Ab Workout Ideas

If you have ankle weights, Toes to Bar are great for abs. Actually, they're pretty tough even without weights, especially if you do them slowly and under control and emphasize the negative.

If you have a partner, push down leg raises are great. I'm not sure of the actual name, but it's the exercise where your partner stands above you while you do a standard leg raise. When you reach the top of the movement, your partner pushes down on your legs as hard as possible. Again, I find these to be a good exercise even without ankle weights, but adding them would of course make them even more intense.

Besides weighted planks though, I don't really know of any ab exercises that incorporate the use of weights. If you had a weight vest, doing body weight movements like burpees would probably be great for strengthening abs.

 

You're welcome. If you've never done toes to bar, it would probably be good to start with hanging raises. Basically, just grab a pullup bar and pull your knees up to your chest. These should be done to the left, middle and right. Once you've done those for a few weeks, you should be ready for toes to bar. To do these, start from a hanging position and bring your toes all the way up to the bar. As far as I'm concerned, this is the best ab exercise out there, and the main reason is the strain it puts on your abs during the negative portion. If you can let your legs down slowly (at least on a 2 or 3 count), you'll be in for some serious ab development.

Another great exercise is medicine ball smashes. Of course, you'll need a medicine ball for these. All you do is grab the medicine ball, pick it up and extend it fully overhead, then slam it to the ground as hard as you can. Doing these for sets of 10-20 reps are an excellent ab and leg workout.

L-sits are also great. These can be done with parallel bars (like those found at any playground) or pushup bars. To do these, hold yourself up like you're preparing to do a dip. Instead of doing dips though, you'll bring your legs up so that they're parallel to the ground. Your body will be in an L-shape at this point (hence the name). Aim for holding the position for thirty consecutive seconds.

Sorry if the descriptions are lacking, but you should be able to find plenty of demonstrations of those exercises on Youtube. Hope all the ab training goes well!

 

p90x has a good 15 minute ab routine you can do at home

If you want heavy weights, find 1 of those machines where you can do tricep pull downs, exchange out the bar for the rope. Then get on your knees and face away from the machine. Hold the both ends of the rope on the sides of your head. Then do downward crunches.

A fun one is on a decline bench. Have a partner throw u a medicine ball, u catch it, lay down, then do a sit up while throwing the medicine ball back to your partner. Increase difficulty by having your partner stand farther and farther back. If you like this one I got a few more ways to make it more fun.

Leg days can work core too. Squats are great for your core. I'm a big fan of front squats. In fact, the majority of free weights exercises will work your core. So if you use any machines, try to find a complimentary free weight exercises to replace it.