The Best and Worst Ab Exercises for Core Strength

Hundreds of Different Ab Exercises!

Are you jumping on the trend of being “ab-sessed” with achieving a flat tummy?

Every day, thousands of sit-ups, crunches, and other ab exercises are performed in gyms across the country in pursuit of this goal. Elite personal trainers have answered North America’s demand for the perfect sculpted stomach by developing countless variations to target this one area of the body.

Perfectly Sculpted Stomach

Looking for an easy path to a beach body? Countless infomercials promote electrical stimulators and ab-toning machines, tempting viewers with the promise of achieving a toned midsection with minimal effort. But will these methods really give you a firm stomach? Experts say not on their own.

13 of The Most Common Ab Exercises Ranked

A sponsored study by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) ranked 13 common abdominal exercises, from most to least effective, comparing exercises with and without equipment, from basic to more advanced movements. The exercises were assessed based on objective muscle activation, with measurements taken using electromyography (EMG). Muscle groups evaluated included the rectus abdominis, external obliques, and internal obliques. The study involved 30 healthy men and women, ages 20-45, ranging from occasional to daily exercisers.

For Strengthening The Rectus Abdominis, Most to Least Effective:

1. Bicycle Crunch
2. Captain’s Chair
3. Crunches on an Exercise Ball
4. Vertical Leg Crunch
5. Torso Track
6. Long Arm Crunch
7. Reverse Crunch
8. Crunch with Heel Push
9. Ab Roller
10. Plank Exercise
11. Traditional crunch
12. Exercise Tubing Pull
13. Ab Rocker

For Strengthening The Obliques, Most to Least Effective:

1. Captain’s Chair
2. Bicycle Crunch
3. Reverse crunch
4. Plank
5. Vertical leg crunch
6. Crunch on exercise ball
7. Torso Track
8. Crunch with Heel Push
9. Long Arm Crunch
10. Ab Roller
11. Traditional Crunch
12. Exercise Tubing Pull
13. Ab Rocker

Best Abdominal Exercise Equipment:

1. Stability Ball
2. Vertical Knee raise Machine

Worst Piece of Equipment

The worst piece of equipment tested was the Ab Rocker followed by the Ab roller and Torso Track. Statistically they were not better than the basic crunch.

While considering using these exercises, they are not necessarily the most appropriate for everyone. If you are just beginning an exercise program, it is important to consult a certified personal trainer who can advise you where to start.

If you’ve had any history of injuries, especially to the low back area, you should consult a physical therapist or an exercise physiologist before you begin.

References:

https://www.acefitness.org/getfit/studies/bestworstabexercises.pdf

By Andre Noel Potvin, President of Infofit, ACE CPT, BCRPA-TFL & M.sc