Five Best Ab Exercises

It seems that modern society puts a lot of emphasis on abdomen appearance. The "six pack abs" label can make anyone a local star. Fortunes have been made from videos promising great abs in 8 minutes, then 7 minutes and so on. But how can we achieve ab greatness without an inspiring video and a gym full of equipment? Here are some exercises that you can do at home to convert that pony keg into a six pack.

The all-time greatest ab exercise: The prone bicycle. This will pummel your abs and obliques (the muscles of your waistline) without mercy. Lay flat on your back with your fingers laced behind your head. Raise one leg up toward your stomach while raising your upper body and twisting so that you can touch your knee with the opposite elbow. Straighten back out and do it again with the other leg and arm combination. Do this 15 times or until you break in half.

Exercise number 2: Make like a chair. OK, so this is called the Captain's Chair in the gyms that have all the fancy equipment, but you can do it with a sturdy kitchen chair, too. Sit toward the front of the chair with your hands beside your legs, gripping the front edge of the chair. Now lean forward slightly and raise yourself up off of the chair (lifting your legs) and hold the "seated" position for a five count. Lower yourself gently back onto the chair's seat and wait for your vision to return. True believers do 10-15 repetitions, but I don't trust anyone who says that they do.

The third ab shaping wonder: The plank. No, you don't walk it, you make it out of your body. Lay on the floor, face down as though you are about to do a push-up. Raise your body up so that you are supported by your toes and your forearms, with your body straight. Hold this position for 30 seconds and drop gratefully to the floor. Consider your commitment to great abs for 30 seconds and then repeat the plank. Try to do 5 cycles of this, go ahead and try.

Exercise the fourth: Crunching on the Pilates ball. This exercise looks pretty easy. Lay on the Pilates ball, facing up, with the ball behind the small of your back and your feet flat on the floor. Your back and thighs should be parallel with the floor. With your hands beside your head (but not hanging on, that's considered cheating) do mini-sit ups, raising your upper torso about 45 degrees. Then lower your upper body to that your torso is parallel with the floor again. Do 10-15 of these, rest and repeat. Or not, there's nobody watching.

The final abdomen wonder exercise: The vertical leg crunch. Lay on your back, with your legs together and straight up in the air. With your hands by your head (and again, the international crunch police forbid grabbing your head or neck) raise your upper body about 45 degrees and lower yourself back to the floor. Not only do you look silly, but you will put an amazing amount of strain on your abdomen muscles. Do this 10-15 times, rest and try to do two more sets. Go on, we dare you!

These five exercises will tone up your abs and make you really appreciate your life, at least those wonderful minutes between exercises.  But seriously, this can tighten and strengthen your abdomen, making you less susceptible to many injuries and looking totally amazing in a swim suit.

Are you the owner of a six pack?  Click on the Comment button and tell us how you did it.