(Photo: Getty Images)
There’s a lot of misinformation out there on how to best train your abs. Take a look at any late-night infomercials for a prime example; you’ll see no shortage of ab machines that guarantee ripped, 12-pack results — and most often with nonfunctional movements demonstrated by models who have clearly been doing more than crunching or twisting on a machine.
The smartest way to get a balanced, strong, stable core is simple: you need to train the muscles to resist forces when you’re extending your arms or twisting, work the muscles in their full range of motion, and rely on functional, compound exercises.
Incorporate these four tips into your training, and you’ve got it.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Strengthen with Arms Overhead
If your abdominals are strong and functioning properly, you should be able to resist a force against them when your arms are raised overhead — say, during an exercise like an ab-wheel rollout — and maintain a straight spine.
Practice the rollout to gain better core stability: Begin kneeling, your hands on either side of the wheel, and start with a slightly rounded spine (think of using “bad” posture here). Push hips toward the floor as arms begin to roll forward with the wheel. If you feel it a lot of tension in the low back as you roll out, shorten your range of motion and stop shy of full extension.
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