Top 10 Ab Equipment

1. Fitness Quest Flexaball

The exercise ball is by far my favorite tool for working the abdominals. This one comes with a video and a pump and it's only $20. Purchasing a ball is great idea because you can use it for a variety of exercises (not just abs!). Use it as a 'weight bench' to challenge your balance or sit on it while watching TV or working on the computer. You'll notice stronger abs and better posture.

2. Keys AbWheel

This little wheel looks harmless enough, but it's a great way to work your abs if you're very careful. You simply place your hands on either side and roll it forward as far as you comfortably can and roll back to starting position. You shouldn't roll very far forward as that can tweak your back. Note: this is a very advanced exercise!

3. BOSU Balance Trainer

This doesn't look like a traditional ab thingamajig and it's not. The BOSU (short for 'Both Sides Up) had a flexible dome on top and a flat platform underneath that allows you to stand, jump, squat, twist and bounce to challenge your stability. Your abs and back are greatly involved in balance and stabilization, so the BOSU is a great tool for working your core without so much as doing one boring crunch. A great way to work your abs!

4. Core Max

This is one of my favorite DVD for working the core. Taught by Cathe Friedrich, the DVD includes 3 different workouts, each about 20 minutes long. One uses no equipment, one requires an exercise ball and one uses a medicine ball and exercise ball. There are also pre-mixed workouts to choose from, so there's tons of variety. This video is for advanced exercisers.

5. Foam Roller

Yes, this is a foam roller. It looks weird, but it actually makes your workouts a little more interesting by incorporating those all-important stabilizer muscles. Lie on it to do crunches and you'll see what I mean. It's cheap, it's versatile and, in a pinch, it can be used to bonk annoying people on the head without hurting them.

6. Pilates

Pilates is an incredible workout for the entire torso, especially the abs and pelvic floor. The Method always offers quality workouts, so check out this 3-DVD set which includes Precision Toning, Target Specifics, and All In One.

7. I Want Those Abs!

Remember Tamilee Webb? She's known for those great Abs of Steel tapes from back in the day. This new series includes a fifteen minute beginner's exercise and a series of advanced exercises for those who need some new ideas for their ab workouts.

8. Karen Voight - Abdominals & Back Pilates

There's no better way to strengthen the torso than with Pilates exercises. Not only will you work your abs, you'll work everything else too...not bad for a day's work. Karen Voight is one of the best instructors out there and offers this easy-to-follow video to teach you all about Pilates and how to strengthen you abs and back leaving you feeling energized.

9. Core Strength Workout

Scroll down to the bottom to see a list of exercises you can do on an exercise ball. These exercises (demonstrated in QuickTime format) challenge your balance and stability and help target those hard-to-reach ab and back muscles. Working your abs doesn't have to be about hundreds of crunches. You won't have to do very many Ab Rolls or Twists to feel the burn!

10. Sample Ab Workouts

Don't know how many repetitions you should be doing? What about exercises that really work your abs? These sample workouts cover beginner, intermediate and advanced fitness levels and give you new ideas for abdominal exercises. The focus in these workouts is to slow down and reduce momentum so that you spend less time working out while getting an effect abdominal workout.