Abdominal Workouts
Dropping to a firm, flat belly, or even developing a sexy six pack isn’t as difficult as most people make it out to be. All it takes is patience and dedication. The simplest and most effective abdominal exercises can be done with little or no machines. The following three techniques can be intergrated into anybody’s [...]
Killer Ab Workouts
Ready to bring your abdominal workout to the next level? After you’ve mastered the basic abdominal workouts that are featured in other articles on this website, you may be looking for more ways to challenge yourself. I define a killer ab workout as an intense session that pushes you to try new techniques or unique approaches. One may even call rock climbing a killer abdominal workout with the proper form training and courses. In this article you will find a few of my personal favorite ways to get a killer ab workout properly without putting a killer dent in your wallet.
Cheap Equipment
I recommend integrating machines into your workout routine. Utilizing equipment can be a fun way to improve your core strength and develop abs that anybody would call killer. It doesn’t have to be expensive either. For example, a simple chin bar is one of the most under estimated pieces of equipment for defining your abs that’s in the gym, and is cheap to install or create in at home. Buying a standard exercising floor mat can elevate your comfort level, motivating you to push the reps to the limit.
Kettlebells and Medicine Balls
Kettlebells are cast iron weights that are about as big as bowling balls, with a single looped handle at the top. Working with them provides a balanced whole body workout that builds stability. Medicine balls, originally popular with boxers, can be used to perform variations of non-equipment abdominal workouts and can make a great spot to cool down in between reps. They’re easily stored and very durable.
Ab Wheels
Ab wheels can be amazingly effective if you use them correctly. It’s not really suited for beginners and overuse can cause bad muscle soreness if you’re not careful. Once you’re comfortable with your normal ab routine, I suggest getting proper training from a local fitness center to learn how to use the ab wheel properly. Be careful about excessive arching in your back. When you arch your back often too much extra pressure is placed on the joints of the lower back and abdomen.
Extreme Hanging Leg Raises
This is an extremely intense workout that is part of my weekly abdominal routine. When you’re attempting it the stretches should be so broad that you’ll look like you’re performing gymnastic moves. Start by hanging from a bar. Now, try to raise your feet as far as they can go, with the end goal of attempting to touch your hands. It’s more difficult than the standard hanging leg raises that only bring your legs parallell with the ground. It can feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s excellent for your abdominal health.
Bruce Lee Leg Raises
This move is very hard to pull off and should only be attempted by athletes and people who are comfortable with their abdominal forms. While holding on to a bench, raise your legs in the air so you’re strictly only on your shoulders. While keeping your hips off of the bench slowly lower your legs. These can really cause you to feel the burn, so start off slow.
