Fast Abs Workout – Core-based exercise

by Kareem Samhouri, DPT on April 7, 2009

in weight loss

There is statistical evidence that more than half of the populations of first world nations are overweight. Blame it on the hectic exercise-free lifestyles and the extremely efficient food industries in those countries. Calorie-rich fast-food that lacks fiber and other nutrients has become a staple for most people living in the big cities of the world.

The number of potbellied, love-handled people who have taken-up arms in the war against body fat has gone up. Because of lack of proper knowledge and technique however, the number of people who start fitness programs only to give-up a month or so after is going up as well.

Crunches and sit-ups are the most common exercises that figure-conscious people do to develop their abs. Doing these exercises on a flat, even surface is usually the norm, but there’s a way more effective method of doing a fast abs workout and that is exercising the core muscles with the use of round or unstable surfaces.

Core-based exercise means strengthening all the muscles surrounding our midsection and this just isn’t possible with regular flat on your back abdominal exercises. The best way for a fast abs workout and including all of the core muscles is by doing exercises that require a balancing effort on an unstable surface.

Doing abdominal exercises lying flat on a floor or a bench limits the movement we could be doing to effectively exercise the abs. Laying on a curved medium will incorporate more muscle fibers while doing crunches and such in our workouts. The more muscles involved in our movement, the more calories we expend of course.

A test using electromyography was done to determine the difference between normal flat-bench crunches and sit-ups to ones done on a curved surface. The results were clear- a way higher percentage of muscle fibers of the midsection were being utilized in core exercises on a curved, unstable surface.

Aside from more muscle being involved in movement, core-based exercises on an exercise ball or similar workout aid lets the body burn more calories because the body is trying to balance itself at the same time. More calories in less time are burned while trying to do the repetitions in crunches or similar exercises because the transverse abdominis muscle is involved in providing stability.

Another reason employing unstable surfaces makes for a more effective abs workout is because they’re more fun exercises to do. Boredom and monotony is the main reason people find it hard to exercise consistently- resulting in slower or minimal gains.

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