Finding stomach workouts that really strengthens your abs and obliques is a smart idea. Our exercise programs target the muscle groups that could leads to your six pack, but will also help prevent injuries.
The best stomach workouts ensure you build strong stomach muscles as well as islotaing the side of the stomach. They are important because they will provide you with a much better base on which you will execute the rest of your weight lifting exercises.
If your stomach muscles are not strong, you are likely to be very unstable when doing other movements such as lunges, squats, deadlifts and military presses and this could lead to improper form and injuries.
Furthermore, when participating in everyday activities and sports, strong stomach muscles enable you to move more freely as you will be able to control your midsection. If you have to twist or bend in an awkward position, since you will have more control, it will be less likely that you move off balance or wind up in pain.
Some good strengthening exercises for this group include crunches on an exercise ball, decline weighted sit-ups, 'the plank' exercise and leg lifts. Remember that quality is going to matter much more over quantity.
Those people you see performing endless crunches on an exercise mat, unless they are really focusing on tensing and contracting their midsection, are likely just going through the movements and are not deriving many benefits. It is far better to approach these exercises with a slower movement pattern, making sure you really focus in on what you are doing and feeling the body work.
Lastly, do not forget the importance of breathing. So many individuals when doing crunches or other exercises hold their breath. This will create an increase in blood pressure and can be very dangerous.
So do not neglect this body part from your training routine. Make sure to include a few exercises each session that are done with proper care and form. If you do, you will see not only improvement in how you look, but improvements in how you feel and function as well.
