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30.09.2014

Two elite exercises for your abs

Looking for new exercises for your abdominal muscles? Why not try roll-outs and knee-ups for your abs? A study by sports scientists at California State University in Sacramento shows that these train your abs more intensively than classic exercises like sit-ups and crunches.

Ab-wheel wins
The researchers attached electrodes to the muscles of 21 subjects, got them to do a dozen traditional and less traditional abdominal muscle exercises, and then measured which exercise stimulated the stomach muscles the most.

We don't want to keep you in suspense: the most effective exercise was the roll-out [see below]. The subjects performed this exercise with a Power Wheel or Ab Wheel [see right], but of course you could also do it with a barbell.

In second place came the knee-up, which is shown above.

Rectus abdominis and obliques
The roll-out was the best exercise for the rectus abdominis muscles and the knee-up was best for the obliques.

The graph below shows that the traditional exercises such as crunches and sit ups fade in comparison with roll-outs and knee-ups.

The graph below is not complete. For more information we refer you to the original study, which is available in its entirety on the web. [ptjournal.apta.org]

Source:
Phys Ther. 2006 May;86(5):656-71.

More:
Proof: plank is better for your core than crunches 11.08.2012
More proof: crunches alone won't give you a sixpack 23.09.2011
Abdominal training better on a Swiss ball 12.10.2009

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The best way to do the plank Tense your gluts and abs as hard as you can, and position your elbows somewhere under your chin rather than under your shoulders.	What's better? Twists with a machine or an elastic band? If you're doing torso-twists specifically to train your obliques, then you're best off doing the exercise on a machine. But...	Train your core and upper body with the same exercises Strength athletes can train their core muscles while doing dumbbell exercises for the muscles in their arms and shoulders.