Getting six pack abs is no small or easy feat. It takes hard work to get your body fat percentage low enough that muscles show through; and even more to ensure that you have a stomach worth showing off when you do. Whether you're working toward revealing a lean, sculpted six pack or just to keep your body beach worthy, good six pack work outs will help you reach your goal.

Many people think that crunches-the more the better- are the key to great six pack abs. However, typical crunches only work one of your 6 abdominal muscles. To get the full benefits of abdominal tone and strength, you will also need to incorporate twisting movements, flexion to target the lower abs, and stabilization exercises.

1. Body Weight Resistance Workouts
Long recognized as a definitive upper body building and toning exercise, the push up deserves some attention as a fantastic abs exercise. Since push ups require you to zip your abs tight against the downward pull of gravity, your core should be challenged throughout the full range of motion. For an increased abdominal workout, slow down your pace, and add pauses at the top and bottom of each repetition. With the added isometric element, doing push ups every day will help you get ripped abs fast!

2. Medicine ball Workouts
If you've never messed around with a medicine ball in the gym, you don't know what you're missing. Pretty much anything you do with these weighted balls can be easily turned into an all out abs exercise, simply by keeping the focus on your core. So get a partner and toss a medicine ball back and forth: either while standing or while crunching. Take turns catching and throwing the ball while doing standard or decline crunches, and make your partner really reach overhead for a full range of motion workout. Just keep your abs pulled in tightly the whole time you're working, and see how quickly they start looking and feeling better than you ever thought possible!

3. Kettlebell Workouts
If you haven't yet heard about or tried the newest old school training method to go main stream, you definitely should. Kettlebell workouts-which use traditional "swings," and a host of other full body strengthening moves-are incredible for the abs. Moving the kettlebell through a huge range of motion will challenge all of your major muscle groups; but especially demand solid, stabilizing power from your core. If a six pack is really what you're after, pick up a kettlebell and a training book and get started today.

As you can see, six pack work outs can and should consist of so much more than endless sets of crunches done on your bedroom or living room floor. The more that we can challenge our abs in new ways and from different angles, the faster our abdominal muscles will grow and become stronger. But don't just take my word for it: choose a new abs training method-or try a combination of all of them- and get started today. You'll be ready for the beach in no time.