opposite hip, keeping the other shoulder on the mat. Repeat on other side, either alternating each repetition or completing the required repetitions on each side.

Ab Exercise 4: Rope Pulley Crunches

MAIN MUSCLE WORKED: Abdominals (rectus abdominus)

SECONDARY MUSCLES WORKED: None

EQUIPMENT: Pulley or cables with rope

PREPARATION: Kneel down about 2 feet from the base of the pulley system and directly underneath, facing away from pulley.

EXECUTION: Hold the rope and place wrists against the head. While kneeling on the ground, flex hips slightly and have your abs perform a crunching motion. Flex your torso so your elbows travel toward the middle of the thighs

POSTURAL CUES: Keep abs contracted

Ab Exercise 5: Hanging Leg Crunches

  

MAIN MUSCLE WORKED: Abdominals (rectus abdominus)

SECONDARY MUSCLES WORKED: Hip flexors

EQUIPMENT: Chin up bar or bar

PREPARATION: Grip bar and just hang, let the momentum disappear and do nothing until your body is still and the legs are straight.

EXECUTION: Lift feet up with either bent or straight legs. Lift slowly, at least 5 seconds up, and lower for same amount of time and repeat required repetitions.

POSTURAL CUES: Do not use momentum.

Ab Exercise 6: Bent-Over Twists

MAIN MUSCLE WORKED: Abdominals (rectus abdominus)

SECONDARY MUSCLES WORKED: Obliques

EQUIPMENT: Bar

PREPARATION: Standing with your feet apart, place a broom handle or light bar across the back of your shoulders and bend forward from the waist as far as comfortable.

EXECUTION: Keep the head stationary, stabilising the pelvis to prevent rotating, deliberately turn your upper body and shoulders in one direction as far as possible. Hold at the extreme rotated position, then turn your torso and shoulders back in the other direction as far as you can, keeping the movement controlled.

POSTURAL CUES: Do not use momentum. Keep hips and back stable.

Ab Exercise 7: Standing Torso Twists

 

MAIN MUSCLE WORKED: Abdominals (rectus abdominus)

SECONDARY MUSCLES WORKED: Obliques

EQUIPMENT: Bodyweight – but dumbbells or barbell is optional

PREPARATION: Stand upright with feet hip distance apart and knees slightly bent. Place bar across the back the shoulders and stand upright with knees soft.

EXECUTION: Stabilising the pelvis to prevent rotating, deliberately turn your upper body and shoulders in one direction as far as possible. Hold at the extreme rotated position, then turn your torso and shoulders back in the other direction as far as you can, keeping the movement controlled.

POSTURAL CUES: Do not use momentum. Keep hips stable.

Ab Exercise 8: Side Bends

  

MAIN MUSCLE WORKED: Abdominals (rectus abdominus)

SECONDARY MUSCLES WORKED: Obliques

EQUIPMENT: Bodyweight – but dumbbells are optional

PREPARATION: Stand upright with feet hip distance apart, knees slightly bent with arms straight at sides.

EXECUTION: Bend sideways holding your pelvis very firm. Bend one shoulder down toward the floor and shorten distance between side rib and hip bone on side. When you reach a point where you cannot bend further inhale and exhale and you raise yourself back to starting position and repeat as required.

POSTURAL CUES: Do not use momentum. Keep hips stable.

Ab Exercise 9: Incline Sit-Ups

  

MAIN MUSCLE WORKED: Abdominals (rectus abdominus)

SECONDARY MUSCLES WORKED: Hip flexors

EQUIPMENT: Incline bench

PREPARATION: Lying on back on incline bench facing upwards. Push lower back into bench and place hands either next to legs, across chest or behind head, depending on intensity.

EXECUTION: Lift head and shoulders off bench on exhalation and take chest towards knees, coming up into a full seated position with spine off the bench. Return to mat on inhalation. Repeat as many repetitions as required, breathing consistently.

POSTURAL CUES: Do not pull on head or strain neck. Focus on abdominal muscle working and not legs.

Ab Exercise 10: Seated Crunch Machine

  

MAIN MUSCLE WORKED: Abdominals (rectus abdominus)

SECONDARY MUSCLES WORKED: None

EQUIPMENT: Seated Crunch Machine

PREPARATION: Adjust the desired weight on the machine and the levers to get comfortable. Sit comfortably on the seat with your hips pushed back and core contracted

EXECUTION: Flex hips slightly and have your abs perform a crunching motion. Flex your torso so your elbows travel toward the middle of the thighs.

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