Plank Exercises - How to Get Washboard Abs

Are you tired of doing endless crunches, day after day, waiting for those six-pack abs to appear - then it's time to shake things up with a new routine. So what do you do to get those great abs? It's time to move on to plank exercises. Planks are a great way to really develop those core areas in place of the usual crunches. The really "macho men" may scoff at the idea of performing planks since they're a yoga move, but they are one of the best ab exercises you'll ever try.

I'll explain the benefits of planks further on but first I want to look at the problems you'll encounter if you just do crunches. The first problem you need to look at is belly fat - there's no one exercise, not even crunches, that will reduce the fat in just that specific area. In order to see your abdominal muscles, you have to drop the extra weight by combining high intensity exercises with a healthy, low fat diet.

You also need to have an exercise program that effectively targets the abs, which crunches do not do. Most people don't realize that abs are part of your core muscles - their purpose is to straighten your spine and stabilize the body. Crunches, on the other hand, require you to keep flexing your spine and bend using the weakest point in your back. All you end up with for all your effort is a strained lower back and poor posture.

A better alternative are situps, since you are at least forced to keep your back straight. The problem with situps is that they don't really require much from the abs - all the action is taking place in the lower back muscles. And you end up with the problems you had before, lower back pain and bad posture. You may have a hard time agreeing with this, but just remember what your old gym teacher always told you about lifting a heavy weight. Bend your knees, lift with your legs - not the back. If you try to simply bend over and pick up a heavy object, you strain your back muscles.

On the other hand, plank exercises will work your abdominal muscles as well as the rest of the core area. Planks force you to find and stay in a stable position, which requires strong abdominal and back muscles to be successful. A crunch only works the rectus abdominus muscle, while planks also work the transverse abdominus (the support for the rectus abdominus) so you'll find that your six-pack abs may finally start to appear. Because the crunch only works the one muscle, you'll develop a strange profile view where your abs appear to be sticking out.

But with several plank exercises available, you can develop all the core muscles and avoid all these problems. If you're just starting off, then a good place to begin is the standard plank. Lie down as if you were preparing for a pushup, but instead of resting your weight on your hands, fold your arms and place the weight on your forearms. Once you lift up, you'll want to hold your back as straight as you can while you keep your abdominals tucked in. I'm sure you're thinking this sounds easy, but the longer you try to hold the position, the harder it becomes. It's best to start with 30 second sets and slowly build up to 2 - 3 minute periods.

For those who are looking for a more ab centered training program, there are other core and abdominal exercises that you can add to your routine, like leg raises and renegade rows. In a renegade row, you'll go into your pushup position, then perform a one-arm row while you stabilize your body. Other good options are the hanging leg raise and the lying leg raise. These should be done slowly, so the focus is kept on the lower abs and back.

The real path to get washboard abs is through a strong core. If you really want to have a good core and sexy abs, plank exercises are one of the most effective ways to get there. All you need is a 5 - 10 minute regimen that you follow 2 or 3 times a week and you'll see a stronger core. Unless you like having lower back pain and a droopy posture, avoid the crunches and switch to planks. And make sure you're spending plenty of time on fat burning workouts so you can eliminate the body fat that's been concealing your core.

Dave provides no-nonsense "best of the best" diet and exercise tips to lose fat and build lean, defined muscle without spending hours in the gym. There's no point in using a bodybuilder routine to get a fitness model physique. These are Not Your Average Fitness Tips. Read more about how to get washboard abs and download a FREE copy of Dave's Fitness in a Flash report to help get a lean, athletic look in no time. http://www.notyouraveragefitnesstips.com