Abs Workouts Without Crunches – Can You Believe It?
Aug 20th, 2011 | By Todd Bowman | Category: Abs & Stomach, Training How To
Have you ever tried abs workouts that don’t involve situps and crunches? It’s hard to think that some exist right? Everyone expects working on abs to be a lot more crunch concentrated. In fact, a lot of people invest a lot of time doing crunches a day.
And if you don’t do the crunches correctly using the proper form and concentration, they’re pretty much doing you no good at all.
Well, not all ab workouts are concentrated on doing crunches and situps and that’s a fact. Craig Ballantyne’s ab workout is a testimony to that fact. Though they do not employ crunches and situps, most of the time your abs will be braced. Scroll below to read more of this “abs workout” without crunches and situps.
The abdominal muscles or core muscles need to be stimulated at various angles in order for the resistance to be effective at building up those muscles. It’s important to have strong obliques as well as upper and lower core strength to help improve posture and proper spine alignment.
Craig Ballantyne’s ab workout, which is an advanced workout of his ab workout series is composed of 6 exercises and you can finish them all in under 6 minutes. Amazing isn’t it? By investing only six minutes a day, you’re one step closer to having the perfect set of abs.
They’re referred to a washboard stomach, ripped, shredded or toned midsection. Call them what you like, we all want them right? If you don’t have 6 minutes per day to invest in your overall health and fitness programs, you’ve got other problems that need to be dealt with first.
A couple of stomach exercises I’ve been enjoying lately that don’t involve crunches or sit ups are:
- Swimming
- Yoga
- Side twists with a bar
- Rebounding
- Trail running
Stability ball jack-knife
The first exercise is the stability ball jack-knife. To do this, your elbows should be rested on a bench and your legs should be on top of the stability ball. Tuck your knees to your chest and slowly take them back out. Contract your abs and stretch them back out.
This exercise will really get your blood pumping.
Side Plank
Next, proceed to the side plank. This exercise concentrates more on abdominal endurance. As you do the sideplank, keep your body in a straight line and your hips forward. Hold that position and then do the other side with no rest between exercises.
It’s great for getting that V shape down by your hip bones that go right into your pants. Guy and gals love that sexy defined V shape look at the belt line.
The Mountain Climber
Without resting, grab the stability ball again and proceed with the stability ball mountain climber. To do this, assume pushup position on the stability ball. Bring one knee to your chest and back out. Keep your body straight all the time.
Make sure you don’t cheat and bend or arch your back at the waist. This is a great full body compound body weight workout.
Cross Body Mountain Climber
The next exercise is a cross-body mountain climber. It’s similar to the previous exercise with a few minor changes. Remove the ball and instead of bringing the knees up to your chest, you bring one knee to the opposite elbow. Then do the same with the other knee. With the cross body contraction, you get to target your obliques and your rectus abdominus.
This particular exercise works out your timing, coordination and flexibility.
Stability Ball Plank
The next exercise is the plank on a stability ball. Roll out your elbows if you want it harder and roll the ball in to make it easier.
Finish off the circuit with a stability ball roll out. Starting with a kneeling position and hands on the ball, roll out to stretch and contract to roll in.
In completing the whole circuit, rest for 30 seconds and repeat the whole circuit again. With 6 minutes, you’ll be able to do everything twice. So tell me, did you ever do a crunch or a situp in these abs workouts?
Personally I prefer to do this circuit 3 times per week at the gym and I do 3 full sets or circuits. But when I don’t have the time, then I just do one or two circuits which all add up.
Remember it’s how you treat your body on a day to day basis over the long course of time that we really change who we are as people. It’s our habits that we need to focus on. Things that we do or don’t do each day are the key to making great change over time.
Do you have it in you? Do you have what it takes?
Click Here To Learn More About How Turbulence Training By Craig Ballantyne Can Transform Your Body
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