ABSOLUTE ABDOMINALS

For great abs, you’ve gotta eat great. But if you’ve got that part down and want to have abs that really impress, you’ve got to make sure that your routine is more diverse than “crunch-rest-repeat.” This means a well-rounded approach that hits your rectus abdominus (your sixer), your deep-lying transverse abdominus and obliques.

These five exercises provide the benefits of a flatter, harder, stronger middle but they also keep the focus where it belongs, instead of transferring it to your neck and back as some exercises can.

1 FLUTTER KICKS

This a classic move a bodybuilder does to initiate the abs burning process

• Lie on your back with you head and neck back on the mat relaxed (don’t try to hold your head up)
• Keep your abs tight and hold your legs straight out, about six inches above the ground
• You can tuck your hands underneath your glutes to prevent lower back strain or straight out to the side.
• Perform scissor kicks up and down, under control, while keeping your legs extended and core tight.
• One kick with each leg constitutes one rep.

2 STRAIGHT LEG RAISES

This exercise is wonderful for working the lower abdominal area (and for angering hip flexors and souls).

• Lie on your back with your legs extended and your head and neck on the mat relaxed. Don’t try to hold your head up.
• Keep your feet and knees together and start by holding your legs about six inches above the ground
• Slowly raise your legs straight up towards the ceiling until they are about perpendicular to the floor. Squeeze your lower abs tight.
• Lower back down slowly to the starting position and repeat.

3 ALTERNATING ELBOW-TO-KNEE

Use this twisting move to dig into your obliques with waist-slimming efficiency.

• Cross your arms across your chest making a X. The right hand will rest on the left shoulder and left hand on your right shoulder.
• Crunch up to bring your right elbow towards your left knee and return your shoulder blades back to the floor.
• Alternate to the other side to bring your left elbow up towards your right knee and return back to the starting position.
• Continue and repeat 10 times total on each side.

4 SIDE RAISES

More oblique work via this less traditional move will help you to dig a little deeper into these streamlining, smooth muscles.

• Start with your body lying on your side with your body weight distributed on your forearm and your feet on top of each other. Make sure your body is straight.

• “Press” your hip up off of the floor “through” your forearm.
• Raise your hips up so you body is in a straight line, with your head and neck aligned with the rest of your body, as in a side plank.
• Slowly lower your hip back down to the floor and then rise back up for another repetition.
• For an added challenge, hold your final rep for 5-10 seconds.

5 HIP THRUST

You can’t get enough work for your lower abs. This more advanced move will help you to put some authoritative punctuation on an already exhaustive routine.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

• Keep your head and neck on the mat and slowly roll your legs up towards your ears
• Roll your hips up towards you while keeping your core tight
• Lower your legs back down to the mat rolling your spine back down slowly keeping your core engaged.

The Workout

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Flutter Kick	5	15
Straight-Leg Raise	5	15
Alternating Elbow-to-Knee	5	10 (each side)
Side Raise	5	10 (each side)
Hip Thrust	5	15

Perform these exercises in straight sets, resting 30-60 seconds between sets, or do them circuit-style with no rest between exercises and about one minute between circuits.

 REFERENCE:

Nathan Mikeska, CPT, is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist based in Savannah, Georgia. He is also a certified wellness coach and was a senior airman in the U.S. Air Force, where he worked in security forces.