Thursday, May 6, 2010

How to do Real Effective Upper Ab Workouts

Upper Ab Exercises

In order to get a firm abdomen you not only need to strengthen the abdominal muscles but also burn calories as well.  The following exercises will help you make your upper abdominal muscles stronger, and when combined with proper nutrition and a good cardio routine they can result in amazing abs.

Here are some simple moves that you can do at home to get your abs in shape.

The Bicycle Crunch
The bicycle crunch is a very effective upper abdominal exercise.  To properly perform the bicycle crunch, begin by lying on your back with your hands behind your head.  Raise your knees to a 45 degree angle.  Bring your left elbow to your right knee while straightening your left leg.  Then bring your right elbow to your left knee while straightening your right leg.  Do 12 to 16 reps.

The Captains Chair
For this exercise you will need a chair.  Begin by sitting on the edge of the chair with your feet flat on the floor.  Elongate your spine by sitting straight up.  Grab the sides of the chair by either hip.  Keeping your back straight, slowly lift your knees toward your chest while exhaling.  Hold the position for two seconds before inhaling and slowly lowering your legs.  You can make this exercise more difficult by using your arms to lift you off straight up off of the chair while lifting your legs.

The Hip Lift
Begin by lying on the floor with your hands out to the side, palms facing down.  Bring your feet up so that the soles of your feet are parallel to the ceiling.  Lift your hips upward off of the floor toward the ceiling.  Make sure that you are using your abs to lift with rather than your hands.  Slowly lower your hips back to the floor and repeat several times.

In order to get the most out of your abdominal workout, there are a few things that you should remember.  First, do each exercise slowly.  You should always take two to three seconds to rise, hold each exercise for one to two seconds, and take two to three seconds to release the exercise.  Aim to do 15 repetitions of each exercise per set, and try to do three sets.  If 15 repetitions are too difficult, simply do as many quality reps as you can.  As you progress in your workout routine you will able to add more reps.

These are just some of the many abdominal exercises out there.  Keep at it and you will see results soon.

Article written by Jason Byrd of Ultimate Fitness Gear, your top source for Shaun T's Insanity Workout online.

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