As with my rule regarding cardio you should do the same number of minutes per week as pounds you weigh, I have a rule when it comes to ab exercises: you should devote 10 percent of your workout session to abdominal exercises. So if you go to the gym for an hour, you should do six minutes worth of crunch-type exercises. Working out for thirty minutes? Do three minutes of ab exercises
This ensures that you will make the most of your workout time. You need to focus first and foremost on burning calories and doing quality strength training. Ab exercises are a distant third when it comes to how much time at the gym should be devoted to them. Any extra time spent crunching away in vain is time that could be better spent elsewhere.
Don’t Use the Floor and the Wall at the Gym. Use the Equipment!
You are paying good money for the equipment at the gym. You travel to get there. Then why would you spend the majority of your time doing crunches on the floor or stretching against a wall? Use as much of the equipment as you can! For example: instead of doing a traditional crunch while at the gym, use the hanging leg raise machine, do a rope crunch, or tighten your abs using a hanging leg raise machine, do a rope crunch, or tighten your abs using a medicine ball or stability ball! You can do all of the other stuff at home
Ask a Trainer: What is a body bar?
A body bar is a long, one-piece solid steel weighted fitness bar encased in rubber. Body bars come in a wide variety of weights and can be used for an infinite number of exercises. Preferred by women due to their lighter weight, they are often used in class settings such as total body conditioning classes. I personally use them for certain abdominal exercises, to work my shoulders, and even to help strengthen my shins. Be creative with them and add them to your routine
The Top Three Exercises to Leave out of Your Routine
Not all exercises are created equal. Some have a much higher risk of injury than others. If these exercises were amazing and had the potential to radically change your body for the better, I would have a much different attitude toward them. But they don’t. These three exercises can actually hurt you. The risk far outweighs the potential reward. I would therefore leave them out of your workout routine, no matter what your fitness level or goals.
Balance Boards And Discs
These are used to introduce instability to exercises such as squats, lunges, and push-ups, forcing the body to recruit different muscles, involve the core, and improve balance and coordination. They are especially helpful for rehabilitation purposes as well as improving sports performance.
