Are you searching for the best abdominal exercises you can do to strengthen your core, reveal your six-pack, and become more athletic? If you want to get in the best shape of your life, there’s no better place to start than with your abs. And while you can do a lot with ab exercises alone, they’re much more effective when combined with other exercises like squats or pull-ups.
The best abdominal exercises have survived despite many people trying to eliminate them. People return to the best ab exercises because they provide the best results when done correctly. However, when not done correctly, these exercises are a waste of time and can cause injuries.
The best way to perform these exercises is slowly and under control while concentrating on the stomach. If you don’t have time or like fast-paced exercises, these exercises are not for you.
This article will discuss some of the best abdominal exercises you can do at home correctly, so keep reading!
1. Situps
Situps are a great way to strengthen your abdominal muscles, which help support your spine and back. To do situps, lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
With both hands, grasp together behind your neck. This exercise works the abdominals the best by performing it slowly and under control while focusing on the abs.
Keep your back straight and your abs tight throughout this exercise. Keep your back straight, and don’t allow your back or stomach to relax.
Form
There is a good reason that situps are a traditional ab exercise that continues to be used today. They work, but only if you perform them correctly.
The first step to performing them correctly is to do them slowly and under control. Therefore you do not need to jerk, pull, or drop to complete a repetition. Keep your back straight, don’t bend your neck, and don’t let your body drop to the floor. Also, don’t throw your body back down to speed through this exercise.
Finally, your hands are placed behind your neck; do not pull on your neck or head but use your elbows and knees as a point of completion for each rep. Situps don’t work for so many people because of poor form. It’s best to do ten correctly than 100 wrong. Anyone can perform situp correctly under the right speed. Like car accidents, fast situps cause many accidents and injuries.
2. Russian Twist
Lay on your back, legs bent, and feet flat on the ground to do a Russian twist. Hold a medicine ball, weighted plate, or dumbbell in front of you with both hands at chest height. Hold your core tight and progressively rotate to one side until you feel your obliques being stretched (the muscles along the sides of your abdomen). Repeat on the other side, then return to the center.
To make it harder: Place feet together for more stability. Hold weights out in front at shoulder height; don’t let them touch each other as you rotate from side to side.
If this seems straightforward, try doing Russian twists with weighted medicine balls or dumbbells held at various heights from chest level to above your head—that way, you can challenge yourself without straining any muscles! The best part about this move? It hits all three parts of your core: lower abs, obliques, and upper abs—all in just one action!
Form
The Russian twist is a fantastic workout that targets your abdominal, obliques, and core. Additionally, it is an excellent approach to building stronger back muscles. When performing this exercise, raising the shoulders while twisting the upper body is the most frequent error people make. Be careful not to do this as it might result in harm.
While during the Russian twist, concentrate on the abs but ensure that each elbow past beyond the rib cage before returning to the starting position.
Like the situps, ensure you perform this exercise slowly and under control. The Russian twist requires full range from left to right. Most people benefit from this exercise by using their elbows to determine when they have completed one rep.
3. Crunches
Crunches are a great way to work your abdominal muscles. This exercise is the most common exercise for the abdominals. Crunches can be done anywhere. They are also done with no equipment, making them very convenient and beginner friendly. In addition to being an effective ab exercise, crunches are perfect for those who don’t like doing planks. Crunches don’t put pressure on your lower back as much (because you’re lying down), but you can injure your neck if you don’t do them correctly.
Form
With your knees bent and your feet flat, lie on your back. Cross your hands over your chest, inhale deeply, and elevate your chin to the ceiling while contracting your abdominals. Exhale as you return to the ground while maintaining core stability. If it becomes too hard for you or causes lower back pain, stop after 8 to 10 repetitions.
Begin by sitting on a mat, knees bent, and feet flat on the ground. Straighten your right leg to the side as you raise it, pointing your toes inwardly at about 45 degrees (depending on how advanced you are). Simultaneously twist the torso to the left so that the left elbow touches the ribcage or hipbone, depending on what feels comfortable for you, then repeat with another side as well.
4. Reverse Crunch
The reverse crunch focuses on the lower abs. This exercise is the safest out of the best abdominal exercises because it requires you to pull your lower body to your upper body. Like the others, it is best performed slowly and under control. You must keep your back straight and focus on your abs as you perform a reverse crunch.
People who get the best results also use the elbows and knees as a cue for completing a repetition. Remember, it is not a race or game. The object is to place the muscle under the maximal amount of tension. The only reps that count are the ones you do correctly.
Form
Lie on your back with hands behind your head in the same position as the regular situps but don’t interlock fingers this time; instead, keep palms facing each other (your elbows should be slightly bent when starting). Raise torso off the floor by contracting abdominal muscles as far forward toward ribcage as possible without arching back or lifting heels off the ground; lower torso back down until close enough so that only about an inch of space remains between lower back & mat (this may require bending knees slightly at the end if no other way). Repeat for ARPM (as many reps as possible) before taking a rest break
The Last Word on How to Use the Correct Form on the Best Abdominal Exercises
As you can see, there are many different abdominal exercises that you can do. The best ones to help you achieve your goals are the ones that you’ll do. If it’s hard to find time in your busy schedule, try doing it at home during commercial breaks or watching TV!
The key to doing these oldies but goodies is performing them correctly. Some of the world’s greatest bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dorian Yates, and Ronnie Coleman swore by them. Always perform these ab workouts slowly and under control. Think about your abs as you perform them, but remember to keep your back and neck straight and not bent.
Finally, this is one exercise that you should not cheat on. Do not jerk, pull or move faster to perform more reps. If you do them correctly, you will see results and improve your performance over time. The slower you move, the better your results. Please share your response in the comments so others can benefit from your experience.