How to build abs - exercises and techniques

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2012-01-08

Hello, first a few facts. The "six-pack" on the abs (rectus abdominis) becomes noticeable when your body fat percentage is around 10%. Otherwise, you might have a very toned and defined rectus abdominis, but it won't be visible under a layer of fat. In other words, there is no exercise for the abs that guarantees you the "desired six-pack," just as there is no exercise that removes fat solely from the belly. Thus, the issue of having defined abs is primarily about overall body fat loss, and only then about specific exercises.

Secondly, the rectus abdominis is one muscle. There is no "lower abs" or "upper abs." The fibers of this muscle run the entire length from top to bottom. Therefore, when the muscle contracts, the fibers shorten along their entire length, thereby training the entire muscle as a whole.

That was a brief aside; now let's try to understand the exercises for the abs. We can roughly divide them into two categories. The first category includes exercises with torso twisting (lying down, at an angle, on a hyperextension bench). The second category consists of exercises that involve leg raises (lying down, at an angle, while hanging, in a support position).

In the first category, the rectus abdominis works as it is responsible for torso twisting. That’s why, in all ab exercises, the emphasis is on twisting the torso and not just lifting it up and down.

The simplest option that requires no equipment is:

If you place a soft roll under your lower back, it will force the abdominal muscles to stretch more at the bottom. However, if you place your feet on a bench, the abs won't be able to fully stretch and will fatigue more quickly.

Performing these exercises upside down is harder than lying on a flat bench or on the floor. A good example is:

If you lower yourself completely, the abs will stretch maximally and work through their full range of motion. However, on the other hand, if you don’t go all the way down, the rectus abdominis will fatigue faster and more intensely.

This is considered a rather difficult exercise. Here, your abs must not only twist the torso but also hold it in the air. It’s better to lower yourself to parallel or slightly lower. You shouldn't lift all the way up; your task is merely to twist. Remember that all these exercises are called "twists" for a reason, not "lifting the torso."

In the second category, the main muscle working is the iliopsoas, with some contribution from the abs (again due to partial twisting). But this doesn't mean these exercises are useless. If you raise your legs and twist simultaneously, you can make these muscles work together.

An ideal example is:

When the legs are raised to the bar. You can raise your knees bent to the chest (a more accessible option). However, if you want the rectus abdominis to engage, tuck your pelvis under at the end of the upward motion.

This is a simpler method, but the essence remains the same. However, it is more challenging to engage the abs here, as the back position is fixed, meaning the load primarily falls on the iliopsoas.

A more accessible variant is:

When your legs are raised all the way to the wall. Also, you can perform the exercise:

When lying on the floor or sitting on a bench, you simultaneously twist and pull your legs.

Now, let’s talk about the number of repetitions. I don’t see any sense in doing 50–100 repetitions per set. The fat won’t just disappear like that. 15–20 repetitions is more than enough. Training abs every day is also rather pointless for the same reason. It's quite sufficient to train them two, or maybe three times a week, doing one to two exercises for 3–4 sets. As for twisting or raising legs, it’s better to alternate exercises from both categories. For example, do torso twists on an incline bench on Monday, leg raises while hanging on Wednesday, and twists on a Roman chair on Friday.

And remember, the key to a beautiful stomach lies not so much in the exercises but in the amount of subcutaneous fat on your body. But that’s a whole different story... Subscribe for new articles, and good luck!