Home Abdominal Workouts

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"The belly is the reason why man does not so readily take himself for a god."

Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil 

Whether you are looking for legendary defined six-pack abdominals (abs) or just want to flatten your tummy out, all the equipment you need is already right in the privacy of your own home. What follows is a concise approach to a guaranteed home abdominal workout that requires no special equipment.  

In the quest for great abs, one thing that should be kept in mind is that that regardless of how well developed your abs are, if there is a blanket of fat over them, the definition will not show.   If this is the case, then diet and exercise measures to reduce the fat should take place concurrently with exercising abs to definition.  

When exercising to firm up the mid-section, there are actually six muscle groups involved. However, exercise regimens simplify it as two groups: 

Rectus Abdominus (Abdominals): These are the muscles that are known for the “6-pack” or ‘washboard’ abs. They run from the front of the ribs down to the pubic area. Excess fat covering this area is often referred to as a gut, beer gut, potbelly, and more.

Obliques (Internal and External): These muscles run down your sides in a V manner.  Excess fat covering these is often called love handles.    

When doing these exercises, wear loose clothing and place some form of thin padding under your back as your lower back (‘tail bone’ area) will be receiving a great deal of pressure and friction with each repetition.  

Bicycle Crunch: Target - lower abdominals AND obliques.

The bicycle crunch is considered the single most effective way to work out your mid section. This exercise also has the added benefit of giving a mild aerobic workout as well.  

• Start by lying flat on the floor, face up, and place your hands lightly to the side of your head as if covering your ears.
• Slowly begin a bicycling motion with your legs by alternately raising your knees. The idea is to contact your left knee with your right elbow and your right knee with your left elbow while keeping your hands at the side of your head and maintaining a steady pace. One repetition = each time a right or left elbow contacts a knee.
• Remember: breathe evenly.

Vertical Crunch: Target - abdominals 

• Start this exercise by laying flat on your back and place your hands at the sides of your head. 
• Cross both legs at the ankles. 
• Now lift both legs straight up perpendicular and vertical to your torso - forming a capital ‘L’.
• Do a crunch by contracting your abs and raising (or trying to) your shoulder blades two to three inches off the ground. Exhale as you come up. Hold for a few seconds and breathe regularly - then relax and lower legs to floor. This is one repetition.
• Repeat  

Oblique Crunch: Target – obliques 

• Lay flat on your back with hands placed at the sides of your head. 
• Bend your knees up so that your heels are now almost touching your buttocks.
• Now lay both legs over to one side while keeping both shoulder blades touching the floor.
• While keeping your shoulders parallel to the floor and your hands to the sides of your head - contract your abs and raise your shoulder blades two to three inches off the ground. Exhale as you come up, hold for a few seconds, and relax. This is one repetition.
• After a ‘set’ of repetitions is complete - switch sides by laying the legs to the other side of your body and work out the other oblique muscle group.
  

DO:

• Try to raise your chest to the maximum in each crunch.
• Try to keep your neck straight. If necessary, imagine there’s an orange (or some similar object) between your chin and chest.
• Breathe regularly during the exercise 
  

DO NOT:

• Pull on your head with your hands when doing the crunches.
• Continue exercising if you feel any sudden sharp pain or pain to any part of the spine area – neck to tail bone.

Sources:  
Hagen, Patricia. Bicycle the Best Belly Workout. Army Times, 11/26/2001, Vol. 62 Issue

18, p34, 1p, 1c