Summer is almost here, and wanting to have a hot fit body is on the top of the bucket list for many people out there! What else could you want more than to flaunt your hardwork by the beach and not to mention, looking good in pictures?
I have been working on my abdominal muscles, and within a month to two, these few exercises have proven to be the most effective in working your core, or at least it worked on me. I had a hard time laughing the next day, the burn and the sore muscles are just a sign that you worked your muscles and it needs to repair itself. Muscles grow in size by repairing, so having a sore muscle is what many should look forward to.
Here are the TOP 3 exercises which effectively targets your abs.
1) Bicycle crunches and crunch twist, alternating in between
What i do: 10 second of bicycle crunches, switching to 10 crunch twist, and finishing with 5seconds of bicycle crunch. This really BURNS your abs, and are proven to be one of the top exercises for abdominal muscles.
Tip: Instead of laying flat on your back during bicycle crunches, try to cave your back and lift it off the ground, as if you're trying to reach your shoulders to the front. This targets your upper abs as well, and adds to the burn. However, dont do it so often as it might add stress to your lower back over time, which leads to my next exercise:
2) Leg Raises
What i do: 20 reps on the first set. 2 Sets after: until sore. Lay flat with back on a mat, slowly lift both your legs up to a 90 degree angle from the floor.
Tip: Rather than lowering your leg down in just a-second time, try lowering your leg slowly to your starting position against the floor, and without your heel touching the floor, lift it up again and slowly bring it down. This actually helps to gain muscle size and strength, because the time of tension is longer, which means the time that your muscles are under tension is longer, so your muscles have to work more.
3) Elbow to basic to elbow plank
What i do: Start of the first set by doing 15 repetitions. And 10 reps for the next 2 sets.
Tip: After each set, i would proceed to elbow plank for about 10 seconds, to work out the muscles more, as it causes more muscle damage and fatigue, so that the muscle needs to be repaired and increase in muscle size.
Of course, I strongly believe in the infamous tip of 'Abs are made in the kitchen'. And i have to admit, despite have a big appetite for food, that it is crucial to eat healthy and not diet. Opt for fruits as snack when you have a craving for sweet foodstuff, and drink more water. Usually cravings for sweet things are caused by dehydration. So it is very important to always stay hydrated.
I also do some cardio, such as sprinting to burn off fat and also compound exercises such as barbell squats and deadlifts. This is because compound exercises have a longer Time Under Tension and burns fat more effectively compared to a long distance jog.
I hope that all of you can eventually get to your fitness goals, and remember, its never too late to start. Consistency should be a habit.
Have a good day! :)
