Category Archives: ABS

Bus Stop Bench Ad That Measures Your Weight

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This ad is from Fitness First – a fitness health club – in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You just sit on it (the bench) at it will automatically measure your weight and show (in BIG numbers) everyone just how fat you are. Nice.
A very creative way of reminding you that you need to hit the gym or their gym for that matter. Only healthy and thin people will sit on this one. Trust me.

RYAN REYNOLDS – THE PROPOSAL

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Ryan Reynolds tells Entertainment Weekly it’s “embarrassing” being a sex symbol. Still, anytime he’s near a camera he seems to be shirtless. Hmmm. Reynolds, co-starring in “The Proposal,” joked with David Letterman Wednesday night that at his cover shoot for the new EW he had one cocktail and then somehow his shirt was missing.
Reynolds actually appears on four separate summer-themed EW covers this week (collect all four!). He’s sans shirt in two of them.

Tips for Flat Abs

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No. 1: Improve Your PostureSlouch and your stomach pooches. So straighten up, and you’ve done your abs a favor without breaking a sweat! For better posture while standing, align your ears over your shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over knees, and knees over ankles. Keep the fronts of the shoulders open like a shirt on a hanger, instead of a shirt on a peg. Draw your navel to your spine and keep your weight even on the balls of your feet and your heels.
No. 2: Think Whole-Body ExerciseDon’t get so into your abs that you overlook your other muscles. Your core muscles also include your glutes and back muscles, for instance. Pilates is one way to work all of the core muscles, plus the arms and legs, for a whole–body workout that does strengthens the abs — and more.
No. 3: Try the Canoe TwistStand upright, feet apart. Interlace your fingers to create a solid grip. Exhale, and sweep the interlocked hands, arms, shoulders, and chest to the left, as if “rowing a canoe.” Simultaneously lift the left knee up and to the right. Inhale and return to the starting position. Exhale and perform the movement to the right. Alternate for 20 repetitions.
No. 4: Do the Cat KickStand with feet together, arms extended like airplane wings. Exhale, and lift the right leg forward and up. At the same time, sweep the arms forward at shoulder level and round your spine, like a cat. The navel should feel as though it’s pressing toward the spine. Inhale, and open back up and return to the starting position. Repeat with the left leg, alternating for 20 repetitions.
No. 5: Practice the Pilates Zip UpStand upright with heels together, toes slightly turned out. Bring your arms up, hands joined underneath the chin. Exhale, press your arms down, keeping hands and arms very close to the body. Simultaneously, lift your heels off the ground onto your tiptoes. Hold for two seconds at the “top,” inhale and return to the starting position. The abs go “in and up” and the arms go down. Perform 20 repetitions.
No. 6: Examine Your DietYou can do ab exercises until the cows come home, but if you’ve got extra belly fat, your strong abs won’t show. To budge the belly fat, you have to look at what you eat and how active you are. In other words, eat less and move more, and spend your calorie budget wisely.
No. 7: Props Are OptionalStability and Bosu balls, straps and bands, and gym memberships can be wonderful, but they aren’t necessary for stronger abs. Even in your everyday life — while taking a walk, standing in line at the grocery store, or socializing at a cocktail party — you can engage your abs by standing straight and exhaling to draw the navel to the spine.
No. 8: Set Realistic GoalsYour genes may play a role in your body’s shape, but don’t make that an excuse to give up and head for the cookie jar. Your goals should be realistic and focused on your body, not on some idealized image. Beyonce’s abs may motivate you, but you shouldn’t expect to mimic them.
No. 9: Take Things SlowThere are no fast fixes. Even the promised quick fixes end up being temporary. Plan on slow and steady progression, and prepare for setbacks and even frustration. Rewards come with time and consistency.

Tips for Flat Abs

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No. 1: Improve Your PostureSlouch and your stomach pooches. So straighten up, and you’ve done your abs a favor without breaking a sweat! For better posture while standing, align your ears over your shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over knees, and knees over ankles. Keep the fronts of the shoulders open like a shirt on a hanger, instead of a shirt on a peg. Draw your navel to your spine and keep your weight even on the balls of your feet and your heels.

No. 2: Think Whole-Body ExerciseDon’t get so into your abs that you overlook your other muscles. Your core muscles also include your glutes and back muscles, for instance. Pilates is one way to work all of the core muscles, plus the arms and legs, for a whole–body workout that does strengthens the abs — and more.

No. 3: Try the Canoe TwistStand upright, feet apart. Interlace your fingers to create a solid grip. Exhale, and sweep the interlocked hands, arms, shoulders, and chest to the left, as if “rowing a canoe.” Simultaneously lift the left knee up and to the right. Inhale and return to the starting position. Exhale and perform the movement to the right. Alternate for 20 repetitions.

No. 4: Do the Cat KickStand with feet together, arms extended like airplane wings. Exhale, and lift the right leg forward and up. At the same time, sweep the arms forward at shoulder level and round your spine, like a cat. The navel should feel as though it’s pressing toward the spine. Inhale, and open back up and return to the starting position. Repeat with the left leg, alternating for 20 repetitions.

No. 5: Practice the Pilates Zip UpStand upright with heels together, toes slightly turned out. Bring your arms up, hands joined underneath the chin. Exhale, press your arms down, keeping hands and arms very close to the body. Simultaneously, lift your heels off the ground onto your tiptoes. Hold for two seconds at the “top,” inhale and return to the starting position. The abs go “in and up” and the arms go down. Perform 20 repetitions.

