Build Muscle

Reverse Crunch For Abs

It may seem like the reverse crunch is for the lower abs but, remember, the rectus abdominis is one long muscle, so you can’t separate upper from lower. To do this move right:

1. Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest until [...]

It may seem like the reverse crunch is for the lower abs but, remember, the rectus abdominis is one long muscle, so you can’t separate upper from lower. To do this move right:

1. Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest until they’re bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
3. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.
5. It’s a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.

Long Arm Crunch For Abs

This move, the long arm crunch, emphasizes the upper part of the abs. To do it right follow these tips…

1. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. Keep [...]

This move, the long arm crunch, emphasizes the upper part of the abs. To do it right follow these tips…

1. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck. If you feel neck pain, take one hand behind the head while keeping the other arm extended.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

What Ab Exercises Should You Do and How Intense Should Your Ab Exercises Be

It has been quite a common occurrence to encounter people who have invested lots of their precious time in abs training and yet, have not seen any visible improvement in their abs area at all. This phenomenon is due to the fact that they have either choose the wrong ab exercises for their workout or [...]

How Long To Rest Between Exercise Sets

[ Hey gang:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. Enjoy]
A lot of my readers ask me how long to rest between sets while exercising.
The answer is: It depends on your goals.
If you are training to increase strength, I recommend resting a bit longer [...]

[ Hey gang:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. Enjoy]

A lot of my readers ask me how long to rest between sets while exercising.

The answer is: It depends on your goals.

If you are training to increase strength, I recommend resting a bit longer – up to two minutes for exercises like squats and heavy dumbbell work. But if you want to burn the most amount of body fat and gain lean muscle, I recommend resting for very short periods of time.

“The Iron Guru” Vince Gironda used to recommend leaving your hands on the bar between sets — now THAT is short rest intervals!  He would frequently rest only 15-20 seconds between sets.

This is similar to the strategy I use in 7 Minute Muscle — very short rest intervals and very intense training. Smart, short, efficient. That’s the way to go.

A good place to start is simply reducing your rest intervals by 10 seconds. No matter what workout you’re using, decrease your rest by 10 seconds between sets. You may not be as strong on the last few sets (if you are training traditionally… if you use 7 Minute Muscle your rest is “built-in” and not an issue.) Over time you will work your way back up to the same amount of sets and reps but done in far less time.

This means more work output, which means more muscle if your nutrition is good.

This is the best way to train most of the time:  Limited rest, intense sets, and short workouts.

They are the ones that produce results.

Go here for more information –

http://www.7minutemuscle.com/go/privacy1 <— Short, effective workouts

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Crossover Crunch – Abdominal Exercise

The crossover crunch exercise targets the rectus abdominis, the external obliques and internal obliques.
How to do it:

* Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
* Cross your right leg over your left leg so your right ankle is resting on your left knee.
* Place your fingertips to the side [...]

The crossover crunch exercise targets the rectus abdominis, the external obliques and internal obliques.

How to do it:

* Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
* Cross your right leg over your left leg so your right ankle is resting on your left knee.
* Place your fingertips to the side of your head just behind your ears.
* Contract your abdominal muscles as though you are doing a crunch
* Slowly twist your torso and touch your left elbow to your right knee.
* Exhale as you lift up
* Slowly lower to the starting position
* Inhale as you lower
* Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and switch legs and do the same number of reps on the other side.

Thanks to Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide and sportsmedicine.about.com

Captain’s Chair Leg Raise For Abs

The captain’s chair leg raise is the second most effective move for the rectus abdominis as well as the obliques. You can do a variety of exercises on the captain’s chair, which is a rack with padded arms that allows your legs to hang free and can be found in most health clubs and gyms. [...]

The captain’s chair leg raise is the second most effective move for the rectus abdominis as well as the obliques. You can do a variety of exercises on the captain’s chair, which is a rack with padded arms that allows your legs to hang free and can be found in most health clubs and gyms. The key to keeping this move safe and effective is, first, to avoid swinging the legs or using momentum to bring the legs up. Second, keeping the knees bent will help you focus more on the abdominals and less on the hip flexors. To do it right:

1. Stand on chair and grip handholds to stabilize your upper body.
2. Press your back against the pad and contract the abs to raise the legs and lift knees towards your chest.
3. Don’t arch the back or swing the legs up.
4. Slowly lower back down and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

Bicycle Exercise for Abs

Want to know the most effective ab exercises? The following ab exercises are the results of the American Council on Exercise’s study to determine the most effective ab exercises. While ab exercises won’t spot reduce fat from the belly, strong abs are important for keeping your body healthy and protecting your spine. For more about [...]

Want to know the most effective ab exercises? The following ab exercises are the results of the American Council on Exercise’s study to determine the most effective ab exercises. While ab exercises won’t spot reduce fat from the belly, strong abs are important for keeping your body healthy and protecting your spine. For more about flat abs, visit my Abs Page for articles, workouts, FAQs and more.

The Bicycle exercise is the best move to target the rectus abdominis (i.e., the ’six pack’) and the obliques (the waist), according to a study done by the American Council on Exercise. To do this exercise correctly:

1. Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck.
3. Straighten the left leg out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a ‘pedaling’ motion for 12-16 reps.