Your ab muscles are a long band of muscles that are called the rectus abdominus and the obliques that are two strips of muscle that go along the side of your rib cage. When you want to build muscle in this area you are going to need to make sure that you focus on the upper portion, the obliques and the lower portion at the same time. If you work just one section it could lead to muscle imbalance and even postural distortions.
Step 1
Get under a pull up bar and grab onto to it and do the hanging knee raises. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip with your grip being shoulder width and then let your legs hang sown straight toward the floor.
Lift up your legs and then draw your knees to your chest. Hold this for a second and then lower your legs back down and repeat.
Step 2
You should also do a set of flutter kicks. You can do this by lying flat on your back with your legs straight and your hands placed under your buttocks. Next lift your legs at least six inches off of the floor. This will be your starting point.
Next, raise your left leg up as high as you can from that position and then lower it back down to your starting point and then do the same thing with your right leg. Keep going up and down in a scissor like manner.
Step 3
Another thing you can do is perform some weighted side bends to help build muscle in your oblique muscle group. Take a dumbbell in your right hand and put it at your side and stand with your feet at shoulder width apart. Put you left hand on the side of your head and then bend laterally to your right side.
You will let the dumbbell go all the way down toward the floor. Next, bend back up using your left oblique muscle and then repeat the process. Do one set and then switch to your other side.
Step 4
You can also get a hold of a medicine ball with both of your hands to do what are called diagonal chops. Stand with your feet at shoulder width apart and then hold the ball above your right shoulder first. Swing it down at an angle so it is at the outside of your left shin.
You then will rotate your body when you do this as you also pivot your feet. Make sure to reverse this movement and then repeat. Do one set of reps and then do the same on the other side.
Step 5
Roll outs are also a good exercise using an exercise ball. Kneel on the floor with the exercise ball in front of you. Put your hands or your fists at shoulder width apart on the ball and then lift your upper body up to form a straight line that goes from your shoulders to your knees.
Then you will lower your hips toward the floor as you roll the exercise ball forward. Make sure to let your forearms glide over the ball as you do this. Come back to an upright position and repeat.
Step 6
Double crunches are also another good one. Lie face up on the floor to do this one. Put your hands on the sides of your head and then extend your legs out straight. Lift your legs and bring your knees in toward your chest and curl your body forward.
Hold for a second and then reverse you motion and repeat. Don’t let your legs or shoulders touch the floor when you lower yourself back down to the starting point.
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To be continued …