You have your plans for getting tight and strong abs.....100 sit-ups a day, every day. However, after 3 months of following a religous regimen of the typical "crunch" and "sit-up", although you are feeling a little stronger, the hard work that you put into it isn't really showing through. What gives?

The reality is that if you are still in the mindset that sit-ups and crunches are going to give your that highly coveted 6-pack, there are other exercises that will benefit your core much more and will burn the fat around your mid-section. And trust me, the exercises below, as simple as they may be, will challenge you far more than the "typical" ab exercises that we traditionally associate with a tight, firm tummy. And the good news is if you can manage to add these to your workout, not only can you skip the idea of isolation exercises such as crunches, you will be stronger and fitter overall. Say Goodbye to crunches and sit-ups forever.

**WARNING**

While these exercises will "cut" you very quickly, as simple as they may seem, they should be done with caution as they will challenge your nervous system and have you reaching new levels as far as cardio workouts are concerned.

1. Running Stairs- If you ever had to run stairs in high school, you will probably remember them as grueling (and they are). However, there are few exercises that benefit the body on the whole as much as running stairs. Here is why: When you run stairs, you are forcing your body to balance itself with each step. Believe it or not, just the act of balancing while you are sprinting upstairs will make your abs contract. Stair climbing is perfect for an overall workout because it is an equal mix of endurance, explosion, and strength building. There are very few exercises that will do all three for you. How to do it- You hardly need any equipment at all, really....just a good pair of shoes and your body and a will to succeed. If you have never run stairs before, start off slow, taking the stairs one step at a time and rest after running just a few levels. As you progress, you will graduate into two steps at a time with fewer breaks.
2. Uphill Sprints- Here is another exercise that will challenge your core. When I first started doing this, I thought I was going to be able to easily do 10 intervals on a treadmill. I was so wrong. I managed four 30 second intervals and wound up puking in garbage can. Once again, this exercise works because you are forcing your body to maintain an upright position and thus your core (ie. abs and back) is forced into action. How to do it- Start off slow. If you are using a treadmill, set the incline at 10% or higher and start off by walking briskly. Do the walks first in 1 minute intervals. As you become stronger, you can progress to a higher setting until eventually you are sprinting uphill in intervals. Uphill sprints will not only make you stronger, there is no more effective way to sculpt your body on the whole. Once again, if you have never done this before, you are going to have to work your way up to sprinting uphill...first a walk....then a fast walk...a jog and finally a sprint.
3. Intervals- This can also be done using a treadmill. Most people use treadmills for a good cardio workout and usually use it in their jogs. With intervals, you are basically getting a solid workout all the while also building a strong body overall. How it is done: Think of intervals like a sprint-walk kind of pattern. Basically, you will want to start with a light warm-up jog. After the warm-up, set your intervals in a minute to a minute and a half. You will want to set the sprint part of your workout to a point where you are really working to finish the minute. The walk is made primarily for recovery. Aim for 5 intervals initially (or a 10-15 minute workout). Once you are comfortably running a 6 minute mile pace (or 10 mph), increase the amount of intervals until your workout is lasting almost 30 minutes.

The reason why intervals work so well with building a stronger and fit core is that your body overall is forced to work harder than doing exercises that isolate a particular part of the body. Plus, because these workouts are both aerobic and anaerobic, your body will release tons of testosterone which is key to building muscle.

If you can incorporate intervals into your workout two times a week, you will not only notice that your body overall is stronger but you will begin to build a sprinter's body....and that is a body that most people dream of having...