Abdominal work is a must! Firm abdominals are going to make you feel like a star. Just like your efforts with food, this a time for you to be strategic and consistent with your training.

Beyond Crunches

The abdominal exercises in this book are some of the most effective and efficient techniques you'll find. You don't have to do them all each day, but you do have to do them often. You should pursue abdominal strength training exercises for 5 to 20 minutes every other day.

Your mission is to choose a variety of exercises that work each abdominal muscle in a challenging way. Start slowly and progress to extremely challenging exercises. How will you know if a certain exercise is extremely challenging? Give it a try and you'll find out. The exercises that you cannot already do will be the ones you should strive to accomplish.

Do not spend 20 minutes lying on your back doing 500 crunches. That would be an insane waste of your time.

In fact, when it comes to strength training, if you can do more than 20 repetitions of one exercise it is too easy for you. At that point, it's time for you to increase the level of difficulty or resistance.

Here are some basic rules to live by:

• Train your abdominals between 5 and 20 minutes every other day.

• Perform at least five different exercises each time you train.

• If you can do more than 20 repetitions of one exercise, increase the level of difficulty.

• Spend an equal amount of time training your rectus and your obliques.

• To maintain balance, spend at least 5 minutes every other day training the muscles of your lower back.

The following exercises will help you get your abs into shape. Begin with sets of 5 to 20. If five is hard for you, do five. If twenty becomes too easy, increase the level of difficulty or try a more challenging exercise.

Small Ball Rotational Crunch

• With knees bent and chin up, rest at the top of a crunch with your back just touching a 6" rubber ball.

• Rotate to your right, touching the right elbow to the ground and looking at the floor.

• Immediately contract and return to starting position.

• Rotate to the right 10 times in a row, and then perform 10 repetitions on the left side.

Straight Leg Stretch with Small Ball

• Lie face up on the ground, bend your left knee and extend your right leg with pointed toe. Hold a 6" ball in your hands with your arms extended over your head.

• Keeping your elbows straight, bring the ball up toward the ceiling as you raise your right leg off the ground. Your arms should be straight out in front of you, and your heel should be 6 to 10 inches off the ground.

• Return to first position and repeat 10 times before switching legs.

Full Knee to Shoulder Crunch with Small Ball

• Lie face-up with your hands supporting your elevated head, elbows wide and legs perpendicular to the floor with a 6" ball between your feet. Make sure your legs extend long and your toes are pointed.

• Simultaneously lift your shoulders and hips toward the ceiling and then lower your legs as far toward the ground as you can without back pain. Maintain long legs throughout the entire movement. Return to starting position and repeat.

Windmill

• Lie face-up with your legs extended perpendicular to the floor with a 6" ball in between your feet and arms out at your sides, palms down.

• Slowly lower your legs to left, trying to keep as much of your back on the floor as possible. Slowly return to the middle and then go to the right. Repeat.

Long Leg Switch

• Lie face-up with both shoulders and feet elevated slightly off the floor, legs extended and toes pointed.

• Lift your right leg toward the ceiling, gently clasp it with your hands, and contract shoulders toward right thigh.

• Bring the right leg down as your left leg rises, gently clasp it with your hands, and contract shoulders toward left thigh.

Swiss Ball Crunch

• Lie face-up with your mid back on the Swiss ball and your feet flat on the ground.

• Extend your shoulders as far back as you can (keep your chin toward the ceiling), and then contract your abs to lift your shoulders toward the ceiling.

Swiss Ball Rotational Crunch

• Lie face-up with your mid back on the Swiss ball and your feet flat on the ground.

• Extend your shoulders as far back as you can (keep your chin toward the ceiling), and rotate and lift your left shoulder up to the ceiling and across your body.

• Repeat with your right shoulder and continue to alternate sides throughout the set.

Traditional Oblique Crunch

• Lie flat on your back with your hands supporting your head, elbows wide and knees bent and resting to the left.

• Lift your shoulders toward the ceiling by contracting your abdominals and return to the ground.

• Do 10 or more repetitions on this side and repeat with your knees resting on your right side.

Pike

• Use mats or a Roman chair to elevate your body onto your hands. Lift both legs straight out in front of you parallel to the ground and hold as long as you can.

• Rest and repeat.

V Sit

• Balance on your bottom and elevate both legs at a 45° angle toward the ceiling. Keep your legs and back as straight as possible. Reach your arms in the same direction as your feet or hold them high above your head. Hold this position as long as you can maintain proper form. Beginners should aim for 5 seconds. Advanced folks should aim for 30 to 60 seconds.

• Rest and repeat.

BOSU Rock

• Assume full pushup position (flat back, legs and arms extended) with hands on the flat side of the BOSU balance tool.

• Maintain this stiff posture and press your right knuckles toward the ground while pressing down on the BOSU.

• Slowly rise to center and press your left knuckles down toward the ground.

• Repeat this as many times as you can while maintaining a flat back and proper form.