The Best Ab Workout For A Six-Pack

This fitness routine is composed of seven abdominal exercises carefully chosen to hit both the upper and lower ab muscles. Use them to get a ripped core!

How To Perform The Exercises

Exercise 1: Sit-Up

Primary Target: Upper Abs

1. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your legs secured under a piece of heavy furniture or bench.
2. Place your hands by your chest.
3. Flexing your abdominals, raise your torso until you are in nearly a sitting position.
4. Retaining tension on the abs, lower your torso to the beginning position. (Note: Maintain full control throughout the movement. Avoid the temptation to rock back and forth.)

Exercise 2: Leg Raise

Primary Target: Lower Abs

1. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs straight in front of you.
2. Place your hands at your sides by the floor for support.
3. Flexing your lower abdominals, raise your legs until they are perpendicular to the floor.
4. Retain tension as you lower your legs to the beginning position. (Note: Maintain full control throughout the movement. Avoid the temptation to let your legs drop on the negative portion of the movement.)

Exercise 3: Jackknife Sit-Up

Primary Target: Upper and Lower Abs

1. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs straight in front of you.
2. Place your hands at your sides by the floor for support.
3. Flexing your lower abdominals, raise your legs until they are perpendicular to the floor.
4. At this time, raise your shoulders and torso as far as possible from the ground in a curling movement without raising your back from the floor.
5. Maintaim tension as you lower your legs to the beginning position, then bring your torso to the starting position as well. (Note: Maintain full control throughout the movement. Avoid the temptation to rock back and forth.)

Exercise 4: Knee-In

Primary Target: Lower Abs

1. Sit on the floor (or on the edge of a chair or exercise bench) with your legs extended in front of you and your hands holding on to the sides for support.
2. Keep your knees together and pull them in toward your chest until you can't go any farther.
3. Keeping the tension on your lower abs, return to the start position and repeat the movement until you've completed your set.

Exercise 5: Toe-Toucher

Primary Target: Upper and Lower Abs

1. Lie on the floor with your legs touching and extended in front of you, and your hands by your side.
2. Lift your legs up as high as possible while at the same time bringing your torso toward them and reaching your hands toward your toes.
3. Return to the start position and repeat the movement until you have completed your set. 

Exercise 6: Crunch

Primary Target: Upper Abs

1. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs bent at the knees.
2. Place your hands by your chest.
3. Raise your shoulders and torso as far as possible from the ground in a curling movement without raising your lower back from the floor.
4. Retaining tension on the abs, bring your torso to the starting position. (Note: Maintain full control throughout the movement. Avoid the temptation to rock back and forth.)

Exercise 7: Reverse Crunch

Primary Target: Upper and Lower Abs

1. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs straight in front of you.
2. Place your hands palms down at your sides for support.
3. Slowly bend your legs at the knees  and bring them toward your chest.
4. Once your knees are by your chest, raise your shoulders and torso as far as possible from the ground in a curling movement without raising your back from the floor.
5. Return your legs to the starting position and bring your torso back to the floor.

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