There are literally hundreds of exercises that claim to work your abs.  With all of these options, it can be hard to know which exercises will give you a washboard stomach and which ones are a complete waste of time.  To give you a little help, here are the top 4 ab exercises you can do for a washboard stomach. 

1. Vacuum Pose- This is one of the simplest and most effective exercises to work your abs and shrink your waist.  You can either do this exercise standing up or on the ground on your hands and knees.  All you have to do is suck in your lower stomach as far as you can.  You might want to imagine that you’re trying to get your belly button to touch your spine.  You should hold this pose for as long as you can.  You might start out holding the pose for 20 seconds.  Then take a short rest and repeat for about 5 minutes.  You can work up to doing more when your strength improve.




2. Bicycle Crunch- This exercise is great to target upper and lower abs, as well as your obliques.  You’ll need to perform this exercise on the floor.  Lay on your back with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle and your hands behind your head as you would with a regular crunch.  To start the exercise, you’ll crunch upwards and twist trying to bring your left elbow to meet your right knee.  Then you’ll switch sides.  You can perform a certain number of reps then rest and repeat the set.  The number of reps and sets you perform will depend on your fitness level.




3. The Plank- This is an effective isometric exercise that can strengthen your core and define your abs.  To do this exercise, you’ll need to be in a variation of the pushup position.  Instead of pushing up on your hands, you’ll want your arms to be in an L position with your forearms stabilizing your body.  You should pull in your stomach and tighten your abs to hold yourself up.  Your body should form a straight line.  Keep this position for as long as you can, around 30 seconds.  Then you can rest and repeat for several minutes.  There are several variations of this exercise you can try when you’re more advanced.




4. Seated Jackknife Crunch- With this exercise, you’ll need a workout bench.  Sit on the bench and lean back at a 45 degree angle with your legs stretched out in front of you.  To perform the crunch, raise your legs and use your abs to pull them toward your stomach.  Then extend them back to the starting position.  Perform as many reps and sets as you want.  If you’re just starting out with this exercise, you may want to start out with fewer reps until you can perform them correctly.   

While these are 4 of the top exercises you can do to work your abs, there are many others that are effective as well.  If you want to build an effective routine, you should pick exercises that target different areas of your abs that way all of the muscles get a good workout.  You can find descriptions of several exercises online if you search for effective ab exercises.

When you’re looking for advice on getting ripped abs, you’re sure to find tons of information about the numerous exercises you can do.  You might also find information telling you to eat a healthy diet.  What they may not tell you is exactly what foods are included in a healthy diet.  To help you out a little, here are the basics of what every healthy diet should include if you want ripped abs. 

• Lean protein- Protein is an excellent food to eat when you’re trying to get ripped abs.  Your body needs protein to build muscle, so it’s important that you get enough in your diet.  You can get the protein that you need from a variety of sources.  You can eat lean meats, poultry, and fish.  You can also eat foods like nuts and low fat dairy products to get protein in your diet.  If you want an even easier way to get protein, you can use protein powders to supplement your diet. 

• High fiber carbs- Some people seem to be afraid of carbs, but there’s no reason to be.  Carbs are essential for you body to function.  They also provide you with energy to get through the day.  The key is to eat the right kind of carbs.  This means you should pick high fiber complex carbs over simple ones.  Whole grain cereal, whole wheat bread and pasta, and brown rice are great examples of the types of carbs you should eat.  You should stay away from unhealthy carbs like white bread and rice, sugary cereals, and potatoes. 

• Plenty of fruits and vegetables- These foods are low in calories and full of nutrients and healthy fiber.  Fruits and vegetables can keep you full without going over your calorie limit.  A good way to get the vegetables you need and keep from eating large portions of higher calories foods is to fill half of your plate with vegetables before you pile on other foods.  A great way to get several servings of fruit is to drink smoothies.  You can experiment with all kinds of variations.  Smoothies are great for breakfast on the run or a healthy snack. 

• Good fats- While eating fat may seem counterproductive, a certain amount of fat is necessary for your body.  As with carbs, it’s important to pick the right kind of fats.  There are several sources of healthy fats you can work into your diet.  Salmon, olives, nuts and nut butters, and olive oil are just a few of the sources you may want to try. 

• Low fat dairy- Your body needs calcium, especially when you’re working out.  It is possible to get the calcium you need without loading up on calories and fat.  All you have to do is choose low fat options.  For example you can drink 1% milk instead of whole milk.  You can also get low fat cheese and yogurt, which make great snacks.  You should try to get 2-3 servings of low fat dairy everyday. 

These foods are the cornerstones of any healthy diet.  While many popular diets suggest omitting entire food groups from your diet, that’s never a good idea.  You body needs nutrients from a variety of sources to function.  You can still get ripped abs without starving yourself.  You just have to make healthier choices at every meal.