my upper abs are pretty much tight and i do a lot of situps and i exercise regularly but how do i get my lower stomach abs stronger and as hard as my upper abs?
212236
if you already have a cardio routine keep doing that and maybe step it up a level and i hear that reverse crunches work pretty well.(those are the kind where you pull your knees into your chest)
336078
What you need to do is CORE strength training. THis means, get your self an exercise ball.  Situps aren't going to do much if you've got the lower pooch, crunches will (kind of like a half sit up).  There are many, MANY many, did I mention there were many? books on core strength training.  Usually they are exercises like crunches on the ball, sitting on the ball and 'marching'.  There's other ab exercises you can do.  Kind of like the cow and cat in yoga...except you are laying down.  You lay on your back, and put a hand under your lower back (knees bent) push down onto your hand.  You'll be firing the deep ab muscles.  Do a few sets of 20.  Then, same position but you push your pelvis into the air (it looks really embarassing, so don't do this nude in front of a window).  If you just do good old on the floor situps/crunches, you will hurt your back.  Do the core strenthening and you will get rid of the pooch and also improve posture and the strength of the muscles that support your spine.  It's all a 'corset' of muscles.  If you don't do this...you are in for some big time back problems very soon.  The ab problem is a signal that this corset of muscles is weak...which means you could easily injure your back.
242327
Well my friend to target your abs you should fist target your butt, I learned that yesterday in Biology class, then what I do and works for me is not regular sit-ups because they hurt your back; what I do instead is first do some kind of sport that will make you sweat then just continue to do abdominal routines, standing up, just as if you were doing regular sit-ups, because the more you sweat the more muscle you acquire.
474345
well what exactly have you tried? i would try crunches or sit ups, but crunches work effectivly. when you do them make sure it hurts because that means its working baby!! and while you do crunches flex your stomach.. remember this.. no pain no gain!\ngood luck!
571121
I've discovered the perfect exercise to tighten that loose belly faster than anything I've ever tried.  The only things you'll need is a basketball, a comfortable chair and a hard surface. Sit on the edge of the chair with your legs spread out as far as they can go in the opposite dirrection. Hold your stomache in and your buttocks tight. Sit straight as if your head was trying to reach the ceiling. Bounce the ball in between your legs keeping your elbows touching your sides. The only thing moves is your waist and your lower arms from the elbow down. twist side to side as you bounce the ball. You can do this while watching your favorite tv show. Before you know it an hour have past and your stomach feels as though you did 1000 ab rolls.  Do this everyday or every other day without fail and after two weeks I know you'll see results. Keep it going with a sensible diet. You'll see more results.
395153
I think instead of doing crunches where you use your abs to pull yourself up, you should try lifting your lower body to reach the lower abs. \n\nThat is, try leg lifts, "bicycling" motions, and bringing your knees into your chest with each crunch. You can also try hanging from a bar and lifting your knees to your chest. Though, that KILLS me! Try it...you will feel it lower than you feel the crunches. \n\nAlso, you might try the "plank pose." You know, basically in the position you would use doing push-ups, though I do this on my elbows and toes. Just hold that pose and lift the middle of your body up and down until it feels like your lower abs are engaged. \n\nGood luck!
234809
No stomach exercises are easy. Persistence and determination are the best things. Crunches work great if you are determined. Try some leg raisers. Lay flat on your back and lift your legs up to the ceiling and even bringing them back over your head. This does wonders for the lower abs. Do them slow and controlled. Also, you say you go to the gym. Ask them their as there are many different ones you can do. Watch them also and learn.
530744
Concentrating solely on exercising your abdominal muscles will not do much for your figure.  Keeping your body fat low will bring out the best of your abs.  So far as strength training squats and lunges will do the most for your figure.  Your best bet would be to stick with crunches because they are pretty good, but don't over do it.
326700
Everbody has abs and you can have the strongest abs but if you have fat covering it up, then there is no point. The abs are made up of 3 parts side, upper and lower. my cousin is a trainer and he taught me this exercise and its a killer. You do 25 crunchers and then 25 crunchers to the left and 25 to right. Then you hold dumbbells in your fist to keep your hands down when you are going left to lift your leg up and down. when you are going down, go slowly. When you do these exercise you should contract your muscles. Do 3 sets of this and you are probably sore the next morning but it feels good. if you get to a point where go can do it easily and then go to 50. You have to lower your % of fat which means cardio if you are fat or if your just skinny, then all you need is to built up your abs. For most people it is losing the fat, where you could do half an hour of stair master which like 500 calories times 7 days equal 3500 calories. 1 pound of fat equals to 3500 calories. So if you burn 500 a day and cut back 500 from your diet. Then you would lose 2 lb week which means 8 lbs in a month, if you stick wit it. For diet wise, drink more water and no soda, the carbs are too high. You cant have candy and too much beer. you should have a low carb high protein diet. if you follow what i told you i can 95% than you have abs very soon.
308217
Crunches are great for abs.Lie on your back bring knees to chest and hold them there,now try to rise your shoulders off the floor.Backwards leg lifts are great for toning your backside.Get on all fours and extend one leg,bending it at the knee,while leg is bent push your heel upwards.Lunges are also great.Stand with feet slightly apart,step forward with on leg,bending at the knee with both.You should do at least 5 sets of 10 on these.If you feel you can do more,Go for it.GOOD LUCK!!!
