The secret to getting six-pack abs isn't particularly difficult: Exercise daily, eat a nutrient-rich diet and eat fewer late-night pizzas all at once. The acknowledged pinnacle of male fitness is beneficial for more than just a rise in self-assurance whenever you have an occasion to remove your shirt or t-shirts. Building a strong core, according to some trainers, is the best way to prevent injuries in the gym, at home, or at work. Want to practise yoga better? Run quicker? heavier squats? lug the groceries around without aching? Everything starts at your centre. Moreover, you can perform six-pack exercises at home without any worries.
Unfortunately, this process doesn't take place instantly. And by this point, the abs industrial complex has created such a bewildering array of exercises, techniques, and gadgets promising to turn your midsection into a Hemsworth brother's midsection that even after you've decided on a plan of action, it's difficult to help but wonder if all that hard work and dedication is having any effect.
We're going to assist you thanks to some of the top trainers in the nation. Their top abdominal workouts are listed below, along with some expert pointers to make sure you're performing each one correctly. Add them one at a time to your current regimen, or if you're feeling adventurous, combine all six into an abs training circuit. Try performing two sets of each exercise with a 30-second break in between each set. Moreover, you can also opt for the best diet for abs to give a boost to your performance and core.
1. Hardstyle Plank
Put your arms out in a forearm plank while lying face down on the ground. Make sure your hands are balled up in fists and that your elbows are positioned directly behind your shoulders. The forearms on each side of you should be parallel. Per set, hold for 10 to 20 seconds.
You are aware of planks, right? It's simple to perform the same actions here. Not at all. The secret, according to Wealth, is to keep your quadriceps, glutes, core, back, and fists as tight as you can while breathing diaphragmatically all during the hold. This exercise is only as challenging as you want to make it, regardless of how many times you've completed it. The hardstyle plan is an effective and intense exercise to activate the core and is an excellent choice for six-pack exercise at home.
2. Dead Bug
With your arms straight above your shoulders, lie face up on the ground. To begin, place your knees directly over your hips and flex your knee such that your calf and thigh are at a 90-degree angle. Next, straighten your right leg and send it towards the floor while simultaneously lowering your left arm above your head. Repeat on the other side after pausing and going back to your starting position. To finish one set, perform 14 alternate repetitions.
Trainer recommendation: "Make sure your lower back stays in contact with the floor, and try to keep your breathing as regular as possible," advises Denzel Allen, a StrongFirst trainer in San Francisco. "I like this movement because it helps to train left-right coordination between the upper and lower extremities, which can help to improve cognitive function, too." Additionally, the dead bug targets all the muscle groups of abs and also strengthens the core, making it one of the best abs workouts at home.
3. Hollow Extension-to-Cannonball
Do it: Hugging your knees into your chest while lying on your back in a cannonball position can make you feel as though you are back at summer camp's pool. Pressing your lower back to the floor, simultaneously extend your arms and legs outward into a "hollow" pose. For one set, perform five reps by holding for five seconds before curling up once more.
Trainer advice from Ashley Wilking, a Nike master trainer and a trainer at Rumble Boxing: "Engage as much as you can during the extension phase, and use the cannonball for recovery." Just don't let go entirely. Think of it like you're holding a crunch!"
4. Dumbbell Side Bend
Do it: Holding a dumbbell in your right hand with the palm facing inward towards the torso while standing with your feet hip-width apart. Maintain a straight back, engage your abdominals, and then sag as far to the side as you can while simply bending at the waist. Return to the beginning after holding for one second at the bottom of your range of motion to complete one rep. For one set, perform 12 to 20 repetitions.
Advice from the trainer: Wealth advice choosing the weight carefully. It shouldn't seem insurmountable. For best results, maintain your abs tight during the exercise by using manageable weights. And maintain a lovely, leisurely speed. The searing sensation you get when lifting is what gives you the true six-pack, not the actual exercise.
5. Barbell Back Squat
Lift a barbell off the rig while keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, distributing it equally over your shoulders. (Since the legs are not the focus of this variation of the squat, you should use much less weight than you would for a back squat.) Send your glutes back and bend your knees as far as you can, as though you were getting into a chair. For one rep, push through your heels to return to the starting position. Perform 12 repetitions in a set.
Advice from the trainer: According to Wealth, "Think about keeping tension in your abs throughout the entire movement." You can increase the weight on the barbell once you've mastered the movement. But you can avoid injuries if you increase it gradually. Barbell back squat is among the best abs workout at the gym, and nevertheless, some variations of it can also be done as a six-pack exercise at home.
6. Bird dog
Do it: Consider this to be a dead bug that is upside down. Start in a tabletop position with your hips above your knees and your shoulders above your wrists. Lift your right arm and left leg at the same time by contracting your abdominal muscles. As you kick back, your foot should be flexed, and your palm should be facing your body. Once your arm and leg are at the same height as your torso, pause for one second before bringing your elbow and knee together below the body. One rep consists of repeating on the opposite side; five reps make up a set.
Trainer advice: "Watch out for overextending your elbows! Keeping a small bend activates the triceps, according to Wilking. Look down and a few inches in front of you to maintain a long neck, and tense up during the exhale phase of each breath. A bird dog can be done anywhere, making it an excellent choice for six-pack exercise at home.
7. Circuit: Crunch
Knees should be 90 degrees bent while you lie flat on your back. Your hands should be placed on either side of your head. Lifting your shoulders a few inches off the floor, push your lower back into the floor while doing so. Make sure your lower back keeps in contact with the ground at all times. At the movement's peak, tighten your abdominal muscles firmly before making a controlled return to the starting position.
These time-tested favourites have endured for a reason. In research by the American Council on Exercise, the modest crunch outperformed popular core-toning equipment like the Ab Roller, Ab Lounge, and Circle Pro in terms of overall muscle activation. If it's not broken, don't fix it.
8. Reverse Crunch
Your palms should be facing down while you lay on your back with your arms by your sides. By tightening your abs, bend your knees and bring them up to your chest. Roll your pelvis to raise your hips off the ground as they rise. Squeeze at the peak and then slowly drop your legs until they are parallel to the ground. Increase the knee flexion to slow down the motion.
9. Side Plank
Your upper body should be supported so that it bears weight on your forearm as you lay on your left side with your knees straight. Up till your body creates a straight line, brace your core and lift your hips. Hold this posture while taking deep breaths and preventing your shoulder from touching your ear. After that, turn over and repeat on the opposite side.
The muscles targeted by this exercise end up supporting the lower back and reducing back discomfort in later life, in addition to giving the traditional plank a fresh perspective. At Kuopio University in Finland, researchers discovered that people with stronger hip and back extensor muscles experienced reduced lower back pain. Lay down and straighten up. Side plank is one of the best abs workouts for men.
10. Russian Twist
Start by sitting on the floor with your feet flat on the ground and your legs bent in front of you. As soon as your core starts to activate, lean back. Holding the weight in front of you, move it side to side without letting it touch the ground. To make the obliques work harder, keep the hips in line.
The Russian Twist is the only other exercise on our list that uses any equipment, and it can be done with a weight plate or a medicine ball. Standing up static rotations are much less effective than dynamic twists since you have to maintain balance as the twist works on both sides of your body. You can do this six-pack exercise at home and can easily target the abs group.
