
Exercises on the upper part of the ab muscles
Folding the torso on the floor
Lie down on the floor, feet awning, legs slightly bent at the knees. Hands behind his head, his chin is looking up, not clinging to the clavicles. On exhalation – the upper part of the trunk is folded, tearing off only the scapula, the waist is tightly pressed to the floor. On the breath come back lying on the shoulder blades. The exercise is performed dynamically, without pauses and breath delays. Perform on 20 – 30 times, 3 – 4 approaches.
Folding the torso with the shin on the bench
The shins are located on the bench, forming a right angle in the knees. Lying with your back on the floor, pressing your lower back against the floor. Palms for the head, for exhalation, perform the folding of the thoracic region, feeling a burning sensation in the upper part of the rectus muscle. The chin does not press against the clavicles, the sight is directed to the ceiling. With an exhalation, we lower the scapula to the floor. Perform at a dynamic pace of 20 – 30 times, 3 – 4 approaches.
Exercises on the bottom of the ab muscles
Bottom twisting
Lying on the floor, palms under the buttocks. The loin is tightly pressed to the floor. Legs together raised perpendicular to the floor. On the breath – we lower the foot down, not bending the lower back. Exhale – the lower part of the abdomen lifts your legs up. Repeat 20 – 30 times, 3 – 4 approaches.
Short Pelvic Shock
Lying on the floor, legs together, raised perpendicular to the floor. Fast and short movements of the lower part of the rectus muscle perform the pushing of the pelvis upward. Detaching only the sacral department, the loin remains on the floor. Perform 30 to 40 times, 3 to 4 approaches.
Exercises for oblique abdominal muscles
Lateral twisting
Lie down on the floor, right foot on the floor, bending the left knee, put the foot on the right knee. The right hand is behind the head, and the left one is stretched out to the side, performing the stop. At the exhalation we curl into the diagonal, straining the oblique muscles, with the elbow of the right hand we try to the opposite knee. The loin does not come off the floor, only lifting the shoulder blades, the chin does not fall to the sternum. Run 20 to 30 times.
Change the position to the other side. Run 20 to 30 times. After this, repeat 2 – 3 more approaches.
The best complex of exercises for the relief abs

This training consists of seven carefully selected exercises for the ab muscles for training at home, equally well working both the upper and lower parts of it.
Like most people, you can long and hard to swing the muscles of the abs. But if you need to show six-pack on your abs with a high percentage of subcutaneous fat, then you can not do without a literate diet with a deficit of calories. If your goal – relief six-pack abs, you can not do without competent training.
This training complex includes seven selective exercises for working out the upper and lower abdominal muscles. Do it three times a week and in combination with proper nutrition, strength training, and optimal cardio training, your ab muscles will not slow down to change.
3 circuits, minimum rest between exercises and 1-2-minute pause between circuits
1. Sit-up 15-20 times or until failure |
2. Raising the legs lying on the horizontal bench 15-20 times or until failure |
3. Sit-up “folding knife”15-20 times or until failure |
4. Pulling the knees to the chest lying on the horizontal bench 15-20 times or until failure |
5. Touching socks 15-20 times or until failure |
6. Crunchy 15-20 times or until failure |
7. Inverse crunches 15-20 times or until failure |
How to perform this set of exercises for the ab muscles
This is a training for advanced athletes, so the way you do it plays a crucial role here.
It is better for beginners to take no more than three exercises out of seven, making in each two approaches with the maximum number of repetitions and a minute pause between approaches. Next, increase the duration of training by adding exercises and approaches and reducing the rest time.
Your ultimate goal – after 12 weeks to be able to perform all seven exercises in one big circle without a break, relax for 1-2 minutes and repeat all over again twice more.
While you still can not do this, you can split the training into parts of your own volition. For example, I like to make the following supersets:
Repeat three times:
- Exercises 1 and 2, 30 seconds. respite.
- Exercises 3 and 4, 30 seconds. respite.
- Exercises 5 and 6, 30 seconds. respite.
- Exercise 7, 30 seconds. respite.
The execution of each superset lasts until the moment of muscle failure, or until the repetition begins to be given with difficulty.

You might have noticed that the complex does not use the oblique muscles directly. This is explained by the fact that in my experience the purposeful elaboration of these muscles only makes the waist wider. In addition, the oblique muscles are perfectly loaded during squatting, deadlift, and other basic exercises with their own body weight.
