abs crunches

The Best Excerises for Lower Abs

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The best exercises for lower absdon’t require going to the gym, buying equipment, or hiring a trainer. The secret is so simple that you can do it right now, in your home.

You just need to do these 3 things to get great abs:

  1. Know your abs and what works them
  2. Follow a healthy diet
  3. Work your cardiovascular system

Before you begin, you should know that technically, there are no separate upper and lower abdominal muscles; they are a group of muscles that are all connected.

So, does targeting your upper and lower abs differently matter?

Experts disagree on the answer, but science has proven that some movements target the lower abs more effectively than others.

The best excerises for lower abs are:

  1. Curls
  2. Crunches
  3. Bicycles
  4. Knee to Chest Stretch

1. Curl

  • Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat.
  • Place your hands on your abdomen.
  • Tighten your abdominal muscles and press your lower back against the floor.
  • Slowly curl yourself up, raising your head and shoulders.
  • Uncurl back down, slowly lowering yourself back to the floor.

2. Crunches

  • Lie down on the floor.
  • Bend your knees and place your hands across your chest.
  • Contract your abdominal muscles.
  • Bring your shoulder blades up off of the floor several inches while bringing your knees up at the same time.
  • Hold this position for a few seconds and then lower yourself.

3. Bicycle

  • Lie flat on the floor.
  • Rest your hands up next to your head and bring your knees halfway up.
  • Begin a bicycling motion with your legs.
  • Alternate between touching your left elbow to your right knee and your right elbow to your left knee and repeat.

4. Knee to Chest Stretch

  • Lie on the floor with your knees bent and flat feet.
  • Bring one knee toward your chest. You can use your hands if you need to.
  • Hold your knee near your chest for ten seconds and lower your leg slowly.
  • Repeat with your other knee.
  • Hold the stretch for as long as you feel comfortable and then repeat.

Perform these 2-3 times per week with at least one day of rest between each workout session. Start with 5-10 repetitions for each exercise and move up to 3 sets of 20 repetitions with you feel stronger.

Also, remember that following a low fat diet and performing regular cardio workouts, such as walking or running is a significant part of any ab training routine.

By performing these excerises for lower abs as part of a healthy fitness routine, you will become stronger, fitter, and see your abs like you’ve never seen them before.

Choosing Great Lower Abs Workouts

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If you need some lower abs workouts that you can do in the privacy and comfort of your own home, here are some exercises that don’t take any expensive equipment or immense time investments.

If you want to get great lower abs, you just need to learn the answers to these three questions:

  • How do I work my abs?
  • How can I choose the right foods for exercising?
  • How can I ensure a good cardio workout?

One thing to know is that your abdominals are a connected group of muscles, not distinct muscles as commonly thought.

Some experts believe that, because of this, there isn’t much reason for training a specific part of the abs. This may be true, but there are some exercises that have been scientifically proven to target the lower abdominals effectively.

Which are they?

  • Curls
  • Crunches
  • Bicycles
  • Knee to Chest Stretch

Knowledge is half the battle, but being able to do them is the other half. All of these can be done in your own home, so here’s how to do them.

How to do a Curl

Lie flat on the floor, bend your knees and plant your feet. Put both of your hands on your abdomen. Push your lower back against the floor while you tense your abs. Curl your body, slowly raising your head and shoulders toward your knees. Gently uncurl yourself slowly back to the floor.

How to do a Crunch

Lie down on the floor. Bend your knees and place your hands across your chest. Contract your abdominal muscles. Bring your shoulder blades up off of the floor several inches while bringing your knees up at the same time. Hold this position for a few seconds and then lower yourself.

How to do a Bicycle

Lie flat on the floor. Rest your hands up next to your head and bring your knees halfway up. Begin a bicycling motion with your legs. Alternate between touching your left elbow to your right knee and your right elbow to your left knee and repeat.

