The Best Ab Exercise... Guaranteed!

While the title may appear to be an exaggerated statement, it turns out to be true, based on a new study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting consumers from unsafe and ineffective fitness products. The study conducted at San Diego State University looked at 13 exercises, some requiring expensive equipment, to determine the best ab exercise. They actually measured the muscle stimulation of each exercise using EMG testing of the three major abdominal muscle groups: the rectus abdominus, the external obliques and the internal obliques.

The bicycle crunch came out the undisputed winner! What’s really amazing is that this exercise requires no equipment at all yet beat ab exercises that require special and sometimes expensive equipment like the Captain’s Chair, the Ab Roller, and the Ab Rocker. So here it is in its purest form.

1. Lay on your back with your hips and knees flexed about 90º and your hands lightly touching your head on both sides. Your neck should be slightly off the floor and not supported by the hands.
2. Bring your right elbow across your torso while rotating the upper body and try to touch your left knee while extending the right leg out straight about a foot off the floor.
3. Now rotate to the right while extending the left leg and flexing the right hip to 90º touching your left elbow to the right knee.
4. Alternate back and forth keeping both feet off the floor and your head slightly elevated.
5. Remember to keep breathing throughout the exercise to keep O2 circulating to the muscles.

The Bicycle crunch should be part of your regular exercise program. At MDfitness we have come to rely on this exercise as a research-proven major ab strengthener.

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