When to train ABS
For most people, it will be enough to perform this complex at least three times a week. Advanced bodybuilders can do it every day.
Personally, I like to deal with the ab muscles and cardio first thing in the morning, just getting out of bed, leaving strength training for the afternoon. So I disperse my metabolism twice a day.
If you prefer to train everything in one fell swoop, I would advise you to load the ab muscles as a warm-up before a power training or a hitching after it, if you plan on heavy exercises like squatting or deadlift. And after that, go to cardio.
How to simplify or complicate the workout for the ABS
If you can not perform some exercise, for example, because of a lower back injury, then you can easily replace it with another, more sparing for the waist.
On the other hand, if you have a healthy spine, and you want to build up the muscles of the abs, I advise doing this complex three times a week with a little burden like a light pancake or dumbbells.
How to Exercise
Exercise 1: Sit-Up
Target muscles: Upper ab muscles
- Lay down on your back, bending your knees and catching your socks for heavy furniture or a bench.
- Keep your hands at chest level.
- Cut the muscles of the press and lift the body until you reach the incomplete sitting position.
- Maintaining tension in the abdominal muscles, return to the starting position. (Note: Keep full control of the exercise.) Avoid the temptation to simply roll back and forth on the back).
Exercise 2: Lifting the legs
Target Muscles: Bottom ab muscles
- Lie on your back with your legs stretched out.
- Press your hands to the floor along the body for emphasis.
- Straining the muscles of the lower ABS, raise your legs until they become perpendicular to the floor.
- Do not relax the abdominal muscles and return the legs to their original position. (Note: Control the exercise completely, do not “drop” the legs in the negative phase of the amplitude).
Exercise 3: Sit-ups “wrinkle”
Target muscles: Upper and lower ab muscles
- Lie down on the floor, stretching out straight legs.
- Place your hands on the floor on the sides for support.
- Cutting the muscles of the lower ab muscles, raise your legs at a right angle to the floor.
- This time tear off the shoulders and torso from the floor, twisting the body and trying to rise as high as possible, keeping the waist tightly pressed to the floor.
- Continue to strain the abs, and lower your legs and body onto the floor in its original position. (Note: Be careful to control all movements.) Do not allow the trunk to simply roll back and forth.
Exercise 4: Drawing the knees to the chest
Target Muscles: Bottom ab muscles
- Sit on the floor (on the edge of a chair or bench), stretching your legs forward, and put your hands on the floor on the sides for stability.
- Do not tear your knees apart, pull your bent legs to the chest as much as possible.
- Keeping tension in the muscles of the lower ab muscles, go back to the starting position, and repeat the exercise until the whole approach is completed.
Exercise 5: Touching Socks
Target muscles: Upper and lower ab muscles
- Take the position sitting on the floor (on the edge of a chair or bench) and stretch your legs in front of you. Place your hands on the sides for balance.
- Raise your legs up as high as possible and simultaneously stretch towards them towards the body.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise until you finish the approach. (Note: This is a simplified version of the V-shaped twist exercise, in which the starting position is lying on the floor, and lifting the body upwards is done without hands).
Exercise 6: Crunches
Target muscles: Upper ab muscles
- Lie on the floor face up, legs bent at the knees.
- Keep your hands on your chest.
- In this exercise, lift the shoulders and the body as high as possible above the floor with a twisting motion, without lifting your back from the floor.
- Holding the abs in tension, return the trunk to its original position. (Note: Keep control of the exercise.) Fight temptation simply to roll back and forth).
Exercise 7: Reverse Crunches
Target muscles: Upper and lower ab muscles
- Lie down on the floor on your back, stretching your straight legs forward.
- Put your hands on the floor on the sides for balance.
- Slowly bend your knees, pulling them to your chest.
- Close your knees to your chest, twist the whole body, and tear your shoulders and torso from the floor as high as possible, keeping your back firmly pressed to the floor.
- Return your legs to their original position and lower the body to the floor.
How to speed up the result
- Train 3 – 4 times a week;
- Eat right, trim portions of carbohydrates, more protein and fiber;
- Eat at least three hours between meals;
- Drink more water;
- Reduce salt intake;
- Do not eat before bed.
What can I achieve in a week
With proper nutrition and training, for the first week, excess fluid is drained from the body. Puffiness goes away, due to this, belly volumes decrease. In such a short time, the muscles will not have time to come into tone, but too little fat will go away. Therefore, please be patient. Regular training and nutrition will necessarily bring results.