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When it comes to deciding which type of ab exercises are best for strengthening the abs, it's without question that twisting-type movements provide the best results.  Rotational exercises have been found to activate the obliques (side abs), as well as the rectus abdominus (front abs) the most.¹ 

Why is that?  Just as your biceps muscle flexes your elbow, your abdominal muscles flex your spine, but they’re also the key muscles that rotate the body and help provide stability in your core.  In fact, besides muscle imbalances, due to causes such as tight muscles or injuries, abdominal muscles that aren’t strong enough to control the rotation between the pelvis and the spine are a major reason why people suffer from low back problems.² 

Your body is made up of all types of muscular systems that work together to help you move and stabilize yourself; your abdominal muscles make up only one part of these systems.  To better understand this concept, picture yourself walking down a sidewalk in your town.  In order to walk, your right foot steps forward; this, in turn, leads to your left arm being pushed forward.  The reason this happens is because the muscles in your body cause your legs and arms to rotate around your center.  If you keep walking, what happens?  I'm sure you've guessed it, but when your left arm swings forward and comes back, this causes your left foot to step forward, followed by your right arm, and so on. 

Alright, here's a question.  What happens if you don't have any balance when you’re walking?  Unfortunately, you won't be able to walk because you'll fall over.  So, you can see why rotation and stability are so important for your body.  Doesn't it make sense, then, that if you're body needs to have a strong core for stability and a core that produce a strong and efficient rotation, then you should train your core that way?  That's exactly what it means.

OK, so here's what I'd start with.  No matter what you do, you need to make sure you follow the proper progression with your ab exercises.  Letting your momentum carry you through an abdominal exercise is not only counterproductive, it’s also dangerous because of the potential risk for injury.  Let’s take the most basic abdominal exercise, the crunch.  When doing a crunch, you shouldn’t rock on your hips, let your body crunch up and then fall back down, allow yourself to squirm all over the place in order to get those last few crunches in, pull your head up with your hands, etc.  It should be a nice smooth motion that follows the three movement phases. 

First, you crunch up in a controlled manner and breathe out through your mouth (the concentric phase).  Next, once you get to the top of your crunch, don’t let your body fall right back to the ground.  Allow your body to hold the crunch for a split second so you avoid looking like a rabid raccoon with all your jerky movements.  This split-second hold would be considered the isometric phase.  Finally, again with control, lower yourself back down toward the ground while breathing in (the eccentric phase).  Don’t just let your body flop back to the ground.

Again, many people believe doing as many crunches as they can, in the fastest amount of time that they can, is the best approach to take.  Really, 3-4 exercises with 1-3 sets of 10-25 controlled repetitions will give you a great abdominal workout.  The key through all of this is making sure you stay controlled.  If you’re able to do more than 3 sets of 25 for an exercise, then you most likely are doing your repetitions too fast or without proper form.  By performing a workout this way, you should always take a day off in between each abdominal workout.  Just like any other muscle, doing abdominal work every day can lead to burnout/injury.³

Below are some examples of exercises that have been shown to be more effective than a basic crunch.¹  If you’re just starting out, I’d suggest performing these exercises “as is”.  Once you start to progress, you can add some external resistance such as using dumbbells, weight plates, tubes, slant boards, etc.

Remember; always maintain a controlled movement with your abdominal exercises.  If you can’t progress in your exercises without maintaining a controlled movement, then you shouldn’t progress to a more challenging level.  [Some people say a slow movement, but I typically don’t like slow-movement training because the body doesn’t function slowly.  We’re fast-paced people with bodies that are meant to respond quickly, not slowly, so I’m more about controlled movements than slow movements.  (And no, rocking and squirming with your exercises isn’t controlled.)]

Going back to where we started, twisting movements are great for stimulating the abs, so add a twist to your ab exercises whenever you can.

The Bicycle Crunch

Keep your back flat on the ground.  Cup your hands around your ears.  Perform a bicycle pedaling motion by bring your right elbow to your left knee, followed by your left elbow to your right knee.  This movement consists of a pumping movement with your legs and a twisting crunch.  Maintain steady breathing with a controlled motion.

The Captain’s Chair

Rest your forearms on the pads with your back pressed against the back pad.  While grasping onto the handles, allow your legs to dangle at the start.  In a controlled manner, raise your knees toward your chest, while breathing out.  Return to the starting position.  To add a twist, when you bring your knees toward your chest, alternate between raising your knees toward the left side of your chest, returning to the starting position, and then raising toward the right side of your chest, etc.

Crunch on an Exercise Ball

Lie on the ball with your mid to lower back on the ball.  (The closer the ball is to your shoulders, the easier this exercise is.)  Bend your knees at a 90 degree angle.  (The closer your feet are together, the harder this exercise is.)  Cup your hands around your ears, and slightly tuck your chin in toward your chest.  (An easier version would be to cross your arms over your chest.)  Perform a crunch by contracting your abs and raising your back off the ball to a 45 degree angle.  In a controlled motion, breathe out on the way up; breathe in on the way down.  Add a twist by crunching while bringing your right elbow toward the left, returning to the start, followed by crunching while bringing your left elbow toward the right, etc.      

The Vertical Leg Crunch

Keep your back flat on the ground.  Cup your hands around your ears.  With a slight bend in your knees, extend your legs straight up.  (You can cross your feet if you want.)  Keeping your chin off your chest, crunch up toward your toes.  Add a twist by crunching while bringing your right elbow toward the left, returning to the start, followed by crunching while bringing your left elbow toward the right, etc.  Move in a controlled motion, and breathe out on the way up.    
 
References:

¹ Anders, M. (2001, May/June). New study puts the crunch on ineffective ab exercises. ACE FitnessMatters, 9-11.  
² Boyle, M. (2005). Rotary training. Retrieved July 31, 2008 from http://www.ptonthenet.com.
³ Bryant, C. (1999). 101 frequently asked questions about “Healthy & Fitness” and “Nutrition & Weight Control”. Sagamore Publishing.

Dan Falkenberg, BA, ACE-CPT, NASM-PES

Dan Falkenberg is the cofounder of Your Live Trainers.  He can be reached at DanFalkenberg.com.

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Tags: exercise safety, exercise selection, weight loss