The best abdominal exercises - KATV - Breaking News, Weather and Razorback Sports

By Jane Harrison, R.D., Staff Writer, myOptumHealth

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Dread doing endless sit-ups? Experts now say that classic sit-ups are not the best way to strengthen your abs. Try these exercises instead.

Top tummy toners

Most experts recommend the following exercises to be safer and more effective than sit-ups for toning your tummy:

• Bicycle maneuver. Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. With hands beside your head, bring your knees up to a 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Breathe evenly throughout the exercise.
• Crunch on an exercise ball. Sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor. Let the ball roll back slowly. Now lie back on the ball until your thighs and torso are parallel with the floor. Cross your arms over your chest. Tuck your chin toward your chest. Contract your abdominals, raising your torso to no more than 45 degrees. For better balance, spread your feet wider apart. To work the oblique (side) muscles, move your feet closer together. Exhale as you contract; inhale as you return to the starting position.
• Captain's chair. Found at most health clubs and gyms, this piece of equipment has been shown to be among the most effective for the stomach muscles. To do the exercise, stabilize your upper body by gripping the handholds and lightly pressing your lower back against the back pad of the chair-like equipment. Hold your body up with your legs dangling below. Slowly lift your knees in toward your chest. The motion should be controlled and deliberate as you bring your knees up and return them back to the starting position.

The proper crunch

Crunches - not to be confused with sit-ups - are excellent for trimming your midsection, too. Doing a vertical crunch or a reverse crunch may be your best bet because these moves put less stress on your back.

• Vertical crunch. Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground, hands behind head. Extend your legs straight up in the air, crossed at the ankles with a slight bend in the knee. Contract your abdominal muscles by lifting your torso toward your knees. Make sure to keep your chin off your chest with each contraction.
• Reverse crunch. Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head or extend them out flat to your sides. Crossing your feet at the ankles, lift your feet off the ground to the point where your knees create a 90-degree angle. Press your lower back on the floor as you contract your abdominal muscles. Your hips will slightly rotate and your legs will reach toward the ceiling with each contraction.

Many abdominal exercise machines are no better or only slightly more effective than doing a crunch, experts say.

Combining strategies

Note that you need to do abdominal exercises more frequently than strength training to get toned. Five minutes of abdominal exercises each day can make the difference. Do not continue any exercise that is uncomfortable or doesn't feel right. Strengthening your abs can help you maintain good posture and may help prevent low backache.

While ab exercises can help you tighten your tummy, they will not necessarily make your stomach "flatter." For a healthy-looking mid-section, you need to combine ab work, proper diet and regular aerobic exercise to reach your goal.

As with any fitness program, though, check with your doctor first before you start any workout.

View the original The best abdominal exercises article on myOptumHealth.com 

SOURCES:

• University of New Mexico. Super abs resource manual. Accessed: 07/22/2008

• Department of Health and Human Services. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: questionable exercises. Accessed: 07/22/2008

• The American Council on Exercise. New study puts the crunch on ineffective ab exercises. Accessed: 07/22/2008