Top 10 Abdominal Exercises from ACE part 2

After extensive data collection and analysis, Dr. Francis and his researchers found that exercises that require constant abdominal stabilization, as well as body rotation, generated the most muscle activity in the obliques. Topping the list of the most effective exercises was the bicycle maneuver, followed closely by the second ranked, captain’s chair. As for home exercise equipment, crunches on an exercise ball ranked highest—coming in third overall.

Many of the exercises tested proved to be relatively effective at working the abdominal muscles—some are just more effective than others. The important thing to remember is that you don’t need to purchase a piece of exercise equipment to strengthen your abs. It’s also important to remember that everybody does ab exercises differently,
and people need to get out of the mindset that all exercises work for all people. As expected, the effectiveness of each exercise varied from subject to subject depending on factors such as athleticism, familiarization with the exercises and past injuries.

For best results, Dr. Francis recommends choosing several of the exercises that landed in the top-third of the list and try doing a five-minute exercise session daily. If an exercise is uncomfortable or doesn’t feel right, try another one. This will help train different muscles and combat boredom. No matter which exercises you choose, take the time to train and strengthen your abdominal muscles. Strong abs help with good posture, alleviate lower
back pain and are essential for long-term health and well being.

bicycle crunch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqoD0Bdggto

knee lifts on Captain's Chair: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exercises.asp?exercise=266

Crunches on the body ball: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVBddP5oW8Y

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

Let's connect at info@gaiaadventures.com.

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