562913
Increase you protein intake, and try varying your abdominal exercises. Crunches, depending on how you do them, have a limited effect. There are other abs exercises out there.\n\nBut I'm not completely an expert, so here, try this survey. It's called "Will you get a six pack?" Unfortunately, it doesn't say when. There is really no way of knowing for sure.\n\nhttp://www.menshealth.co.uk/tests/fitness/
166300
First and foremost, stay away from any ab machine as they are simply a waste of money and barely effective.\n\nI just love when people talk about doing 100s of crunches.  Waste of time and waste of energy.  The abdominal muscles work just like any other muscle and have to be challenged as such.  First of all, high-repetition crunches will work nothing more than your endurance.  If you want muscular abdominals, you have to challenge them with resistance and good form just like you would your chest, your back or any other muscle for that matter.  Targeting the correct energy system is imperative.  This means you should never enter into the aerobic phase of this exercise, ideally keeping it under 2 minutes at most.  \n\nThink of rolling a carpet and contracting fully on the top of the movement and squeeze.  If you do them correctly, you shouldn't be able to do more than 30 crunches.  Any more than that, and you're probably doing them half-azz, incorrectly or with a partial range of motion.\n\nFor the upper abs, focus on crunches which effectively work the abdominals better than sit-ups or any machine on the market.\n\nFor the lower abs, keep in mind there is very little muscle tissue there so decreasing levels of body fat is the most effective way to bring out the best in this area. Hanging leg raises, v-situps and reverse curls are among some of the best exercise for this region. Always make sure your pelvis curls up to maximize lower abdominal contraction during these exercises.\n\nAs far as fat loss and getting ripped goes, cardio, cardio, cardio. In the morning, on an empty stomach at about 70-80% of your maximum heart rate for about 30-45 minutes. This combined with a common sense diet will quickly shed body fat so you can actually see those abs you've developed. \n\nI would encourage you to seek the advice and guidance of a personal trainer in your area for further education on these principles. Please ensure you start off at a very basic level for crunches and cardio if you are a beginner.\n\nHere's a good list of ab exercises:\nhttp://www.preventdisease.com/fitness/Strength_Exercises_abdominals.html
506053
Do crunches, they work your abs more than sit ups and they aren't as bad on your back.\n\nYou can also try leg raises. You can do them lying down on the floor or if you really want to work the abs, you can do them hanging from a bar (they are often done on chin up bars at gyms) or something else that is elevated.\n\nHowever the best thing you can do for toned abs is to improve your eating habits and reduce your fat intake. You can do all the ab exercises you want and not be toned if you have poor eating habits.\n\nThis site has a list of many more ab exercises and how to do them.\n\nhttp://www.myfit.ca/exercisedatabase/search.asp?muscle=Abdominal&other=Ab
417570
The key to 6-pack abs is to have a low percentage of bodyfat. Ab exercises in fact contribute very little to having a tight midsection. However, some ab work is great for overall fitness and back support and I don't want to downplay the importance of core strength. \n\nMany trainers look down on crunches these days, considering them not much more than an isometric exercise. Various types of leg and knee lifts are probably a better choice.
590452
Increasing your cardio will help your abs to become more defined - most people have a little bit of belly fat that covers them. You don't even notice it's there - it barely looks like any other fat, but it does cover the ab muscles.\n\nOtherwise, work your "core" rigorously and alternate between toning exercises (low weight, high reps) and stretching exercises. If you lift for mass (high weight, low reps) you will develop a mass muscle rather than well-defined muscle, which will look the opposite of what you'd like. Your core includes:\n\nUpper abs\nLower abs\nobliques\nlower back\npelvic muscles\n\nYour upper abs and lower abs can be targeted by situps, cruncies, assisted crunches, leg lifts and trunk lifts. If you're not used to doing a lot of these, a number of inexpensive aids exist to make sure you're focusing on those muscles without straining the neck and shoulders (which you'll really need).\n\nYour obliques can be trimmed down by holding a freeweight at your side in one hand, putting  your other hand behind your back, standing with your legs shoulder width apart and rocking to the side slowly. The important thing is to PULL WITH THE OPPOSITE OBLIQUE from the weight, and not at all with your arm. Your arm is only there to keep your weight from hitting your body. Make sure to stretch these as they tighten up quickly.\n\nYour lower back can be taken care of by doing a sort of reverse sit-up, you lay face-down with your legs above your body and lift in reverse, pulling your trunk up towards your legs.\n\nMost importantly WORK ON YOUR SHOULDERS AND HANDS. Shoulder strains and wrist fractures are some of the most common injuries in cheerleading.
98270
mix it up with situps and crunches.  When you go up hold yourself in the half way up position then go all the way up then hold in the halfway down position then all the way down.  Give yourself time to feel the burn when holding in the halfway positions.\nDo about 20 to 30 minutes of this everyday.  Also do not rest in the down position.  This will give you nice abs quickly.\nFor faster results do this in the morning as soon as you wakeup then again before going to sleep.\nBe sure to stretch your abs EVERY time you do this. before and after.\nGood luck!
99805
it's not a fast process, but the most surefire way to get great abs is by crunches and sit-ups. simple and easy to do, but hell on the abs. also there is an exercise called the flutter kick, you lay on your back with your feet about 6-10 inches off the ground and start kicking your feet like you would be swimming on your back, don't let your feet touch the ground. good luck.