Six Pack Abs Exercises can be done at home, gym or at work. Ten Six Pack Abs exercises described below do not include any gym equipment. Exercises are performed to build power, tone and mass of the rectus abdominis muscles.
Many individuals hope to reduce abdominal fat by performing exercise with weights. But research study suggests one cannot reduce abdominal fat by just performing regular exercise using weights.1 Simultaneous diet changes is necessary to reduce abdominal fat. An exercise helps to build muscles. Data published in 2017 suggests abdominal muscle exercise was beneficial in people with intellectual disability.2 This data also suggests all participants were able to reduced their abdominal fat.
Strengthening of abdominal muscle is necessary for daily activities. Abdominal muscle contraction supports breathing, defecation, urination, vomiting and childbirth.3 The data of electromyography analysis helps to find the quality of various exercise.3 The visible presence of 6 packs of abdomen indicate strong abdominal muscles. Right and left Rectus Abdominis muscles are separated by thick rope of fibrous tissue in the midline. Each rectus abdominis muscles has 4 packs. Top three pack of muscles on each side makes a Six Pack Rectus Abdominis Muscles known as “SIX PACK ABS.”
Stretching of the upper arm and upper body is essential before starting the abdominal exercises.
Arm and Back Stretching Exercises Before Starting Six Pack Abs Exercises-
Arm Stretch-
- Stand straight with both arms stretched on side.
- Rotate the arm in and out for 10 repetitions.
- While arm is stretched outward flex forearm at elbow for 10 repetitions.
- Bring the stretched arm in front of the chest and hold for 5 seconds; repeat the exercise 10 times.
Back Stretch-
- Stand straight with your feet apart in neutral position.
- Lean forward with hands attempting to touch the leg between knee and big toe.
- Maintain the position for 5 seconds (count up to 10)
- Come back to straight position and extend back as much as possible.
- Maintain the back extension for 5 seconds and come back to neutral position.
- Repeat the exercise 5 times.
10 Six Pack Abs Exercises Without Any Gym Equipments-
6 Pack Abs Exercise #1: Abdominal “V” Crunch-
- Lie on your back over the mattress.
- Fold and rest the hand over the front of the chest.
- Flex upper body and lower leg together.
- Hold the knee with hand and immediately let it go.
- Straighten the upper body and lower leg while using abdominal muscles.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
6 Pack Abs Exercise # 2: Reverse Crunch-
- Lie on your back.
- Hold the arm behind the head while legs laid flat on the ground.
- Bend the lower leg at knee and hip.
- Bring the knee joint towards the abdomen as much as possible.
- Keep the upper body straight against the ground.
- Bring the knee in resting position.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
6 Pack Abs Exercise #3: Vertical Leg Crunch-
- Lie on your back.
- Hold the hand behind the head.
- Flex the lower leg slowly using abdominal muscles at hip keeping knee joint extended (straight) position.
- Keep the shoulder blade flat on the ground.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times. .
6 Pack Abs Exercise #4: Straight Arm Crunch-
- Lie on your back.
- Stretch the upper arm on side of the body and keep flat on the ground.
- Keep the lower leg extended against the ground.
- Flex the upper body with upper arm stretched on the side.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
6 Pack Abs Exercise #5: Full Sit-up Crunch-
- Lie flat on ground.
- Flex knee and hip joint
- Keep the foot firmly on the ground.
- Hold both the arm over the chest.
- Bend upper body close to knee joint as much as possible.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
6 Pack Abs Exercise #6: Crunches in Sitting Position-
- Sit straight on chair.
- Make sure foot is rested on the ground.
- Hold both the hands behind the head.
- Bend slowly forward using abdominal muscles.
- Straighten the back slowly and sit straight.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
6 Pack Abs Exercise #7: Crunch in Standing Position-
- Stand straight with legs about feet apart.
- Hold both hands behind the head.
- Bend upper body forward as much as possible.
- Do not bend lower leg.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
6 Pack Abs Exercise #8: Hanging Leg Lift Crunch-
- Use any fixed bar, which can hold your weight.
- Hang on the bar with both the arms while knee is bent.
- Bring the knee towards the abdomen.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
6 Pack Abs Exercise #9: Ball Lift Crunch-
- Lie flat on your back.
- Hold the ball between the legs below the knee joint.
- Keep arms flat on your side.
- Lift the arm with both the leg as much as possible.
- Hold the ball in final position as long as possible.
- Bring the leg slowly to rest on the ground.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
6 Pack Abs Exercise #10: Abdominal Crunches On The Ball-
- Rest your lower back on a ball sized about 1.5 to 2 feet in diameter
- Keep the arm crossed around your chest.
- Curl your upper body towards the knee joint
- Prevent the ball rolling while doing the exercise.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercises can be done at home, work and during vacation in hotels. Ten repetition of each exercise can be done in three sets. During initial few weeks time taken for each sets of exercise is between 1.5 to 2 minutes. Later in 6 months each exercise can be done in one minute. One can complete all 10 exercises in 10 minutes.
Six Pack Abs Exercises Should Be Avoided For Following Reasons-
- Back pain caused by disc herniation, spinal stenosis and foraminal stenosis.
- Abdominal muscle injury
- Neck Injury
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Respiratory Diseases
Consult primary care physician before considering above exercises.
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The effect of abdominal exercise on abdominal fat.
Vispute SS1, Smith JD, LeCheminant JD, Hurley KS., J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Sep;25(9):2559-64. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181fb4a46.
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Effects of an abdominal muscle exercise program in people with intellectual disabilities residing in a residential care facility
Sungmin Son, OT1 and Byoungjin Jeon, OT, PhD2,*, J Phys Ther Sci. 2017 Jul; 29(7): 1196–1200.
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Electromyography of abdominal muscles in different physical exercises
An update protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis
Thiago Montes Fidale, PhD,a,b,d,∗ Felipe Farnesi Ribeiro Borges, PhysEd,d Leonardo Roever, MHS,bGilmar da Cunha Souza, PhD,a Alexandre Gonçalves, PhD,b,f Eduardo Paul Chacur, PhD,c Cristhyano Pimenta, PhD,f Eduardo Gasparetto Haddad, PhysEd,b,d Guilherme Gularte de Agostini, PhD,f Fábio Clemente Gregório, MSC,a Fabrício Cardoso Ribeiro Guimarães, PhysEd,b,d Franciel José Arantes, MSC,a Lázaro Antônio dos Santos, PhD,a,d Adriano Alves Pereira, PhD,a Hanna Karen Moreira Antunes, PhD,g Guilherme Morais Puga, PhD,e and Frederico Balbino Lizardo, PhDa, Medicine (Baltimore). 2018 Apr; 97(17): e0395.
Also Read:
- What is Six Pack Abs? 6 Do’s and 6 Dont’s to Get Those 6 Pack Abs
- 6 Exercises to Increase Wrist Size
- How to Build Biceps without Weights?