Ask any fitness model and you’ll get the same answer: abs make or break a physique. There’s no bigger indicator of being fit or anything sexier on a man’s body than a ripped six-pack.
Unfortunately, abs are one of the hardest muscle groups to perfect because they require a combination of extremely low body fat and muscle development to achieve. If you want the abs on a Greek statue, try these abs exercises for optimal results.
Make sure you’re taking the right supplements to maximize your results. Men’s workout supplements such as creatine and whey can help increase muscle mass to ensure your abs pop. For a list of supplements to take, click here.
Decline Bench Sit-Up
While standard floor crunches do work, they do not maximize range of motion. If you want to stimulate more muscle fibers to build larger and more defined ab muscles, try the decline-bench sit-up. To start, tilt your bench between 15 and 30 degrees past 180. Lie down on the bench head down so that you are hanging by your legs.
Now, cross your arms across your chest and perform a standard crunch. Exhale as you go up, and inhale as you come down. Focus on contracting the ab muscles without using any momentum during the movement.
Hanging Leg Raises
If you want to build up some mass in your ab muscles, hanging leg raises are your best bet. This exercise can be combined with leg weights or a weighted belt for extra resistance. You will need a pull-up bar to begin. Once in place, grab onto the bar with arms about shoulder width apart, and raise your legs until they are parallel to the floor. Hold them in place for a few seconds, then slowly release and repeat.
You can either bend your legs 90 degrees at the knees or fully extend them for greater difficulty. Hanging leg raises will also build your forearms and shoulders at the same time.
Abdominal Hold
This unique exercise is similar to a freeze in break dancing. The abdominal hold involves supporting yourself with your arms in mid-air for several seconds at the edge of your seat. A sturdy chair is required. To begin, sit tall in your chair with your hands gripping the front edge. The knuckles should point straight ahead.
Then, balance your body weight on your arms to tuck your knees into your chest and lift your feet off the floor two to four inches. Tighten your abs during this hold for at least five to ten seconds before lowering yourself.
One Arm Switching Pushup
The plank is another freeze-type exercise that alternates between left and right side attacks of the midsection. You will begin in the fully-extended push-up position. First, pull one arm to your side, and touch your thigh. The other arm should support your weight for two to five seconds. Bring the raised arm back down to prop you up as you pull up the other arm to your side. Inhale when you bring an arm up, and exhale when it comes back down.
