What is the best single exercise to develop one's pectorals and abdominals?
477314
Alright everyone wants definition for their chest and abs. Let me tell you. The Bench press is the single best exercise for improving your chest. It is a compound exercise which also works out your triceps and shoulders and forearms.\n\nThere is no best exercise for the abs. Their are 3.\n\nSit ups\nCrunches\nLeg raises\n\nThese 3 work all your abs and will give you a chiseled 6 pack. But this alone will not give you a 6 pack if you have lots of fat on them. You must work out the abs and pecs along with removing the fat surrounding them.
213964
sit ups, good for the pectoral muscles\nabt 50 a day...
192637
Pilates!!\nThe best exercise ever
440696
First and foremost, stay away from any ab machine you see on TV as they are simply a waste of money and barely effective.\n\nIt is also important not to confuse the term sit-ups with crunches which are the effective method to exercise your upper abdominals.  The abdominal muscles work just like any other muscle and have to be challenged as such. 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. Abdominal exercises alone will never burn fat from your abdominal area.  You must do cardiovascular exercise to accomplish this.  Cardio is best 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://preventdisease.com/fitness/Strength_Exercises_abdominals.html
1005188
It is good to alternate from time to time otherwise you muscles will get used to one exercise and you will hit a plateau.  Flat bench press works you pecs as a whole, while incline focuses more on the upper fibers of you pecs.\n\nIncline sit ups target more of you lower abdominals because it forces you to contract your abs as a whole rather than the traditional crunch which typically works your upper fibers.  Try working your abs by flexing up your knees while hanging from a chin up bar.  This will force your spine to flex from bottom up rather than top down, focusing more on you lower ab fibers.
496553
Bench Press and the inclined Bench Press!\n\nThat makes me feel and look the strongest and its one of the few excersizes where I dont have to do an absurd amount of repitions. ...if you want a whole nice looking upper body at once do an ab workout that day or the day before. It makes my whole upper body look good.
563737
The best part of exercise is cardio, you want to get out and walk or run to burn fat, I would also suggest getting down and doing at lest 15 push-ups a day and gradually build yourself up to do more. The Flutter kick is also good for your abs(laying on your back with feet 3 inches off the floor and kicking your legs up and down with your neck slightly off the floor). Water consumption is important also. Don't eat after 7:00 p.m and stay stress free and you will be alright.
584336
here ya go...\nhttp://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm
502334
Pushups strengthen your back, chest and stomach.
736326
Incline only works one section of your pectorials.  You have uppers, mids, and lows.  There are three different bench presses for these muscle groups if you really want full pecs.  Decline bench press works the lows, flat bench press works the mids, and incline bench press works the uppers. \nUse bench presses to build muscle bulk, always use ISO PROTEIN MIX before and after worksouts and remember, the more protein you intake the better.  You should also incorporate incline, flat, and decline dumbell presses.  These help add bulk while defining the smaller "control" muscles in your chest, arms, and shoulders.
367406
I'd highly recommend the book by Arnold Scwarzznegar (hope I got the spelling correct!). Of all the books & websites I've come across on the subject, it's by far the best. It has info. on not only exercises of all the body parts, but also advice on preparing for looking ur best for competitions. Something like that, I think, would b quite useful for u.\n\nMy personal favs. for:\nAbs = crunches\nChest = Dips + Bech Press (incl. Incline + Decline)\nArms:  Bicep = crunches; Tricep = Overhead curls \n\nBut don't forget to work out ur shoulders too. It'd look really bad if u don't have shapely shoulders. My fav. is soulder press.\n\nAlso, try this website:\nhttp://www.exrx.net/\n\nHope this helps.
1088801
The best ab exercise is the bicycle sit up where you bring your knees up and you altrenate touching your elbows to the opposite, it should look like you are riding a bike with your legs. For pecs, regular old pushups are great especially if you go all the way down past when your arms are level with the floor. They make a set of bars to get a deeper push up too. In the gym you can use a machine called a Pec deck, it's like doing butterfly's in an upright seated position.
836312
Abdominal Crunch\nThese are excellent for strengthening the abdominal muscles and reducing a protruding stomach. Lie on the floor. Hold your legs at a 90-degree angle with your lower legs parallel to the floor. (You can also place your legs over a bench or a piece of furniture.) With arms at your side (or on shoulders or behind ears as in the curl-ups), inhale slowly as you raise your shoulder off the floor, forcing your chest muscles toward your legs. Pull your hips upward, hold for a second, then exhale slowly and roll down to the starting position. Do up to twenty-five repetitions.
409200
There is no exercise that will give you a six pack fast.\n\nFirst and foremost, stay away from any ab machine you see on TV as they are simply a waste of money and barely effective.  \n\nThe abdominal muscles work just like any other muscle and have to be challenged as such. 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. Abdominal exercises alone will never burn fat from your abdominal area.  You must do cardiovascular exercise to accomplish this.  Cardio is best 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://preventdisease.com/fitness/Strength_Exercises_abdominals.html
1087922
Try these \nCrunches\nLie on your back with your hands crossed across your chest or with your fingers on the sides of your head. Place your feet on the floor with legs bent. To begin the exercise, lift your torso, lifting shoulder blades off the floor and crunching your rib cage towards your lower belly. Hold for two counts, then lower slowly to the starting position. Repeat for 16 slow repetitions, take a brief rest and repeat for 1 or more sets.\n\nReverse Crunches\nLie on your back with knees bent, feet a few inches off the floor. Slowly contract the abdominals, focusing on rotating the pelvis up and bringing your knees towards your rib cage. Concentrate on letting your abs do the work. Hold at the top then slowly lower your knees to the starting position. Repeat for 16 reps, less if you feel your lower back arching off the ground. Rest and repeat for 1 or more sets\n\n\nBall Crunches\nLie face-up with the ball resting under your mid/lower back. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., you shouldn't roll). Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 1 set 12-16 reps.\n\nOblique Crossover Crunches\nLie on your back with knees bent, hands behind your head. Keeping lower back pressed into the floor, lift your shoulder blades off the floor and then curl your upper body diagonally across your body towards your right knee. Contract your abs and obliques as hard as you can at the top of the movement. Lower back down and repeat for 16 reps on the same side before switching sides. Do 1 or more sets.
384577
Do crunches and sit-ups.
1165453
tae bo\n\nlol. butt lifts and squats are good exercises