Tired of Doing Sit-Ups? These are the Top 10 Ab Workouts!

Are you tired of doing sit-ups all the time to work on your abs? Everyone wants to work on their abs but sit-ups do get boring after a while, change it up with these 10 ab workouts!

 

 Bicycle:

1. Lie face up on your mat and place your hands behind your head, lightly supporting it with your fingers.
2. Bring the knees in to the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck.
3. Rotate to the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee as you straighten the other leg.
4. Switch sides, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

 

 

 

 

Captain's Chair Leg Raise:

 

 

1. Stand on the chair and grip handholds to stabilize your upper body.
2. Press your back against the pad and keep the shoulders relaxed.
3. Bend the knees and contract the abs to lift the knees to hip level.
4. Try not to arch the back or swing the legs up.
5. Slowly lower back down and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

The captain's chair leg raise, usually available in most gyms, works the rectus abdominis as well as the obliques.

 

 

 

 

Exercise Ball Crunch:

 

 

 

1. Lie on the ball, positioning it under the lower back.
2. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head.
3. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips.
4. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., the ball shouldn't roll).
5. Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

 

 

 

 

Vertical Leg Crunch:

 

 

 

1. Lie on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed.
2. Place your hands behind the head for support, but avoid pulling on the neck.
3. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet.
4. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
5. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

 

 

 

 

 

Torso Track:

 

 

 

1. Grip the handles of the Torso Track and pull the abs in without holding your breath (as though bracing them).
2. Exhale and glide forward as far as you comfortably can.
3. If you collapse in the middle and feel it in your back, you've gone too far. Shorten your range of motion as needed to protect your back.
4. Contract the abs to pull your body back.
5. Add tension by using more tension chords.

 

 

 

 

Long Arm Crunch:

1. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck. If you feel neck pain, take one hand behind the head while keeping the other arm extended.
4. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.
5. You can add intensity by holding a light dumbbell if you need more of a challenge.

 

 

 

 

Reverse Crunch:

1. Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
3. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
4. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.
5. It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.

Crunch with Heel Push:

 

1. Lie on your back with the knees bent and the hands gently cradling the head.
2. Flex your feet and keep them flexed as your contract the abs, lifting the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. Try not to pull on the neck with your hands, but lightly support your head.
4. At the top of the crunch, press your heels into the floor while pressing your back against the mat and slightly raising the glutes off the floor.

5. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AB Roller:

 

1. Sit on the Ab Roller and grab the bars in each hand.
2. Contract the abs and rock forward, originating the movement from the abs rather than using momentum.
3. Release and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.
4. Go slowly to reduce momentum. Try to focus on the abs rather than pushing with the arms.

 

 

 

 

 

Planks:

 

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle.
5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you exercise about