No. 6: Examine Your DietYou can do ab exercises until the cows come home, but if you’ve got extra belly fat, your strong abs won’t show. To budge the belly fat, you have to look at what you eat and how active you are. In other words, eat less and move more, and spend your calorie budget wisely.

No. 7: Props Are OptionalStability and Bosu balls, straps and bands, and gym memberships can be wonderful, but they aren’t necessary for stronger abs. Even in your everyday life — while taking a walk, standing in line at the grocery store, or socializing at a cocktail party — you can engage your abs by standing straight and exhaling to draw the navel to the spine.

No. 8: Set Realistic GoalsYour genes may play a role in your body’s shape, but don’t make that an excuse to give up and head for the cookie jar. Your goals should be realistic and focused on your body, not on some idealized image. Beyonce’s abs may motivate you, but you shouldn’t expect to mimic them.

No. 9: Take Things SlowThere are no fast fixes. Even the promised quick fixes end up being temporary. Plan on slow and steady progression, and prepare for setbacks and even frustration. Rewards come with time and consistency.

What Muscles are Worked in the Best Ab Workout?

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The best ab workout is one that hits all of the muscles (pictured below) in the abdominal region. These muscles include:
Obliques (Internal and External). Your obliques are located on the side and front of your midsection, right around your waist. The internal obliques are located just below your external obliques. As you can see in the picture, the internal obliques cross the external obliques diagonally. The obliques are responsible for twisting movements and bending at the side.

Best six pack ab workout exercises (links open in new window): Oblique Crunch, Russian Twist
Rectus Abdominis. For most people, this muscle is the one that they are thinking of when they say they want six pack abs. This pair of muscles runs along the front of the abdomen and is separated vertically by the linea alba. It is crossed by 3 or 4 fibrous bands called the tendinous inscriptions. These bands are what produces the six pack when the abdominal region is well defined.

Best six pack ab workout exercises: Standard Crunch on Exercise Ball, Hanging Leg Raises, Cable Crunch

Transverse Abdominis. The Transverse abdominis is the depest muscle in the abdominal region and is located just under the internal oblique muscle. Though you cannot seen the tranverse abdominis, it acts as a “corset” to help hold your stomach flat and aid with pelvic stability. Not only will this muscle help with definition for your six pack abs, but it will also help you to use more weight in all of your lifts, due to its “weight belt” effect.

Best six pack ab workout exercise: Vacuum


These three groups of muscles make up your six pack abs. However, there is one other group of muscles that should not be ignored to round out your core muscles.

Erector Spinae. The Erector Spinae is a collection of three muscles running from your neck to your lower back. The are called the splenius, logissimus, and the Iliocostalis. These muscles act to extend your back and are important for overall posture. Working these muscles balances the work you are doing with your abdominal muscles and should be worked when performing this ab workout.
Best six pack ab workout exercise: Back Extensions on Exercise Ball

You will notice that I prefer to use the the exercise ball for many of the exercises in the best ab workout. The exercise ball (sometimes call a Swiss ball) allows for a greater range of motion. If you were to simply lie on the bench or floor for crunches, you are not working the abdominal muscles through their full range of motion.

However, if you do not have an exercise ball, you should not hesitate to perform these exercise without it; you will still get an outstanding workout.

What Muscles are Worked in the Best Ab Workout?

Posted on by
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The best ab workout is one that hits all of the muscles (pictured below) in the abdominal region. These muscles include:
Obliques (Internal and External). Your obliques are located on the side and front of your midsection, right around your waist. The internal obliques are located just below your external obliques. As you can see in the picture, the internal obliques cross the external obliques diagonally. The obliques are responsible for twisting movements and bending at the side.

Best six pack ab workout exercises (links open in new window): Oblique Crunch, Russian Twist
Rectus Abdominis. For most people, this muscle is the one that they are thinking of when they say they want six pack abs. This pair of muscles runs along the front of the abdomen and is separated vertically by the linea alba. It is crossed by 3 or 4 fibrous bands called the tendinous inscriptions. These bands are what produces the six pack when the abdominal region is well defined.

Best six pack ab workout exercises: Standard Crunch on Exercise Ball, Hanging Leg Raises, Cable Crunch

Transverse Abdominis. The Transverse abdominis is the depest muscle in the abdominal region and is located just under the internal oblique muscle. Though you cannot seen the tranverse abdominis, it acts as a “corset” to help hold your stomach flat and aid with pelvic stability. Not only will this muscle help with definition for your six pack abs, but it will also help you to use more weight in all of your lifts, due to its “weight belt” effect.

Best six pack ab workout exercise: Vacuum


These three groups of muscles make up your six pack abs. However, there is one other group of muscles that should not be ignored to round out your core muscles.

Erector Spinae. The Erector Spinae is a collection of three muscles running from your neck to your lower back. The are called the splenius, logissimus, and the Iliocostalis. These muscles act to extend your back and are important for overall posture. Working these muscles balances the work you are doing with your abdominal muscles and should be worked when performing this ab workout.
Best six pack ab workout exercise: Back Extensions on Exercise Ball

You will notice that I prefer to use the the exercise ball for many of the exercises in the best ab workout. The exercise ball (sometimes call a Swiss ball) allows for a greater range of motion. If you were to simply lie on the bench or floor for crunches, you are not working the abdominal muscles through their full range of motion.

However, if you do not have an exercise ball, you should not hesitate to perform these exercise without it; you will still get an outstanding workout.