Six-pack success: three roads to a head-turning midsection: do these three new routines individually—or mix and match the various movements from each—to build the abs you've always dreamed of

Men's Fitness, March, 2003 by Myatt Murphy

No matter what they tell you, here's a fact: There's no secret! We're talking about ab development, about turning that midsection into a series of muscular, ravioli-sized sections. All there is is (no, we're not being Clintonesque here) plain common sense.

"Most men rely on popular exercises like the crunch, which focuses primarily on their upper abdominals and leaves their lower abdominals and oblique muscles often neglected and underdeveloped," says Fred McDaniel, OTR/L, co-founder and master trainer of the Human Performance Center in Santa Fe, N.M. In other words, you're only exercising one-third of the midsection, which should explain why you're only seeing one-third of the results you were hoping for (of course, this assumes you've been trying to shed fat through diet and cardio as well).

Paying the right attention to all the muscles residing near your belt line can help you build a strong, flat, rock-hard middle in less time than you ever imagined. To get to the bottom of better abs, we asked our exercise experts to reveal some of the best movements and performance tricks for working your core from every possible angle. And that's what these workouts are all about. Do them, and your abs will be poppin' fresh in no time.

LAYING YOUR AB FOUNDATION

Before you can begin to build your abs, you have to know how to contract them properly. It sounds simple enough. After all, don't they automatically contract during an ab movement? That's partially true, but there are ways to get your abdominal muscles to contract (trunk flexion) during exercise beyond what they do naturally. Contract them the right way, and you can incorporate even more muscle fiber than usual.

To demonstrate the best way to contract your abs, we took two moves most guys are already familiar with: the basic crunch for the upper abs and the reverse crunch for the lower abs (see above and opposite page). Master trunk flexion and muscular control, and you'll significantly maximize the results of any abdominal routine you do.

WORKOUT #1: ADDING RESISTANCE

There's only one problem with being in good shape: It can screw up your whole workout. As you get leaner and stronger, some exercises that rely merely on your body weight may eventually become too easy to do. "Less weight means less resistance, making movements that once worked for you less effective down the road," says David Price, A.T.C., head athletic trainer for the New York Jets. This is when your abs can use a little help.

Adding weight to your routine can add back the resistance your midsection needs to get stronger, plus make the workout a lot more entertaining (especially since many weight-inspired exercises require a partner to help out).

Our three-move routine relies on a few basic pieces of equipment. Find yourself a partner to help with the trickier moves, and you'll enjoy a fast-paced workout that will put your midsection through its paces.

WEIGHTED ROUTINE

Tuck-and-crunch        To failure
Overhead ball crunch   To failure
Suspended-leg crunch   To failure

1. TUCK-AND-CRUNCH (upper, lower abdominals) Sit on the floor and tuck a small medicine ball between your knees. Next, lie back on a mat and touch your hands to the sides of your head. Lift your feet an inch or two off the floor and you're ready to begin (1a). Now slowly curl your torso up to your midsection while simultaneously raising your knees toward your chest (1b). Hold, slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Added difficulty: Try holding another medicine ball at your chest, elbows out to your sides, while performing the exercise. If you have a partner, have her stand in front of you. As you curl up, throw the ball straight from your chest to your partner. Have her lightly toss the ball back at your chest so you can catch it, pull it back to your body, then curl back down.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

2. OVERHEAD BALL CRUNCH (upper abs) Lie back on a mat, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Grab a medicine ball with both hands and raise it over your head (2a). Slowly curl up until your shoulders and upper back are off the floor (2b). Hold, slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Added difficulty:. Have your partner stand directly in front of you. As you curl yourself up, throw the ball over your knees to her. Curl back down, then have her throw the ball back at your chest as you curl back up. Catch the ball, extend your arms overhead once more, then curl back down.

As you curl up again, twist your body and toss the ball to the left (to your partner). Curl back down and catch the return toss on your way back up; curl back down, then curl and twist as you raise yourself up again, this time twisting and throwing the ball to the right Alternate between all three moves (front left, right).

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

3. SUSPENDED-LEG CRUNCH (upper, lower abs) Place a mat in front of a low-pulley cable with a bar attached to it. Sit facing the pulley with knees bent, place the bar between your feet, then draw your legs together. (The bar should rest across the tops of your feet.) Lean back on the mat with your knees bent and your head, back and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands lightly along the sides of your head and you're ready to begin.