Do you hate exercises that do not work? You strain, sweat and squander hours of hard work but see no results.
Could it be that you are doing the wrong abdominal workouts? You are not alone as thousands of people struggle to get their abs firm and toned. I have selected these for best belly exercises for men to get you firm and toned.
1. Elevated Feet Plank
Start Position:
a. Start in the push up position with your elbows bent and rest on your forearms.
b. Place both feet on a bench.
c. Straighten your body.
Action:
a. Hold your abs in.
b. Hold for thirty seconds.
Super-tips:
a. Your body should be straight.
b. Make sure you breathe (sounds obvious but a lot of people hold their breath in, that is why you see people going bright red).
I like this exercise as the elevation makes it harder for your abs than doing the traditional plank. This will work the erector spinae, rectus abdominus and transverse abdominus.
2. Side Plank on Bench.
Start Position:
a. Lie on your side with your legs together on your right side.
b. Push your upper body up on your right arm and forearm.
c. Place both your feet on a bench.
d. Raise your body so from head to toe, so it is in a straight line.
e. Hold your rib cage in as much as you can.
Action:
a. Hold for thirty seconds.
b. Repeat on the other side.
c. That is one repetition completed.
Super-tips:
a. Breathe or you will end up looking like a beetroot!
b. Remember to keep your hips raised and pushed forward.
If you cannot hold the plank for more than five seconds, then just do what you can manage. Take a thirty second break and carry on until you reach a total of two minutes plank time.
This exercise works the transverse abdominus, abductors, adductors and obliques.
3. Weighted Russian Twist
Start Position:
a. Sit on the floor facing forwards.
b. Have your feet flat on the floor.
c. Hold a medicine ball in front of you.
d. Lean back by forty five degrees.
Action:
a. Twist the ball to the right.
b. Pause for two seconds.
c. Then twist to the left.
d. Pause for two seconds.
e. Repeat.
f. That is one repetition completed.
Super-tips:
a. Hold your abs in tight.
b. Remember to breathe.
c. Do not move your upper body back or forward while performing the exercise.
d. Keep your feet flat on the floor at all times.
Do two sets of ten repetitions each or start with whatever you can and build up.
This fantastic exercise will work your internal and external obliques giving you that competitive advantage if you are swinging a racket or kicking a football.
4. Medicine Ball V-Up
Start Position:
a. Lie face up with your legs straight.
b. Hold a medicine ball behind your head with your arms straight.
Action:
a. Move your upper body and legs up into a V shape.
b. While you are moving your upper body up bring the ball over your head until it is in front of you.
c. Lower your body back down slowly.
Super-tips:
a. Keep your legs straight at all times.
b. Don’t push your head too far forward when you are in the V position.
This will really work your rectus abdomens, internal and external obliques.
Do two sets of ten reps. Rest for thirty to sixty seconds.
Did you know? It takes 250,000 crunches to burn one pound of fat, that means you would have to do fifty crunches a day for nearly fourteen years! Forget that! It is so much better to concentrate on building as many muscles in all your body so you burn more fat. Now you know why the above are my personal ab workouts for men.
Recommended Reading:
¤ Best Abdominal Exercises Proven to Get You Stronger Faster I discovered this study when researching for the most effective abdominal exercises. This American Council of Exercise study has been a great discovery and I based the beginners training on this.
¤ 15 Great Benefits of Strong Abs. This was my very first post on the site. I needed to tell you why you should do abdominal workouts and give you the motivation to workout when you are feeling low.