Let’s do a random survey here. If I held a gun to your head and asked you for the best abs exercise to burn belly fat or die – what would it be?
I’m thinking some of you may say crunches (hopefully except my long term readers!) some may say any of the hover variations that I love to use and I think there would be quite a few more answers.
The one thing that I can definitely tell you is that crunches are not the best exercise for your abs and to be honest it’s right up there with the worst abs exercises ever conceived.
Bad for your back, no recruiting other muscle groups and I could go on and on.
In fact that’s a whole new blog post for another day.
The answer that I’m about to give you might surprise you though and I’m actually going to give you 2 exercises so you’ll never be left short.
Answer one will be for your at home exercise workout routine – you know one that doesn’t use anything but your own bodyweight.
The second is for your gym workout routine where you’ve got access to some weights.
For me, the best abs exercise using your own bodyweight is a decline push up.
What’s the difference between a decline push up and a normal push up?
Well your feet are elevated higher than your head and that’s it. The difference to every muscle working though is through the roof!
You will find that your chest, shoulders, triceps and even your upper back muscles all get a fantastic workout and of course those good old abs. They will feel it for days.
You can see a demo of how it’s done in the above video.
Moving on now to the best abs exercise for when you have access to some weights and I’m talking about a Front Squat.
I like the Front Squat because it’s better for your back and you can even make the exercise even more effective and hold a weight like a kettlebell or dumbbell in one hand only meaning you are lopsided.
The difference between a traditional squat and a front squat is the front squat requires you to hold a dumbbell in front of your chest with the weight resting near your shoulders and with your palms facing away from you.
The muscles you work in the front squat are all the muscles in your legs especially your butt and also your arms, shoulders and of course your abs getting a really effective workout.
The video above shows me doing this with a weight in each hand however if you want to work your abs harder, hold the weight on only one side.
This will make your obliques and your abs switch on even more because your body is unstable.
For beginners tuck your elbow in near your body.
Are you surprised to realise that the best abs exercises are actually the ones that work pretty much everywhere else in your body too?
Forget about the crunches and give the front squat and decline push ups a try and find out for yourself.
You just might be surprised. Let me know how you go!
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