How to do the Knee to Chest Stretch

Lie down and bend your knees and keep your feet flat, just like a curl. Pull one of your knees as close to your chest as is comfortable, you can use your hands if you need to. Keep that position for about ten seconds. Slowly lower your knee, and put your foot back on the floor. Repeat with your other knee. Rest for a moment and then repeat the exercise.

Try each of these on alternating days of the week, and don’t worry if you miss a day here and there. Complete 5 to 10 of each, and when that’s a breeze, try a few more. Go as slowly as you need to – rushing could lead to injury.

A healthy, low fat diet is an important part of the fitness process. Eat plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins. Avoid fatty foods and processed grains.

A good cardio workout is just as important as lower abs workouts. Walking, bicycle riding, running, jogging, and aerobics are all great cardio exercises which will make your body respond better to the other, targeted, ab exercises.

A complete exercise program has many elements to it. Eat the right foods, do regular cardio workouts, and targeted lower abs workouts. Sooner than later, you will have the abs you want.

How about you? What is your personal preference to build your lower abs? Leave your choices below.

4 Great Tips to Getting Ripped Abs Quick

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There is no magic formula to getting ripped abs quick, but it does require commitment and some research to understand what you can do to get those abdominal muscles into shape.

The best way to get six pack abs is to utilize what you already have and not spend on things that are not even necessary. I’m talking about really expensive ab machines, electronic tummy belts, and prestigious gym memberships. Sure enough, these may contribute to your success, but without any definite guarantees.

The only “machine” you really need is your very own body. With the right information, a positive and proactive frame of mind, and the implementation of best practices, there’s really no stopping you from getting ripped abs quick.

Check out these 4 valuable tips that will help you build your abdominals and get rid of excess tummy fat:

1. Do regular crunches and reverse crunches.

Crunches have become very popular since the dawn of bodybuilding (and the birth of midriff shirts). These superior versions of the sit up target your abdominal muscles, especially the  rectus abdominis and lower abs, like no other basic ab exercise.

Unlike full sit ups, crunches zone in on your abs and work it harder, relying very minimally on other body parts or muscle groups for support. Instead of distributing the work among your back muscles, legs, and shoulders, your abs do most, if not all, of the work, and that’s what you must aim for if you want ripped abs quick.

2. Don’t work your abs too hard!

I know you want to see results fast. But working your abdominal muscles every single day can actually be more harmful than you think. You want to sculpt your abs, not work them to death!

Performing abdominal muscle training not more than 4 times a week should be plenty. This ensures that your abs are getting enough exercise without overworking them. Injuries brought about by carelessness and over-eagerness will only set you back.

3. Know That Crunches Won’t Ever Be Enough.

For you to get ripped abs quick, you must also burn excess body fat and build overall body muscle. In between the days you allotted for abs training, it would be best to concentrate on the rest of your body by doing full cardio workouts. That way, you get to work other muscle groups as well.

4. Eat right.

The food you eat says a lot about what your body is capable of losing…or gaining. If you eat junk and highly processed food a lot, then you’re bombarding your body with unnecessary fats and chemicals. That means, you will need to work extra hard to lose all that excess body fat.

Imagine if you stuck to healthier options like fresh vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, high-protein snacks, nuts, and fruits – you can only get that sexy body faster.

So you see, getting ripped abs quick can be achieved by simply following these 4 simple guidelines. Stick to them and you’ll rock a slamming body in no time.

Help build the list by adding a 5th tip you know of. Share your experience by adding a comment below.

5 Tips for an Effective Abs Work Out Schedule

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Wanting to start an abs work out scheduleis one thing; actually STRUCTURING a six pack abs routine is another. The best part about this is that it’s not at all that complicated. Anyone can create an effective work out schedule with no trouble.

When I started my own regimen, I knew I needed to do some research about building lean muscle and properly toning my abs. The most valuable information I dug up would have to be this: You can’t expect just ONE exercise to do the trick.

