4 Great Exercises for Building Washboard Abs

Building washboard abs seems like a very difficult task, but, really, it’s not. It only seems that way because you’ve made up your mind without even trying first.

I remember when I got started with this whole six pack abs thing; I didn’t really get it right away. After much reading, however, I realized ANYONE who had determination and dedication can get totally ripped abs.

Doing targeted abs exercises can certainly get you the abs of your dreams. Combined with a well-balanced diet and frequent fat-burning workouts, targeted abs exercises will get rid of that unwanted flab and sculpt your ab muscles.

As you load up on a good eating strategy and do exercises like running and swimming, remember to do targeted abs exercises 3 to 4 times a week. Building washboard abs can be easy if you follow these simple exercises:

Weighted Sit Ups

You won’t need much for this exercise except for small weights:

  1. Lie down on your exercise mat, bend your knees slightly, and keep your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Put the weights on your chest and keep them in place with both hands.
  3. Lift your upper body slowly while keeping your lower half still.
  4. Go up to a 45-degree angle and hold that position for as long as you can.
  5. Slowly lower yourself back down and start all over.

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Full Body Crunches

Building washboard abs with full body crunches can get to your goal faster because it works the entire midsection.

  1. Lie back down on the floor and begin doing regular crunches.
  2. As your upper body comes up for the crunch, keep your ab muscles tight, and lift your legs off the ground.
  3. Gradually lower both your torso and legs back to the floor.

double-crunches-abs-anatomy-man

Ball Crunches

For this one, you won’t need anything except for an exercise ball.

  1. Sit on the ball and plant your feet firmly on the ground.
  2. Without moving your feet, slowly roll back on the ball until your upper body and thighs are parallel to the floor.
  3. Go up for a crunch while balancing your body with your feet and abdominal muscles.
  4. Remember to keep those muscles taut.
  5. Go back down to your original position and repeat the exercise.
woman-doing-abs-cruches-on-exercise-ball-starting-position woman-doing-abs-cruches-on-exercise-ball-end-position

Bicycle

  1. Again, lie flat on the floor.
  2. Place your hands behind each ear and bring your legs halfway up.
  3. Begin a cycling motion with your legs, alternately bringing in each leg closer to your pelvis.
  4. As your right knee comes up, twist your torso so your left elbow touches it. Then, do the same with the other side.
  • Once you’ve completed 10 to 15 reps, perform the same exercise while “pedaling” backwards.
woman-doing-bicycle-abs-crunches-1 woman-doing-bicycle-abs-crunches-2

20 to 25 reps of each exercise will give both your upper and lower abdominals a great workout. Remember to keep your abdominal muscles tight and drink plenty of water. You’ll soon realize that building washboard abs with these 4 great exercises will become a great habit!

Top 6 Exercise Equipment for Abdominals

You flip through the remote and you will come across at least one piece of exercise equipment for abdominals. You go into a sports store and you wouldn’t even know where to begin; there’s just so many of them to choose from!

From all of these, I’ll help you narrow it down to the top 6 basic yet highly effective ab exercise machines. Using one or a combination of these will certainly get you a ripped six pack.

1. Exercise Ball. This has got to be the most fundamental tool you can get for building abdominal muscles. You can perform quite a few ab exercises on this one, making it really versatile and indispensable. Not only that. This exercise equipment for abdominals is very safe to use, too. This one is priced at around $19.99 excluding shipping and handling.

2. Ab Roller. When I first got mine, I couldn’t stop using it; it was quite exhilarating. Nowadays, you can see a lot of ab roller variations being sold on home shopping TV channels and online fitness stores. It’s become very popular because they claim to work your entire abdominal muscle group without straining your back and neck. You can order one online for just $29.99 excluding shipping and handling.

3. Ab Chair. There are a few of these exercise equipment for abdominals out in the market, but most of them are quite pricey. The cheapest would go for around $59.95 while some are priced as much as $249.99 excluding shipping and handling.

Putting the price aside, you’ll definitely be impressed by their designs and functionality. You can go for the ones with ankle braces, harder seats, or leg lifts. Just keep in mind that the more features they have, the more expensive they can be.

4. Ab Lounger. These look very similar to ab chairs, but are usually more simple and direct when it comes to design. This exercise equipment for abdominals costs a little under $100 excluding shipping and handling. It is folded for easy storage, frequently comes with an instructional video and other additional fitness tools, and its rolled steel frame can typically support heavy weights of up to 250 lbs.

5. Resistance System. This one’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. Its design and functionality allows a full range of abdominal workouts, including and most certainly not limited to side and reverse crunches. For only $47.82 plus $20 shipping and handling, you will get your very own Resistance System with a bonus DVD and 30-day money-back guarantee.

6. Bowflex. This next exercise equipment for abdominals has to be the mother of all exercise equipment. It works your midsection and the rest of your body as well, making it a complete home gym. The Bowflex Ultimate 2 with Ab Crunch Attachment is a pretty attractive piece; you’ll never want anything else, for sure. In one online ad, this one goes for about $1,849.99 with just an additional $1 for shipping.

Among these 6 great exercise equipment for abdominals, you’re bound to find one (or a few) that’s best for you.

How about you? What’s your preferred abdominal exercise equipment? Add your choice by sending your comments below.