Advanced Abs Annihilation Workout

Everyone knows that diet plays a major part in ensuring the visibility of your ab muscles, but if you are struggling to sculpt this major muscle then why not dedicate a whole session to the sole purpose of annihilating your abdominals from every angle.

The routine below will target the core, upper abdominals, lower abs and the obliques. A word of warning, it is not for the faint of heart.

Core

How to: Plank

• Get into a prone position on the floor, supporting your weight on your toes and your forearms.
• Your arms are bent and directly below the shoulder.
• Keep your body straight at all times, and hold for 60 seconds. 

How to: Side Plank

• Lie on your side and support your body between your forearm and side of foot.
• Repeat on both sides.

Lower Abs

How to: Decline Bench Reverse Crunch

• Lie on your back on a decline bench and hold on to the top of the bench with both hands. Don’t let your body slip down from this position.
• Hold your legs parallel to the floor using your abs to hold them there while keeping your knees and feet together. Tip: Your legs should be fully extended with a slight bend of the knee. This will be your starting position.
• While exhaling, move your legs towards your torso as you roll your pelvis backwards and you raise your hips off the bench. At the end of this movement your knees will be touching your chest.
• Hold the contraction for a second and move your legs back to the starting position while inhaling.

How to: Dragon Flags

• Lie on your back on a flat bench and grab the sides of the bench next to your head.
• Bend your knees and pull your hips off the bench until your knees are over your chest.
• Extend your legs above you so your torso and legs are vertical to the floor. Your head and shoulders support your body weight.
• Inhale and lower your legs and hips toward the bench. Keep your body rigid; you should be in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
• Pause when your body is a few inches above the bench. Exhale and reverse the motion, pulling your legs and hips back to the vertical position.
• Exhale and reverse the movement. 

How to: Basic Crunches

• Lie down on your back and bend your knees, placing your hands behind your head or across your chest.
• ​​​Pull your belly button towards your spine, and flatten your lower back against the floor.
• Slowly contract your abdominals, bringing your shoulder blades about one or two inches off the floor.
• Exhale as you come up and keep your neck straight, chin up.
• Hold at the top of the movement for a few seconds.
• Slowly lower back down, but don’t relax all the way.

Obliques

How to: Bicycles

• Lie face up on your mat and place your hands behind your head, lightly supporting it with your fingers.
• Bring the knees into the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck.
• Rotate to the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee as you straighten the other leg.
• Switch sides, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.

How to: Russian Twists

• Lie down on the floor placing your feet either under something that will not move or by having a partner hold them.
• Legs should be bent at the knees.
• Elevate your upper body so that it creates an imaginary V-shape with your thighs.
• Extend your arms in front of you.
• Twist your torso to the right side until your arms are parallel with the floor while breathing out.
• Hold the contraction for a second and move back to the starting position while breathing out.
• Now move to the opposite side performing the same techniques you applied to the right side.

To learn more about the writer of this article, Mehmet Edip, check him out here, or visit his facebook page.