Truth of the matter is, there are no miracle drugs, there is no one absolute best abdominal training equipment, and, most importantly, you cannot get ripped six pack abs by doing only one kind of exercise.

Chair of the Kinesiology Department at the Occidental College in Los Angeles Stuart Rugg, Ph.D. said, “Stop looking for the one best exercise for abs because it doesn’t exist.” The key to a well-rounded and effective abs work out schedule is the integration of a VARIETY of exercises that target the entire abdominal area. Only then will you achieve definition and core strength.

These 5 tips will surely help you jumpstart your abdominal exercise routine:

1. Complete sets in the 10-25 range. Begin at 10 reps and increase them as time goes on.

2. Start small and finish HARD. Gradually increasing reps and difficulty will put your ab muscles in great shape.

3. Perform each rep of every exercise consistently. Doing 3-4 abdominal exercises every other day should be sufficient. Keep in mind that the last rep has to be as spot-on as the first one. Slacking will only keep you further away from realizing your dream physique.

4. The duration of each rep has to be the same. When carrying out your abs work out schedule, you have to consider the timing of each rep performed. When you do a bicycle crunch, for example, it can’t take you 3 seconds to complete the 1st 10 reps and only 1 second for the rest. Again, consistency will get you the best results.

5. Perform ab-specific exercises 3-4 times a week. Don’t be afraid to include other forms of exercise in your routine. Allot 3-4 days for targeted core training and do them every other day so you won’t stress your ab muscles too much. Then, include cardio routines or sports activities during the days in between.

Read further on various abdominal muscle exercises and don’t forget to change up your routine from time to time. In the meantime, keep these 5 essential tips in mind when you create your own abs work out schedule. This will certainly give you the edge you need to get that rock-hard six-pack.

Excercise for Lower Abs – Yes or No

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Some experts debate the benefits of exercise for lower abs. Does everybody have lower abs? And can you really target them? These questions are simple and common enough, but the answers may surprise you.

  1. How many ab muscles do you have?
  2. Can you target them?
  3. Does it work?

Some people will tell you that there are separate upper and lower abdominal muscles. This is technically not correct. Your abdominal muscle, the rectis abdominis, is a group of muscles that are all connected to each other.

But that’s just one part of the whole story.

So, does targeting your upper and lower abs separately make a difference? Can you really exercise for lower abs?

Well, the jury’s still out on that one. But, scientific studies have shown that some workouts work your lower abs better than others, while some are better suited for developing the upper abs.

As far as exercise for lower abs goes, scientists at the University of Nebraska deduced that the reverse curl causes the greatest amount of activity in the lower abdominal region, while movements such as the trunk curl and twist curl seem to target the upper abdominals more effectively.

However, an interesting thing to note is that, according to recent physical therapy research, only some people actually have a distinctly separate lower abdominal muscle, called the pyramidalis. This means that lower abdominal targeting may only be effective for people who have this optional muscle – about 80% of people.

Most fitness experts do not recommend doing anything special to target the lower abdominals, but, instead, alternating between different types of movements that work the midsection. This should ensure a proper workout of all of the abdominal muscles that you DO have.

Great exercise for lower abs can be any of the following:

  • Curls
  • Crunches
  • Bicycles
  • Sit Ups

Of course, the discussion of upper and lower abs and who has them and whether they should be targeted obscures the advice that fitness specialists have been giving us for years.

Ab targeting is still an important consideration, but not quite as important as proper diet.

It doesn’t matter how much you work your abs if they’re covered in fat. Following a low fat diet and performing regular cardio workouts, such as walking or running is the most important part of any ab training routine. With this added to your fitness regimen, the fat will be melting right off of your belly.

So, eat right, stay fit, and perform a regular exercise for lower abs. Keep it up, and keep at it. Soon you’ll be stronger, healthier, and have abs that will make people stare, in a good way.

Which exercise do you find most effective for your lower abs? Share your opinion below.