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Best Workout to Develop Cut Abs

It seems you can't turn on the TV or open a magazine these days without spotting a set of well-defined abs, and not all of them airbrushed. The best way to develop "cut" abdominal muscles is a three-pronged approach of diet, cardio exercise and a mixture of targeted workouts.

  1. Upper Abs

    • Upper abs can be targeted with standard floor crunches. Lie on your back and raise you knees to a 90 degree angle. Place your fingers behind your ears. Never use your hands for leverage, which can cause neck strain. Lift your chest towards the ceiling. Do a set of 25 to 50 repetitions (or "reps"), making sure to press your lower back into the floor with each crunch.

    Middle Abs

    • Bicycle crunches start in a similar position as regular floor crunches, except you add the movement of peddling your feet as if riding a bicycle. While simulating the peddling, alternate moving your elbows to the opposite knees with each rep. Do 10 slow reps, followed by 10 quick reps. Repeat.

    Lower Abs

    • Leg lifts are an effective exercise to work your lower abdominal muscles. Start on the floor, lying flat on your back with straightened legs. You can either place your fingers behind your ears or place them under your buttocks for support. Slowly lift your feet until they are above your hips, keeping your knees straight. Do 15 to 30 reps. Repeat.

    Plank Exercises

    • Working your abdominal muscles don't require a ton of movement. Simply keeping yourself locked in the starting position of a push-up for one minute at a time can do wonders. Also, you can hold this pose on your side, using your elbow and forearm to prop yourself up, while keeping your body straight, hip off the ground. You can also pulse your hip up and down for 20 pulses. When you've completed this, flip over and do the other side.

    Pilates

    • Pilates helps flexibility and strength without adding muscle bulk, focusing on the body's core. Pilates can be done with special pilates equipment and machines, which you can buy or use at a gym. You can also perform the exercises at home with simply a mat since many of the exercises focus on isometrics, which uses your own body weight. Pilates stresses quality over quantity, cutting down on repetitive movements, which can become boring. Also, cutting down reps makes it more efficient than many other workouts. Classes typically last from 45 to 55 minutes. You can either attend classes or use instructional videos at home two to three times a week, mixing it in with other abdominal workouts. In the beginning, though, you should seek out a trained instructor to lessen the risk of injury.

    Cardio and Diet

    • It doesn't matter how many abdominal exercises you do if you're not burning enough calories. Strong abs can stay hidden under belly fat, which is why it's important to stick to a balanced diet, watch your calories and partake in at least 20 minutes of cardio a day. Trimming down body fat will help expose the abs you've been working to achieve.

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