THE BEST EXERCISE TO GET A SIX PACK

The Definitive Guide to Getting a Six-Pack

Everyone’s got a six-pack, but for most of us it's hidden under a layer of fat. Here's how to make yours stand out

A six-pack is top of the list when it comes to desirable body parts for men, yet the abs muscles often cause confusion when it comes to training. Here, we outline the science behind the six-pack and the best exercises for building yours.

 Here's a selection of the best exercises for beginners to experts in building a rock-hard six-pack, plus variations so that you (and your muscles) don't get bored.  

• Crunch

• Reverse crunch

• Oblique crunch

• Crossover crunch

• Knee raise

• Plank

• Side plank

• Bench leg raise

• Jacknife

• Seated Russian twist

• Barbell rollout

1. Crunch

The classic move for targeting your upper abs.

• Lie with knees bent to 90° and feet flat on the floor.
• Hold your head off the mat and touch your fingers to your temples - don't pull on your neck.
• Contract your abs to lift your shoulders off the mat.
• Curl your chest towards your knees.
• Keep your lower back in contact with the mat.
• Pause at the top of the move, squeeze your abs and lower slowly to the start.

2. Reverse crunch

Place the emphasis on the lower part of your abs by attacking them from a different angle.

 

• Lie with your head and shoulders flat on the mat, your thighs vertical and your knees bent at 90°.
• Keep your arms by your sides for support.
• Curl your knees towards your chest and hold. Contract your abs to lift your hips off the mat.
• Lower slowly to the start.

3. Oblique crunch

Hit your abs from the side to target the obliques, the muscles that frame your six-pack.

 

• Lie on your side with your arm in front and bend your knees.
• Touch your fingers to your temples.
• Use your side abs to crunch up sideways.
• Hold for a second at the top of the move, then lower slowly back to the start.

4. Crossover crunch

 Add a twist to your crunch to hit your abs from several angles at once. 

• With your head off the mat, touch your fingers to your temples. Rest one foot on the opposite knee.
• Contract your abs to lift your shoulders off the mat.
• Don’t pull on your neck.
• Twist your torso so your elbow moves to meet your knee.
• Reverse the move slowly back to the start.

5. Knee raise

 A move that really works your lower abs. Rest on dip bars or use elbow straps to take your weight. If you’re feeling strong, you can hang from a pull-up bar.  

• Hold your feet together off the floor and try not to swing.
• Use your abdominals to draw your knees up towards your chest.
• Hold for a second at the top of the move.
• Lower slowly, still without letting your body swing.

6. Conquer the Plank and Unlock Your Abs

 Use the plank to build a strong link between your upper and lower body 

 

  Plankers, eh? You get them in every gym. With their dead eyes, set jaws, arms all a-quiver… They’re locked into position for what seems like barbaric lengths of time. And they’re absolutely right to. When it comes to exercise, there’s nothing that will provide more benefits with less movement than the plank. It only takes a couple of minutes, so whenever you’re doing anything workout-related, chuck in a plank.

Benefits

Master the plank and you’ll have a core so strong even Jules Verne wouldn’t contemplate travelling to the centre of it. The plank tones a wide array of muscles, including your shoulders, arms and rump, but the primary target is the abs, which really feel the squeeze. You also get a free mental workout chucked in to boot, as you test your willpower to exhaustion.

How to do it

The plank is all about posture. Your weight should be on the balls of your feet and your elbows, with your hands locked together in front. Keep your back and hips aligned so you form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Brace your abdominals, and don’t raise or lower those hips. That’s cheating. Struggling? If even adopting the position proves impossible, start with your knees on the ground. Once you can hold this bent-knee plank for two minutes, get back on those toes.

Target times

• 30sec – novice
• 1min – average
• 1min 30 sec – good
• 2min – very good
• 3min – excellent
• 5min – plank master
• 5hr 15min 15sec – the plank world record, held by 57-year-old US Marine George Hood. Don’t shoot for this first time out

7. Side Plank: The Best Abs Move You’re (Probably) Not Doing

The side plank is an often overlooked exercise for building strong abs. Reap the benefits with these five versions

Few moves are as good for your midsection as the side plank, yet despite this, it’s often overlooked in favour of the standard face-down, forearm supported, regular Joe variety of plank. There’s nothing wrong with that, but by ignoring the side plank you’re ignoring the often weak muscle called the quadratus lumborum, part of the posterior abdominal wall that plays a prominent role in averting back pain.
Researchers in Finland found that people who had poor muscle endurance in their lower backs are three to four times more likely to develop on-going lower back problems that those who have fair or good endurance. What constitutes good endurance? Being able to hold a flawless side plank on either side for a minute. But not just once. For a minimum of three sets.
There are several other benefits for going unilateral with your core drills. Working either side of your body separately will help identify any weaknesses in your joints and muscle, helping you address them before they become chronic issues. If you find you can hold a side plank easy on one side and barely at all on the other then there’s an imbalance you need to work on. It’s the same with shoulder presses, lunges and any move you can do unilaterally. But we digress, back to the all conquering side plank.
Follow the instructions below to master the move and then the step up your oblique game by advancing to the four tougher variations.

Side Plank Form Guide

1. Start on your side with your feet together and one forearm directly below your shoulder.
2. Contract your core and raise your hips until your body is in a straight line from head to feet.
3. Hold the position without letting your hips drop for the allotted time for each set, then repeat on the other side.

Target times

Aim to achieve these times on both sides of your body to maintain muscular balance

• 15sec – novice
• 30sec – average
• 1min – good
• 2min – very good
• 3min – excellent
• 4min – side-plank master