Complete Core Workouts For Perfect Six Pack Abs

Scottsdale, AZ based celebrity personal trainer, Lucas James and nutrition expert, Jason Apfel give you seven different ab exercises focusing on each abdominal muscle group to help you reach your training and weight loss goals, and achieve  perfect six pack abs of your dreams.

Upper Abs: Supported Crunch

The ‘supported crunch’ is a great isolation exercise for your upper abdominals. To begin, lie flat on your back with your legs elevated and knees bent at a 90 degree angle.  Rest your calves over a flat exercise bench.  Cross your arms in front of your chest to reduce stress on the cervical vertebrae in your neck.   Crunch straight up and hold for 1-2 seconds while focusing on engaging your abs.

Upper Abs: Weighted Crunch

The ‘weighted crunch’ is a great variation on the standard crunch with added resistance to increase muscle tone and strength. Start by lying flat on your back with your feet on the ground and knees bent at a 45 degree angle.  Hold a dumbbell or weight plate directly above your chest and lift your shoulders up until they clear the floor.

Upper Abs: Decline Cable Sit-Up

For this advanced abdominal workout, position a decline exercise bench in front of a cable cross machine.   Place the cable pulley on the lowest position near the head of the decline bench.  Using the cable rope attachment, lie with your back on the decline bench, holding the cable rope over your shoulders behind your head.  Crunch upwards touching the balls of the cable rope your knees.

Upper/Mid-Abs: Medicine Ball Chop

This exercise requires both a medicine ball and Bosu ball.  Place the Bosu Ball 1 foot directly in front of you. Start standing, with a straight posture and your feet placed shoulder distance apart.  Next grab a medicine ball, holding it above your head with your elbows bent.  Explode downwards with your arms holding the medicine ball, engaging your abs, to connect with the Bosu ball near your feet.  This should be a wood-chop motion.  Do not release the medicine ball during this exercise.

Lower Abs: Hip Thrust

Begin by lying on flat on the floor with your legs straight up in the air. Place your arms down to your side with your palms facing the ground for support. Exhale and lift your feet straight in the air towards the ceiling. Try to lift your hips slightly off the ground, engaging your lower abs. Hold for a brief moment at the top and then slowly lower your hips back down towards the mat.

Lower Abs: Scissor Kick

Begin by lying on flat on the floor with your legs straight and heals slightly elevated 6-8 inches off the ground.  With place your hands down the your side or straight in front of you, lift your shoulders off the ground to engage your upper abs.  Extend your legs apart horizontally, alternating passing your feet above and below each other as your legs cross in a scissor motion. Try and keep a timed interval for this exercise.

Obliques:  Bicycle Crunches

Start by lying flat on your back with your hips bent about 90 degrees, so that your legs are elevated with the knees bent in front of you and your feet off the ground in line with your knees. Next clasp your hands behind your head. Curl your body forward as in a normal crunch, but rotate so that you bring your right knees towards your left elbow and extend your left leg out 45 degrees.  While keeping your shoulders off the floor,  alternate from left to right, bringing your opposite knees and elbows together as if peddling a bike.