If you want to develop eye-popping six-pack abs, you need to focus on exercises that deliver RESISTANCE and TENSION...because endless sets of light crunches aren't going to do the trick and traditional sit-ups can be murder on the lower back.
Ideally, what we're looking for is a combination of the well-focused tension that the crunch puts on the six-pack muscle (the rectus abdominis...and yes, the entire six-pack IS just one muscle, arranged like a sheet of bubble wrap) and the additional resistance achieved with the sit-up...without the lower back issues.
One of the benefits of training the rectus abdominis with resistance like this is that when the six-pack is well developed, you can actually SEE it sooner and with higher bodyfat than if the muscle is NOT well developed.
It sounds weird to say, but it basically means you can still have six-pack when you're fatter...
How To Do This Bodyweight Exercise To Work Your Six-Pack Abs Strongly:
You're going to use your hands as leverage points to achieve BOTH goals in this combined exercise.
First, the hand position...very simple. Just pancake your hands flat in the small of your back. This is going to act as a fulcrum to change up muscle activation during the sit-up exercise (don't mind the dirty socks...a result of dogs with muddy feet running around the house).
Lie down on your back on the floor with your hands in that position. Set your feet together and your knees fairly wide apart. This leg position takes the hip flexors out of direct alignment, reducing their involvement in the exercise.
Now start the sit-up movement, raising your torso off the ground. You'll notice that your hand-fulcrum causes the muscle tension to shift upwards into your rectus abdominis as compared to what happens in a regular sit-up.
Important to note...try to focus on pushing your face UP as though trying to stamp it on the ceiling. We're not trying to curling the trunk forward like a crunch. This upwards movement pattern puts FAR more tension on the six-pack muscles.
Next comes the "pushing" part of the exercise.
Note the slightly bent elbows I have in the picture above...we're going to EXTEND/STRAIGHTEN those bent elbows, pushing the torso even HIGHER towards the ceiling.
This adds even MORE peak tension onto the six-pack abs at the top of the exercise.
Hold and squeeze for several seconds then lower yourself back down.
Even if you've got a strong core, this exercise will challenge you. The tension you can achieve at the top of the exercise will help you get you the washboard abs you're looking for fast, without crunches and without demolishing your lower back with regular sit-ups.
If you've got a couple of kettlebells or dumbbells, give this new sit-up variation a try as well.
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Want 90 more unique and challenging exercises to SHRED your core? Check out The Best Core Exercises You've Never Heard Of!
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