How Many Ab Exercises Should I Do?

To ascertain how many ab exercises you should do, you need to take into account several considerations:

How fit are you already?
How much extra weight are you carrying?
How quickly do you want those washboard abs?
What is your current physical condition?
Are you eating healthily?

When starting out on a new exercise program, it’s always a good idea to get advice from the experts. Visit a gym or a personal trainer, who will be able to assess your condition and your goals. You will get a properly formulated plan from them, against which you can measure your progress. Start slowly, working towards your ultimate goal and don’t push yourself beyond what you feel is reasonable. You’re the one who will be able to tell if you can do more, or whether you should perhaps slow down and gain strength. Particularly if you haven’t exercised for a while, go easy in the beginning.

Ab exercises really aren’t about how many you can do or should do, but about how your body is feeling and responding to the exercises you are doing. If you feel good, and can see results, go for a more demanding routine. But pace yourself – don’t overstress yourself. You’ll end up hurting yourself if you overdo it.

As a general rule, start each exercise with 5 repetitions each side (if you are doing alternating exercises like crunches) or 10 repetitions for single phase exercises. Each repetition should be about 4 seconds. Some ab exercises, such as the Plank should be measured in the length that you can hold the position for – try and hold the Plank for 20 – 60 seconds, and do that as often as you can. For the bicycle, and the vertical leg crunches, you should start at 10 repetitions and work up to 20. Then you need to start increasing the number of sets you do – beginners will start with one set of 10 repetitions, and after a while you can work your way up to 4 or 5 sets.

The important thing to remember when doing ab exercises is that you need to be consistent and keep to a regular routine. You should always try to exercise at least 4 times per week, for 30 to 60 minutes each time. Start with a short cardio routine to warm up, and then concentrate on the ab exercises. It’s a good idea to keep a workout log, so you can measure the number of repetitions of each exercise that you are doing. Once you’ve reached a certain level, and you are feeling comfortable at that level, you can move up a notch. Nothing succeeds like success!

Doing the ab exercises correctly is sometimes more important. Just because you can say you have done 100 situps without stopping, doesn’t mean to say you have done the exercise correctly, or that your body has benefited from it. When doing ab exercises, always make sure your abs are pulled tight throughout the exercise. You’ll feel it if they aren’t being worked properly, and you’ll put additional strain on your back too.

Combining your workout routine with good healthy eating habits is also vital to the success of your weight loss program. You can’t do the one without the other! And don’t kid yourself that if you’re working out, you need to eat more carbs – that can be fatal. Eat a healthy variety of all the food types, particularly vegetables and proteins, and you will soon be rewarded for your efforts.