How to Get Washboard Abs? No More Crunches! Perform Plank Exercises
Are you tired of doing endless crunches, day after day, waiting for those six-pack abs to appear – then it’s time to shake things up with a new routine. So, how to get washboard abs is the question. I want to tell you about plank exercises. Doing the plank exercise is going to help you get your washboard abs. The really “macho men” may scoff at the idea of performing planks since they’re a yoga move, but they are one of the best ab exercises you’ll ever try.
Before I delve into specifics about planks, I think it’s important to discuss the drawbacks of crunches. The first thing to note is that if you want to get washboard abs, you can’t spot reduce belly fat by performing crunches or any other exercise. The only way you can drop enough fat to get six pack abs, you have to workout intensely and follow a strict eating plan.
Moreover, I believe that crunches do not work well as a ab workout. Most people don’t realize that abs are part of your core muscles – their purpose is to straighten your spine and stabilize the body. Crunches do not support this kind of movement, though, because they bend the weakest portion of your backbone. As such, it adds tension to the lower part of your back and your posture gets worse.
A better alternative are situps, since you are at least forced to keep your back straight. However, situps really don’t incorporate abdominal muscles; they utilize lower back muscles. Once again, you’ll walk away with lower back pain and poor posture. You may have a hard time agreeing with this, but just remember what your old gym teacher always told you about lifting a heavy weight. Bend your knees, lift with your legs – not the back. By not doing this, you will be putting undo stress on your back muscles.
Plank workouts, though, are and excellent method to get washboard abs. By forcing your body to stabilize itself in one position, planks work both your abdominal muscles as well as your back muscles. A crunch only works the rectus abdominus muscle, while planks also work the transverse abdominus (the support for the rectus abdominus) so you’ll find that your six-pack abs may finally start to appear. In addition to back discomfort, if you only perform crunches, you will notice your abs protruding when you are turned sideways.
But with several plank exercises available, you can develop all the core muscles and avoid all these problems. The best starting point is the standard plank. Get down on the floor as if you are going to do a push up, but put your weight on your forearms rather than your hands. Keep your back straight and suck your stomach muscles in as you keep steady. This might not seem very difficult, but as you hold the exercise over time, you will notice it becomes more difficult. It’s best to start with 30 second sets and slowly build up to 2 – 3 minute periods.
You only need to perform this routine 2 or 3 times a week. Abs are like any other muscle in that they require rest. Plus you use them during other exercises such as pushups.
If you prefer to do more ab training, you can incorporate further core strengthening and abdominal exercises such as renegade rows or leg raises. Renegade rows require you to be in a pushup position and perform a one-arm row while stabilizing yourself. Other good options are the hanging leg raise and the lying leg raise. Done slowly, these focus on the muscles in your lower abs and back.
Building a strong core is the best way to get washboard abs. If you are looking for the best core and abdominal workouts available, took no further than the plank exercise. You can strengthen your core by doing these between 5 and 10 minutes at a time, 2 or 3 times every week. You do not need to do crunches any longer, except if you want to get back discomfort, bad-looking abs, and a slouch. Instead, spend more time on fat burning workouts so that you will be able to see your abs.