Ab Exercise Tips

Benjamin Wise asked:


Most days in the morning at five am, I wake up from my slumber, pound the alarm clock wipe my drewl and head out to the gym. Some days I like going to the gym other days I do not. The positive factor with the gym is that it gives me the opportunity to loose some weight. Plus it wakes me up and gets me in a positive state of mind.

I start with warm up sessions, then go to the treadmill and moving along to the weights. Eventually I get to the dreaded ab exercise machine. This piece of equipment is not my favorite. Personally I cannot stand the ab exercise machine. At times I feel that this machine was invented with the intent on torturing my fellow human being! Using the ab exercise equipment can at times feel like pure hell! On top of that I cannot seem to get the washboard belly that I see being advertised on the TV morning, noon and night

After using the ab exerciser equipment I often times I find myself pooped, breathless and in agony at the end of the session.

I thought at the time that it maybe the equipment itself (bad work man blames his tools). Could it be possible that me and this equipment were not compatible. So I decided to buy my own that I could use in the privacy of my home. This was a pretty fancy cardio-based ad exercise machine. I brought it home with great expectations, got into my gym gear and gave it a shot. Let me tell you I almost killed myself. I managed to sprain my back.

The moral of the story is this. When using any equipment like the ab exercise equipment get those who are in the know to show you how to use it properly, otherwise you might end up wounded. Put your pride in your pocket and find out how best to use it based on your current build and level of fitness. Trust me it is far more enjoyable when you know how and begin to see results.



Reginald

Alien asked:


It seems that every time you turn on the TV you see some kind of infomercial for a different ab exercise machine. They all tell you about the same things; you can have perfect abs in only 5 minutes a day, etc. Of course, we sit there and think to ourselves how great that would be because let’s face it, we all want those nice tight abs. I dare say that our abs are the biggest area of concern on our body. We look in the mirror and sometimes don’t like what is looking back at us. So, is an ab exercise machine right for you?

If you’ve already got those perfect abs, then this article isn’t for you. But, if you have been wanting better looking abs and don’t want to do old fashioned sit-ups, then let’s take a good look at some of the various ab exercise machines to see if they can really help.

First off, I will say this. Ab exercise machines can, and do, help you get your abs into better shape. There is no doubt about it. There are many reasons for this including:

Less chance of injury - Doing sit-ups is hard on your back and neck. It’s very uncomfortable to say the least. An ab exercise machine makes things much more comfortable.

It’s easy to do - An ab exercise machine is easy to use and you’ll know your form is perfect every time. With old fashioned sit-ups, unless you’re doing them perfectly, you won’t get the full benefits. Who wants to go through the hard work of doing sit-ups and then not get the benefits?

It’s convenient - Let’s face it, making time to hit the gym is difficult at best. An ab exercise machine makes working out much easier and on your schedule.

Fast results - The ab exercise machines are designed to provide maximum results with less work. Instead of doing 15 minutes worth of sit-ups, you can get the same results with 5 minutes on an ab exercise machine. Which would you rather do?

Best Ab Exercise Machines

Here is a brief list of some of the best ab exercise machines on the market today. You can find these machines in every price range, from as low as $20 to upwards of $500.

The Torso Track - I’ve used the Torso Track in the past and it gave me excellent results. The fact that it adjusts for every level of user is a big plus. At a cost of around $40, this ab machine rates very well on any list.

The Ab Slide - Another extremely simple to use ab roller that doesn’t use any space at all. At a cost of around $20, this ab exercise machine is the lowest cost model on the market today. A great choice for the beginner and anyone who is on a tight budget.

The Ab Lounge - At a cost of around $175 the Ab Lounge is a very comfortable ab exercise machine. I think you could use it to lay back and watch TV in! If you have had back pain in the past, this model would make a good choice as it is easy on the back.

The Yukon Ab Crunch Machine - Priced at $275, The Yukon ab exercise machine is at the upper end of the scale. But, it is well worth the money. You’ll feel like you’re at the health club with this fitness machine. You’ll get yourself some great looking abs in a short period of time with this beauty. It’s perfect for those who have the extra income and where space is not an issue.

There are 4 models to help you get started, but there are probably 40 more out on the market. If you’re looking to get serious about getting your abs in better shape, I would highly recommend getting yourself an ab exercise machine. You will notice a big difference after a couple of months when you go back and look into the mirror!



