2024-09-24 15:30:52
It exists over 500 ab exercisesbut luckily you don’t need to do that much to sculpt your 6-pack.
In itself, two can do the trick and we will see which ones.
What science says
In 2017, researchers studied 28 soccer players who trained their abs for 10 weeks.
Their abs were measured before and after the workout. Although the exercises used were not the most optimal, the results were still impressive.
On average, their upper abs grew 2.1 mm in volume, their core abs grew 1.9 mm, and their lower abs grew the most at 2.7 mm.
It may seem like a small thing, but even a few millimeters can make a big difference visually.
Besides reducing the fat covering the abs, there is another often overlooked method: increasing the size of the abdominal muscles themselves, so that they stand out more, even under a thin layer of fat.
Ineffective exercises for well-developed abs
Many exercises you see online won’t help you build your six-pack. Moves like the plank or butterfly, for example, are great for strengthening your core, but they don’t do anything to increase ab size. That’s because these exercises focus primarily on stabilizing your core, without creating enough targeted muscle contractions to really work your abs.
The main role of the abs is to bring the rib cage closer to the pelvis by rounding the spine. Thus, the common misconception that you should keep your back straight during ab exercises is wrong. For example, during leg raises, if your back remains flat, it is mainly the hip flexors that are doing the work, not the abs.
### How to train abs effectively
Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to get a good ab workout once you stop letting your hip flexors take over. You can also focus on your upper abs or lower abs, depending on the type of exercise you choose.
Here are my two favorite exercises, which I recommend for targeting both the lower and upper abs.
1. Reverse Crunches for Lower Abs
Research shows that muscle areas near the part of the body that moves the most develop the most.
For example, leg curls work the lower hamstrings more than deadlifts.
To target the lower abs, we need an exercise where the lower half of the body comes closer to the upper half.
Although leg raises can be done correctly, I much prefer another exercise: the reverse crunch.
How to properly perform a reverse crunch:
- Lie on a bench with your knees bent.
- Bring your knees toward your chest, rounding your spine.
- Consider forming a “C” shape rather than an “L” shape.
- Slowly control the descent and be careful not to let your hip flexors do the work.
For beginners, simply bring your knees toward your chest, lifting your hips slightly off the bench, without swinging your legs.
For advanced practitioners, once you have mastered this version, try lifting your legs higher and straightening them to add difficulty.
You can also use an ab mat to increase the stretch at the bottom of the movement.
2. Pulley crunches for upper abs
To target the upper abs, you want an exercise where your upper body comes closer to your lower body.
A basic exercise to start with is the crunch, but be careful to avoid the common mistake of keeping your back straight and moving in an “L” shape.
Again, you want to think about forming a “C” shape by folding your torso towards your pelvis.
How to properly perform a high pulley crunch:
- Kneel in front of a high pulley with a rope.
- Grab the rope with your hands next to your ears.
- Lock your hips at 90° and don’t let them move.
- Contract your abs by folding your torso down, trying to bend your chest toward your pelvis.
- Control the rise by stretching your abs, then contract them strongly as you come back down.
Once you are comfortable with this exercise, try doing it by turning around, pulling the rope in front of you. This will increase the difficulty by stretching the abs more from the beginning of the movement.
The key to progression: progressive overload
To make your abs grow, you need to treat them like any other muscle.
Train them with intensity, with progressive overload. Start with 3 sets of each exercise, with 6 to 12 repetitions. Once you master 12 repetitions with ease, increase the difficulty or add weight.
I recommend starting by training them once a week. If you’re really serious, move up to twice a week.
However, even with the biggest abs in the world, they will remain invisible if they are covered by too much fat. So it is essential to combine this workout with a strategy to reduce body fat.
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