Abdominal Exercises for Men and Women

Once fully developed (ripped) they resemble six cans laying on their sides in two rows of three (six-pack). Getting abs is not very easy and requires a lot of effort, including proper diet.

Read through the exercise descriptions thoroughly so you know exactly what the exercise is going to accomplish, how to execute it properly and safely and how to best incorporate the exercise into your ab workouts.

You can do abdominal exercises in various forms using body weight, machines, resistance bands, and more. Variation does matter to the toning of your muscles. Update your workouts every two to four weeks for better results. We have listed abdominal workouts at the gym and workouts you can do at home.

Mentioned exercises is a list of all practical abdominal exercises that you can include in your workout schedule. You’re not supposed to do all of these on a single day.

1. Lying Abdominal Crunch Machine

The lying abdominal crunch machine is a favored exercise equipment for working the abdominal muscles found in most gyms and health clubs. The abdominal crunch is an isolation exercise that targets the upper abdomen. This machine will help you to do the exercise in a disciplined way.

Also, you can start your workout with minimum resistance. When you perform this exercise, you are raising only the head and shoulders to move the ribcage toward the pelvis, without lifting the lower back.

Instructions for Lying Abdominal Crunch Machine:

     the upper pad. Take hold of the handles and place the feet on the foot

     pads. This will be the starting position.

2.  Now simultaneously start lifting the legs and also crunch the torso. Focus

     on working the abdominal muscles and not the legs.

3.  At the top of the movement, give the abs a one second squeeze.

4.  Slowly relax the abs and return to the starting position.

5.  This will complete your one repetition.

6.  Exhale as you raise up. Inhale as you return.

7.  Repeat it until your satisfied with the set (2-3 sets).

2. Decline Bench Sit-Up

Decline bench sit-ups are an effective exercise used to work the abdominal muscles. This exercise involves both the rectus abdominis and other stabilizing muscles in the chest, neck and low-back as well as hip flexors and lower-leg muscles.

Set the decline around 45º. The intensity of this exercise can be increased or decreased by changing the angle of the decline (increasing the angle increases the intensity).

Instructions for Decline Bench Sit-Up:

    either touching (but not holding) the head or across the chest.

2. Sit upright on the bench so that your torso is upright and perpendicular

    to the floor. This is your starting position.

3. Slowly lower the torso backward until it is almost parallel to the floor. It is

    not necessary to lower the torso farther than horizontal to the floor or

    raise it beyond 90 degrees.

4. Contract the abdominal muscles while slowly bending at the waist and

    returning to the upright position.

5. This will complete your one repetition.

6. Inhale as you lower down. Exhale as you sit up.

7. Repeat it until failure (2-3 sets).

3. Seated Abdominal Crunch Machine

The seated abdominal crunch machine targets core abdominal muscles in the torso. These muscles are involved in most everyday movements of the body such as bending and twisting, as well as stabilizing other motions.

This exercise machine makes it easy to incorporate core exercise into your workouts. This exercise machine features elbow pads to promote a model crunching movement. The foot rollers act as additional anchor points to help stabilize the user’s body in place.

Adjust the seat height so the foot rollers rest on the ankles.

Instructions for Seated Abdominal Crunch Machine:

2.  Sit in the abdominal crunch machine with the shoulders rested on the

     upper pad. Take hold of the handles and place the feet on the foot pads.

     This will be the starting position.

3.  Now simultaneously start lifting the legs and also crunch the torso. Focus

     on working the abdominal muscles and not the legs.

4.  Give the abs a one second squeeze, and then slowly return to the starting

     position.

5.  This will complete your one repetition.

6.  Exhale as you crunch the abs. Inhale as you return.

7.  Repeat it until failure (10-15 reps, 2-3 sets).

4. Kneeling Cable Crunch

The kneeling cable crunch is a great exercise that works all the muscles in the rectus abdominis (six pack). The main function of this muscle is to create flexion in the spine or control extension of the spine.

This abdominal exercise requires you to kneel in front of a cable pulley machine set at the height for triceps extensions. Using a pulley machine allows you to easily increase the resistance as your training permits.

This excellent abdominal exercise is highly recommended for intermediate and advanced athletes. A rope attachment works best (pictured below).

Instructions for Kneeling Cable Crunch:

2.  Grasp the big knots at each end of the rope attachment. Pull the rope

     toward the floor and kneel in front of the machine, facing either toward

     or away from the weight stack.

3.  Position the arms so that the ends of the rope are just in front of the

     forehead and the elbows are close to the sides. This is the starting

     position.

4. Contract the abdominal muscles while slowly pulling down on the rope,

     keeping the elbows close to the sides and the lower body stationary.

5. Pull downward until the head is close to the floor,

    the elbows are close to the knees, and the torso is parallel to the floor.

    Squeeze the abs, then return to the starting position.

6. This will complete your one repetition.

7. Inhale as you lower down. Exhale as you sit up.

8. Repeat it until failure (10-15 reps / 2-3 sets).

5. Vertical Leg Raise

Vertical leg raises (parallel bar leg raises) are a great lower abdominal exercise because you are raising your lower body towards your upper body. This works your entire abdominal wall, but targets the lower portion of the abdominals.

To perform vertical leg raises use a piece of equipment similar to dip bars or use a hanging leg raise machine. This exercise machine features comfy elbow pads and a back pad for support. This exercise can be performed by raising your knees to your chest.

For added resistance, raise your legs straightened (like pictured below).

Instructions for Vertical Leg Raise Machine:

1.   Place the forearms on the padded bars, with the hands in front of you,

     and grab the handles at the ends of the bars.

2.  Hold the legs extended, completely straight, and together. This is your

     start position.

3.  Keeping the legs straight, lift the legs up as high past parallel with the

     floor as possible by flexing at the waist while rounding the lower back to

     bring the glutes forward and up.

4.  Give the abs a one second crunch, then slowly return the legs to the

     starting position.

5.  This will complete your one repetition.

6.  Exhale as you raise the legs up. Inhale as you return.

7.  Repeat it until failure (2-3 sets).

6. Standing Side Bend

Standing side bend will give your oblique (side) abs a great workout and help eliminate love handles. It is an isolation exercise that targets primarily the obliques and serratus anterior, and rectus abdominis secondary.

This exercise can be performed using dumbbells, pulley rows, resistance bands, bodyweight, etc. The preferred method for performing this exercise is to use body weight for resistance (like pictured below). Do not use heavy weights.

Instructions for Standing Side Bend:

     the hands on top of the head.

2.  Contract through the obliques, crunching the rib cage sideways toward

     the hip bone. Direct the elbow to the floor.

3.  Pause for a moment at the peak contraction before slowly alternating to

     the opposite side. Repeat the movement.

4.  This will complete your one repetition.

5.  Repeat it until your satisfied with the set (2-3 sets).