The Best Ab Exercises For Those Washboard Abs

Washboard abs can give you an absolutely shredded aesthetic and these exercises are sure to help you achieve that.

You want that shredded six pack to pop. But those washboard abs seem like too impossible of a feat to accomplish. With that attitude, they most likely are. But what people forget is that most of the work done on your abs is in the kitchen. What you eat greatly affects your body fat and just how much those abs pop through. However, a solid training routine for your core can ensure you hit all those intended goals when it comes to a shredded aesthetic so those washboard abs actually do become reality.

Knowing which exercises to try and which ones are actually beneficial can be challenging. With so many out there, it can be tough to weed through all the nonsense and get reliable and effective ab exercises that will both strengthen and show off those abs. Don’t let someone talk you into a boring, ineffective workout and rely on consistent and honest sources to help you achieve those washboard abs.

Let’s take a look at some great ab exercises to help you achieve those washboard abs. The right exercises can give you everything you want and more to greatly benefit all those gains. Able to do at home or the gym, these exercises are convenient and will work for you.

Benefit Of A Strong Core

While those washboard abs offer an amazing aesthetic, the benefits of having a strong core go far beyond just sheer look.

Benefits of strong abs include:

• Prevent lower back pain: Don’t let low back pain hurt your gains and overall performance. Strong abdominals will take stress off your low back and provide for better support with activities (1).
• Better balance and posture: A strong core can enhance better balance and posture, especially for those of us who sit all day. This will ensure more safe and effective lifts as well as added stability (2).
• Easier everyday activities: Playing off of better support, your daily activities won’t seem so difficult because you will have strong abs to back you up.
• Aid in big lifts: Those big lifts require core support and with stronger abdominals anything from your squat, deadlift, bench press and more will really improve.

Best Ab Exercises For Washboard Abs

Hanging Leg Raises

Hanging leg raises are great for isolating your hips and abs and involve you hanging from a bar as you perform the exercise by bringing your legs parallel to the ground. While it does require strength to hold yourself on the bar, the benefit of this exercise is that you really feel a core burn to start to see results. It is important to not swing and to keep a tight and engaged core. Also, when lowering your legs, make sure the descent is slow and controlled to maximize results.

Ab Wheel Roll Outs

An ab roller wheel is a great fitness tool to increase abdominal strength and power and works well when building functional strength and power. While this mainly works your rectus abdominis, it also will have an impact on your obliques, low back, and glutes to provide a well-rounded exercise. Easy to perform, ab wheel rolls outs are great for strengthening abs to reduce low back pain, enhancing balance and posture, and of course, aiding in that desired six pack.

Reverse Crunch

The reverse crunch is an effective exercise and can greatly influence those washboard abs. The benefits around performing this exercise are that it can take strain off your neck and is less stressful on your back than crunches. This will also target deeper in your abs to enhance strength and offer a great aesthetic (3).

Russian Twists

Russian twists are a helpful ab exercise to work those obliques to allow for those abs to pop and aid in that washboard aesthetic. While this is a simple movement, you can add weight for added resistance and to really challenge yourself while aiding in strength and support. It is important to keep a neutral spine and engaged core to provide for the best form to avoid unwanted pain.

Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are great for working on core strength while also providing for a higher endurance ab exercise. Cardio is a great way to shed fat and aid in those washboard abs and this total body workout has great influence on those gains. Also known as running planks, this exercise involves you starting in a plank position and essentially running in a horizontal fashion. You will most certainly feel a burn with this exercise.

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Having a solid fat burner can greatly help shed that unwanted fat (4) so your washboard abs begin to pop. Paired with a healthy diet and solid training routine and you are well on your way to an aesthetic others will envy.

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Wrap Up

Achieving those washboard abs can be challenging but it is absolutely not impossible. With the right approach and proper training routine, you will find a shredded aesthetic every time you look in the mirror. While much of these gains occur in the kitchen, the right abs exercises can work to give you a great workout so those washboard abs show. Plus, you’ll have a body others will most definitely envy.

Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

*Images courtesy of Envato

References

1. Stuber, Kent J.; Bruno, Paul; Sajko, Sandy; Hayden, Jill (2014). “Core Stability Exercises for Low Back Pain in Athletes”. (source)
2. Hibbs, Angela E.; Thompson, Kevin G.; French, Duncan; Wrigley, Allan; et al. (2008). “Optimizing performance by improving core stability and core strength”. (source)
3. Contreras, Bret; Schoenfeld, Brad (2011). “To Crunch or Not to Crunch: An Evidence-Based Examination of Spinal Flexion Exercises, Their Potential Risks, and Their Applicability to Program Design”. (source)
4. Jeukendrup, A. E.; Randell, R. (2011). “Fat burners: nutrition supplements that increase fat metabolism”. (source)