Donald

K;Chau asked:


Like for an hour or is there a specific amounts of times you have to go up and down on it

Layla

Brooks Donner asked:


le are looking into ab exercises because working out the abdominals is one of the best ways to lower one’s body fat levels. Ab workouts are also gaining in popularity because they can be practiced at home without the need for expensive gym memberships or exercise equipment.

For one thing, studies have been conducted showing that excessive weight in the belly is dangerous, especially for men. Then when you consider that with summer just around the corner, people want to look and feel good without worrying about always covering up. The good news is that there are many great ab exercises that will get things moving in the right directly quickly. With determination, you can get your abs and entire body in great condition.

We wanted to provide you with some specific types of ab exercises to consider. Of course, since most of these exercises require using back muscles, we do recommend that people check in first with their doctor to make sure there are no reasons why exercises could not be done. Once the approval is given, the following exercises will get you on your way to a tones and healthy body.

Stability Ball Roll Outs

Of all ab exercises, this one is highly effective, working the abs, as well as the lower back and overall body. Start by kneeling on the floor, placing the elbows on a stability ball. Then, slowly roll the ball out in front of the body, allowing the body to be extended by taking the arms out as far as you can.

Keeping the spine straight is very important, not only for this one, but for all abdominal exercises. In addition to making ab exercises such as this more effective, it will also protect the spine from risk on injury. Then once stretched out, hold the position for two to five seconds, slowly pulling the body back into the starting position.

Ball Pikes

With this exercise, you start in a pushup position keeping your feet so they are firmly on the exercise ball. Pull the ball in to your body, keeping your legs and back straight and ending up in a pike position like a diver. Of all ab exercises mentioned in this article, this one is a bit challenging but for someone at intermediate or advanced level, the results will be amazing.

Planks

Another one of the great ab exercises, this starts by laying face down on the floor. Then, get the body in a position as if you were going to do pushups but instead of resting on the hands, use the elbows. With the spine straight like a “plank”, hold the position for 30 seconds. The goal for the plank is to gradually work your way up so you can hold the position for 70 seconds. Besides the great ab workout you get with this one, it’s a great workout for the entire body as well.

Mountain Climbing

As the final mention for ab exercises, this one involves getting into the pushup position. From there, bend one of your legs so the knee comes up to you chest. Bring each leg up to your chest, alternating each leg, just like you are climbing a mountain. As mentioned with the other ab exercises, you need to make sure the back remains perfectly straight.



Abraham

Todd Scott asked:


Many times, the best ab exercises aren’t the type of exercise you’d expect, nor are they always performed lying on your back. Are you ready for 3 of the top abs exercises that’d you’d never expect? Here goes:

1) High Dumbell Squats

2) Cradle Stiff Leg Deadlifts

3) Dumbbell Shadow Boxer

High Dumbell Squats- The purpose of this exercise is to use fairly heavy dumbbells and old them at shoulder height. The dumbbells serve 2 purposes: 1) to through off stabilization during the squat 2) engage your abs and obliques to work extra in order to provide balance. If you use a nice heavy dumbbell, this will activate your abs like no other exercise. Once you have the dumbbells at shoulder height, perform a regular squat.

Cradle Stiff Leg Deadlift – This exercise is much like a regular stiff leg dead lift, except you will be “cradling” the bar in front of your body within the creases of your elbows. Make sure you keep your back straight, knees slightly bent, and your abs tight at all times. Begin with a moderate weight and increase the poundage as necessary. This is a Killer ab exercise.

Shadow Boxer – This is very similar to shadow boxing, except you will be holding a dumbbell in each hand. Use a moderately light weight as it is very taxing on your arms. Aim for a point directly in front of your nose, and begin “boxing” by alternating each arm. Try to keep your hips locked squarely facing forward.

The rep schemes for the High Dumbell squats should be in the 8-12 range. I’d recommend doing this particular exercise as a stand alone, while the other 2 can be grouped together with other abs exercises.

For the Cradle Leg Deadlift, keep the reps around 8-10, and the Shadow Boxer, you should perform for time intervals of 20-45 seconds. Make sure you use a light weight to ensure you’re able to isolate your abs during this exercise.

After finishing each exercise, you can move immediately into the next, or rest for 20-30 seconds and repeat for 3-4 sets total.

This will give you one of the best ab workouts there is without having to get on the floor. You can use these as your main program, or throw them in with your current ab routine to spice things up!



Declan