Training for your Abs

We've all fallen victim to this myth. This actually falls under the myth that our abs are different than the rest of our bodies. The rules of weight training state that you should give your muscles at least a day of rest to recover and this applies to your abdominals as well. Instead of working your abs everyday, do them every other day or even just three times a week. They need a break just like the rest of your body. The trick is to do exercises hard enough to really challenge your abdominals.

Try exercises that target your stabilizer muscles; the muscles you use all day long to hold your body in place. One of these is the plank: get into pushup position and hold it for as long as you can, keeping your belly tight and your body straight. Don't hold your breath! For a more advanced version, try it with the stability ball.

Try this difficult exercise:

Lie on the floor with your legs up (straight or slightly bent) and aim soles of your feet at the ceiling. Imagine that you're holding something fragile on your feet, like a tray of glasses filled with water. Lift the 'tray' straight up towards the ceiling until your hips are off the floor.

The trick to your abs is to realize that strength training IS important to keep your belly strong, but ab exercises aren't magic. Incorporating ab exercises into a complete routine is the only way to the wonderful world of six-packs. And, even if you don't make it there, don't worry. The rest of us haven't either!

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