Top 10 Abdominal Exercises from ACE

I am always being asked by my clients: what is the best abdominals exercise? This is not an easy quick answer for most of us and we need to consider: our condition, our age, our history and other factors. But what is the best, most efficient route to tighter abs? A recent study conducted by the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University reveals a unique look at 10 of the most common abdominal exercises, ranking them best to worst.

The Study
Led by Peter Francis, Ph.D., researchers recruited 30 healthy women and men to participate in the study. The subjects, ages 20 to 45, ranged from occasional exercisers to those who work out daily. Participants were put through a battery of exercises that target the midsection, including the traditional crunch, modified crunches, partial body weight exercises and exercises using both home and gym exercise equipment.

All of the exercises were introduced in random order and participants were allowed to practice each exercise
briefly. Subjects then completed 10 to 12 repetitions of each exercise, maintaining a two-count cadence throughout
(two seconds at the concentric phase, two at the eccentric phase). Using electromyography (EMG) equipment,
researchers monitored each participant’s muscle activity as they exercised. Activity was recorded in the upper and lower rectus abdominus and the external obliques. Researchers also measured activity in the rectus femoris to indicate activity in the hip flexors. Exercises were then ranked best to worst based on the average amount of EMG activity recorded in each of the muscle areas.

1. Bicycle Crunches
2. Knee Lifts on Captain's Chair
3. Crunches on Ball
4. Crunches with Vertical Legs: This exercise is just like a traditional crunch (see #11 below), but with your legs extended up into the air, in line with the hips.
5. Torso Track Machine
6. Crunches with Arms Extended: This exercise is just like a traditional crunch (see #11 below), but you extend your arms overhead, squeezing your upper arms by your ears as your crunch up and lower down.
7. Reverse Crunches:
8. Crunches with Heel Push: This exercise is just like the Crunches with Vertical Legs (see #4 above), except that as you crunch up you also slightly lift your hips off the ground (feet towards the ceiling).
9. Ab Roller Machine
10. Plank

In my next blog I will present tips on proper technique for the top 5 exercises. I do not necessarily agree with these findings as I have found number 10 (plank) to be an excellent exercise and the research performed is rather limited.

Learn more about strength training at my Stability Ball Training workshops accredited for Massage Therapists and Personal Trainers across Canada http://www.gaiaadventures.com/bodyball.html

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Catherine D'Aoust at GAIA Adventures, Kinesiologist, Workshops
www.gaiaadventures.com