You’re in the gym, on that mat, churning out hundreds and thousands of endless reps. You’re crunching like it’s your job, like you’re aiming for a million, thinking the endless reps will generate killer abs. You want a defined six pack, hell, a 12 pack, and so you’re willing to do anything to get there. However, you’re doing it all wrong. Stop. Listen. If you want to generate a killer core, than you have to apply the same, sound, time-proven practices to your abs as any other workout. So read on, and get the skinny on how to shred your six pack like nobody’s cud-chewing business.

First off, let’s establish some basics. If you’re doing your ab work the traditional way you’re probably lying on a mat and doing as many reps as you can. Don’t. You need to do all your ab work on an exercise ball. Why? This unstable surface will fire up your obliques and rectus abdominis are fired up by having to keep your body positioned by up to 50% more than lying on a hard surface does. Further, like any other muscle group, your abs respond well to weight training. That means endless body weight reps won’t cut it, and you need to incorporate weights. Finally, don’t do this every day. Three times a week max is all you need.

First Exercise: Weight Partial Crunch

Lie on an exercise ball, face up, and hold a weighted plate above you with straight arms. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor, and while keeping your arms extended, lift your body so that your upper back comes off the ball such that only your lower back is still touching the ball. Return to the rest position, and do three sets of 8-15 reps.

Second Exercise: Weighted Rotation

Lie on that exercise ball, face up, feet flat on the floor, with a weight held above you with straight arms. Then contract your abs, and lift your torso so that your upper body comes off the ball. Holding that position, rotate your body so that you swing the plate down and to the left as far as you can, then go back and to the right. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Third Exercise: Weighted Reverse Crunch

Get your favorite exercise ball and position it before a squat barbell that’s set at thigh height. Lie face up, and place a 10 or 20 lb dumbbell between your feet. Grip the barbell, and then lift your feet off the ground, lifting your knees to your chest. Keep your knees bent at 90 degrees throughout. Once your knees go as high as they can, lower your feet back to the ground. 3 sets of 8-12 reps, buddy boy.

Fourth Exercise: V-Up & Switch

Ok, so with this exercise you can lie on a matt, because nobody as the requisite balance to do this on an exercise ball. Lie flat, face up, a 2 or 10 lb medicine ball held straight armed above your head. Then do a V-up, so that you raise your arms and straight legs over your midsection, so that your hands and feet connect. Place the medicine ball between your feet, and go flat. Repeat, and this time grab the ball and lower back down. Keep switching the ball between hands and feet. 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

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Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: exercise ball,six pack,abs,6 pack,core,exercise,muscle,obliques,ab exercises,stomach exercises