3 Easy Abdominal Workouts

A lot of people at present aspire to come up with a well shaped and flat abs. What makes this desire unrealized is the limitation of time. These days we are all very busy with the more important priorities in our life. We have to earn in order to provide for our family or loved ones and for ourselves. As the stomach or abdomen is considered an attractive and easily noticed part of the body, many people are highly interested in knowing things about abdominal exercise. The more effective ab exercises will make way for a faster flattening of the stomach which at the same time provides a better posture and shape of the body. A better knowledge of the most common and effective ab exercises can result to a successful process of ab flattening.

1. Leg Raises

Leg Raises are a usual abdominal exercise which is almost as old as the sit-up exercise. Leg raises put emphasis on the lower half of the rectus abdominis. The muscle fibers of the upper rectus abdominia are also emphasized. Minor stress is also placed on the intercostal muscles.

Directions for Leg Raises:

• On an inclined ab board, lie on your back with your head
• toward the raised end.
• To stabilize your body, grasp the end of the upper bench with your hands.
• Fold your leg 15 to 20 degrees or up to the point when you feel your back relax.
• Utilize your abdominal muscles to lift your feet in an arc to a position directly over your head.
• Until they clear the bench, drop your feet in a return arc.
• Do it again until the desired number of repetitions are complete.
• Try to put more resistance through raising the incline angle of the bench or through holding a light plate or dumbbell between your feet.

2. Reverse Crunches

The reverse crunch seems to be an exercise for the lower abs. Don't forget however that the rectus abdominis is a long muscle, therefore you can't separate upper from lower. The reverse crunch is also called dragon flag. It was popularized by Bruce Lee and Sylvester Stallone.

Directions for reverse crunch:

• While lying down on the floor, place hands on the floor or behind your head.
• Until they're bent to 90 degrees, bring the knees in towards the chest while keeping your feet crossed. or together
• Compress the abs to curl the hips off the floor thereby reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
• Lower and do it again 12 to 16 times.
• As such a movement is very small try to use your abs to lift your hips instead of creating momentum by swinging your legs

3. Bicycle Exercise

The American Council on Exercise did a thorough research to find out the most effective exercises for the abs. The bicycle exercise was a top choice. This exercise is the best technique to aim at your six-pack or rectus abdominis. Aside from that it also targets your waist or obliques.

Directions for Bicycle Exercise:

• Lie flat on the floor, or mat, on your back with your hands behind your head and fingers interlaced.
• While lifting your right leg, bending it at the knee and hip, bring it up while raising your left shoulder blade from the floor and touching your left elbow to your knee.
• Slowly lower your right leg and left elbow to the original position and repeat with the left leg and right elbow, simulating leg movement similar to riding a bike.

Keep doing this and you will have a great abs soon. You can join burn the fat program to find out more tips in   getting fit.