The ultimate ab workout: you can get a firmer, flatter belly. We dispel the myths and bring you 6 top-tested moves for serious results

Shape, August, 2004 by Lara McGlashan

myth You should train your abs at the end of your workout.

truth There's some validity to the claim that training your abs last preserves your core strength for the earlier part of your workout: "If you're going to do squats or multimuscle exercises like push-ups or lunges that require a lot of balance, you might want to do abs last so your core is fresh and strong," Brungardt says. On the other hand, experts generally agree that you should do ab moves when you're most likely to do them. "The danger of always putting abs at the end is that people run out of time and end up never training them," notes Auckland, New Zealand-based certified trainer Kathryn M. Clark.

myth Because the abs are endurance muscles, you have to do hundreds of reps to get results.

truth Abs do have greater endurance than most muscle groups--however, "doing an exercise with proper form, using slow, controlled motions, is an excellent way to maximize results," says Stuart Rugg, Ph.D., chair of the department of kinesiology at Occidental College in Los Angeles. If you're using correct form (see "Ready, Set, Crunch!" at right), there should be no reason to exceed two or three sets of 25 reps of any ab exercise you do. "Quality is more important than quantity," Brungardt adds.

Lara McGlashan is a health and fitness writer based in Playa del Rey, Calif.

Photography by Steven Simko