5 Best Exercises for Men to Build Lean Abs

The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to conquer.(image via instagram)
Lean abs are possible with a specific set of exercises. (Image via instagram)

Building lean abs requires discipline in workouts and diet. Six pack abs reflect your fitness level. There are many exercises you can do for a six-pack. Whether you are trying to improve your physique or trying to get better core strength, a few exercises can help you get lean abs.

Workout can bring the best out of you. (Image via instagram)
Workout can bring the best out of you. (Image via instagram)

The best ab exercises are simple. Such exercises do not need machines to build lean, muscular abs. You should just focus on the basics and try to get better. Apart from exercise, take care of what you eat. If spend hours crunching your abs but eat burgers, pizzas, and junk food every day, you will not be able to see 6 pack abs. So there has to be a balance between your best ab workout and a clean, nutritious diet in daily life.


Lean Abs Structure and Function

The abdominal muscles of our body, the “abs,” run vertically on the front of the abdomen area. A paired muscle is connected by the white line in the center. The two halves mirror each other, and appear as 6 to 8 muscle patches in that particular area, commonly known as a “6-pack.” Transverse abdominis are more on the interior of your core and wrap around the spine for support. The obliques are on the outer edges of a person's ab muscles, and are mostly activated during the twisting movements of the human body. The function of the abs is to flex.The abs help the body in breathing; when a person blows hard, he will feel contraction of abs in the body.

Exercise changes not only your body but also your mind, attitude, and your mood. (Image via instagram)
Exercise changes not only your body but also your mind, attitude, and your mood. (Image via instagram)

5 Best Ab Exercises

Here we have collected five best ab exercises. Before you begin exerting your muscles, always warm-up for a few minutes of light cardio like jogging in place or can do jumping jacks. It will help the body to get ready for the workout. Most ab exercises will exert the lower back, so a warm-up for the back before the ab workout is must.

In these ab exercises, you are not handling any kind of weight, so it is good to keep track of your growth by recording the number of reps done during the whole workout. You want your rep count to go up consistently. This proves that you are building lean muscle, and gradually the core gets stronger.

1. Crunches Ab Workout

How should you do it?

Lie on your back with knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor, and arms crossed over your chest and focus on the area to get a good and impactful result. You can lock your hands behind your head. Flex your abs and hold for atleast 1 second. Inhale as you are back in the starting position.

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2. Sit-Up Ab Workout

How should you do it?

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, with hands locked behind your head. Keep your entire back flat on the floor. Raise the upper part of your body as you exhale until your body is in a vertical position. Hold the contraction for 1 second, and then lower your body to the starting position as you inhale.

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3. Lying Leg Raises

How should you do it?

Lie on the back with your hands tucked under the hips and with legs extended. As you exhale, lift your legs up to a vertical position, and when you reach the top, lift your hips slightly above the floor. Maintain this position for 1 second. Inhale as you lower your legs and get back to the startingrt position.

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4. Flutter Kicks

This exercise can be one of your best ab workouts as it is very efficient for the abs. How shoud you do it?

Lie on your back with your hands locked under your butt and your legs extended. Raise your legs approximately 5 inches off the floor. Maintaining a stable posture, and move your legs up and down in scissor motion.

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5. Jackknife Sit-up

How should you do it?

Lie flat on the floor with your legs extended and arms extended behind your head. Lift your legs and hold them at the same time as you exhale, and extend your arms until they are parallel to the legs. Hold the contraction for 1 second, then inhale as you go back to the starting position.

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Steps to Ripping Abs

The exercises above can give you an excellent overall ab workout in a short time. You can do them in the following manner: either two exercises in quick succession with no rest (crunches straight to leg raises) or three exercises in quick succession with no rest (crunches, scissors, leg raises)

  1. 3 sets: Crunches – Flutter Kicks
  2. 3 sets: Sit-ups – Lying Leg Raises
  3. 3 sets: Crunches – Lying Leg Raises – Flutter Kicks
  4. 3 sets: Sit-ups – Flutter Kicks – V-ups

Besides just doing lower back pain stretches, it is very important to also do ab exercises to strengthen the core. This can have a huge impact on your lower back's health and prevent injury while working out.


Conclusion

There are several ab exercises for men. The only key is to find an exercise that works according to your needs. Consistency plays an important role in achieving the fitness goals. Choose at least three of the above exercises and do them atleast three times a week.

Edited by Ramaa Kishore
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