Top 5 Ab Exercises for Six Pack Abs

Do you want stronger abs?  How about some fat loss?  Do you want to lose that stubborn fat covering up your strong midsection?  Here are my top 5 abs exercises to help you get the strong and firm stomach you deserve.

by Ed Scow, NSCA-CPT (aka The Fit Dad) - Fitness and Nutrition Expert to the true superheroes - busy Moms and Dads! and Author of Fat Loss To Go

Everybody wants better abs. That includes me!

Guys love striving for the six-pack that makes their buddies envious and the ladies drool.

Ladies usually don’t strive for the six-pack, but want a nice, firm, flat and toned tummy that looks awesome in a bikini or in all those tight, tiny t’s.  And I’ll be totally honest here, I love it too!

But are endless crunches and slaving away on the treadmill really the best ways to get a flat stomach?

Absolutely not! Crunches are fine, when done properly, however there are far better ways to lose stomach fat and leave you with the abs you desire.

You can do all the crunches in the world, but until you lose stomach fat, it doesn’t really matter.

So here are my Top 5 Ab Exercises that work not only your abs, but your whole body as well.

1.       Jack Knife – I absolutely love the jackknife and I hate it all at the same time. It’s an awesome ab exercise and it works the rest of your body, too. To perform the jackknife, place your hands on the floor and lower legs on a stability ball. You should look as though you’re going to do a push-up, but with your feet elevated and on the ball. Keep your low back neutral and upper back steady and tighten your abs. Then, contract your abs and pull the stability ball toward your chest by bending your knees. Slowly return the ball to the starting position. Perform 4 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

2.       Planks – I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but planks really are an awesome ab exercise, plus they work your entire upper body. Not only that, but the variations are seemingly endless so when you can perform a regular plank for a couple minutes, you can move on to more challenging variations. To perform the plank, lie face down on the floor. Get into a push-up position and lower yourself while bending your arms so that your forearms are on the floor and your arms form a 90 degree angle. While keeping your body perfectly straight, abs and butt tight, hold that position for as long as you can. Perform 3-4 sets of Planks.

3.       Mountain Climbers – Not only are these an awesome ab exercise, but they also get your heart pumping to give you a cardio effect also.  To perform Mountain Climbers, get on the floor in a regular push-up position.  While keeping your upper body stable and abs tight, contract your abs and bring one knee up toward your chest, return it to the start position and then bring the opposite knee to your chest.  Repeat back and forth in a quick tempo for 20-45 seconds.  You should actively contract your abs every time you bring your knee toward your chest.

4.       Stability Ball Rollout – To perform the stability ball rollout, kneel on a mat with your upper legs and upper body upright.  Place a stability ball close to you and place your hands on top.  While keeping your abs, butt and upper body tight, roll the ball forward.  Do not allow your lower back to arch or round, it should remain neutral.  Roll out until your arms are straight, then contract your abs and pull the ball back to the starting point. Perform 4 sets of 10-15 repetitions.  NOTE:  If you have low back problems, don’t do this exercise.

5.       Jack Knife with a Hip Raise – This has a number of different names, but whatever you call it, it’s still a killer.  And yes I know I already included jackknifes, but these are slightly different and too good to leave out.  Perform them the same as a regular jackknife, accept when you pull the ball toward your chest, raise your hips into the air, hold for a count then slowly return to the starting position.  Perform 4 sets of 10-12 repetitions.  Remember to keep your upper body stable throughout the movement, don’t let your lower back sag or arch.

There you have it.  Those are 5 of my favorite full-body ab exercises.  Do them as a circuit the next time you workout and you’ll make your abs beg for mercy. 

Perform the circuit for the next 4 weeks and you’ll be well on your way to attaining abs of your dreams!