Abdominal Muscle Exercises

Abdominal Muscle Exercises
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As a personal trainer, I get asked this question at least
once a day, "Which the best exercises to get firm, flat and
toned abdominals?" It's not an easy question to address,
since there are hundreds of abdominal exercises.

Let's face it. Our eyes gravitate towards a flat and well
toned abdominal region. We all want that elusive flat, firm
and enviable look of 'washboard abs'. The muscles of your
abdominal region, and indeed the midsection aren't
isolated; they weave through your torso like a web of
high-tensile steel, and it's critical to train them the
right way.

So how do you get results fast? A recent study by the
American Council on Exercise has the answer. Let's discover
the 3 most effective exercises to get flat abdominals, the
correct way to breathe during abdominal exercises and tips
and tricks to get results faster. I have integrated these
exercises to help thousands of clients get results. You can
view my clients in action with exercise videos and download
full color abdominal exercise routines, diet plans and
ebooks by registering on my websites mentioned at the end
of this article.

A California study conducted by the American Council on
Exercise has determined that the classic sit-up is not the
best answer for stronger, flatter abdominals. The
conclusions were intriguing, to say the least. The
traditional sit-up was among the least effective abdominal
muscle exercises.

Sit-ups (in which you raise your trunk up from the floor
with your knees straight or bent) involve the hip muscles
disproportionately relative to the abdominals. This means
the hip muscles work more and the abdominal muscles work
less i.e they are not getting trained in the right manner.
In addition, there is an unnecessary (and potentially
harmful) strain on the lower back. The sit-up is not only
ineffective, but potentially harmful.

There's more, and it's equally surprising. The study
indicated that several gadgets for the abdominals were
either ineffective or marginally more effective than a
regular abdominal crunch, which doesn't cost you anything,
other than the time required to learn the right technique.

Now for the big news. The top three abdominal muscle
exercises were:

The Bicycle maneuver. The Captains Chair. Crunch on an
exercise ball.

For best results.

Start with 2-3 sets of each exercise, 8-10 repetitions.
Increase by 8-10 repetitions each week till you work your
way up to a set of 40 repetitions in each set. 2 sets of
35-40 repetitions a day for the abdominals is ideal, and
you do not need to train more than that.

Breathing during abdominal muscle exercises.

With all abdominal muscle exercises, exhale as you contract
/ exert / come up / crunch your abdominals; inhale as you
relax / lower / return to the starting position.

Points to remember.

1. If you have lower back injuries or pain, consult a
doctor before you begin, so you don't hurt yourself. Also
see a physician if you are over 35, have been sedentary for
a long time, have high blood pressure and/or cholesterol,
are a smoker, have chest pains or shortness of breath or
have had a joint or muscle injury.

2. It's not the number of repetitions, but the quality and
technique that gets results. Overdoing sit-ups can hurt
your lower back. Besides, the best way to get those flat
lower abdominal muscles is to be patient for 8-10 weeks,
eat a healthy diet and do regular aerobic exercise.

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For more information about abdominal exercises and to
download free and full-color exercise routines, diet plans
and grocery lists, visit
http://www.best-weight-loss-programs.net/ . For free
bonuses and exercise for women, visit
http://www.toningforwomen.com/ . To train with Nitin
Chhoda, visit http://www.phonefitnesstrainer.com/