Get abs fast: training whether you're a homebody or a gym guy

Sometimes the hardest part about working your abs isn't all the exercise involved; it's figuring out which exercises best meet your momentary needs.

Sculpting the kind of washboard waistline every guy desires doesn't require you to always follow the same road every other guy took to get there. It's hard to stay committed enough to see results if you're not in tune with a program from the start. That's why having a few ab routines to choose from can help you determine the best approach for you.

We asked our experts for routines that address the most common ways men work out. What they gave us were three that cover the gamut.

* If you're a gym rat who needs his ab routine to be as tough as the rest of his workout, we've got you covered.

* For the guy who likes exercising at home without having to rely on any equipment, we've got that, too.

* And if you've tried every possible routine out there and need something new to challenge your abs, then get ready for a three-move plan that may seem more appropriate for a day-care center but will leave you crying like a baby.

Can't decide exactly what category you fall into? Then you've got the best of all options. You can try any of the following routines separately for a total abdominal experience, or create your own by replacing an exercise from one workout with one from another (according to their numbers). Whichever workout you choose, it'll be one custom-made for your abs, and your attention span.

STRATEGY #1: THE GYM

So you prefer holding your workouts amongst iron and steel, do you? Then you probably already know there's no need to worry about becoming too bulky by bringing weights into your ab routine. "The abdominal muscles aren't designed for size; they are designed for function," says Fred McDaniel, master trainer and co-founder of the Human Performance Center in Santa Fe, N.M. That means no matter how hard you try, your stomach muscles may get stronger, tighter and firmer, but using weights will never inflate them.

Weights, especially cables, let you work your muscles through a variety of angles by lessening your reliance on whichever single angle gravity allows you. Sticking with the same body-resistance exercises, such as crunches and knee raises, can be counterproductive, especially as you get in better shape. "The leaner you become, the less resistance your muscles get from your decreasing body weight, leaving you with less results in the long run," says McDaniel. Adding weights can prevent this from happening, so your midsection won't suffer from your sleeker appearance.

As for injuries, "the risks involved using weighted abdominal movements are no different than those that come into play using weights for any other muscle group," says McDaniel. "Going slow, maintaining proper form, and always choosing a weight your muscles can handle are the smartest way to lower your odds and improve your results."

You'll need a few pieces of equipment (a high-cable pulley, a chin-up bar and a light dumbbell), but nothing you wouldn't find in any standard health club.

THE EXERCISES

1. CABLE PULL-DOWN (upper abs, internal/external obliques) Get on your knees in front of a high-cable pulley with a rope attachment and grab both ends. Draw your hands down by the sides of your ears (palms facing in) or just above your forehead (1a).

Keeping your hands locked in place, slowly curl yourself down and forward, first drawing your chin toward your chest, then letting your shoulders and back follow (1b). "Imagine you're trying to move yourself vertebra-by-vertebra instead," says McDaniel. "It's more effective to roll through the exercise, instead of thinking of it as simply bending forward." Curl yourself down as far as you comfortably can, then slowly reverse the motion back up.

2. HANGING SIDE-TWIST RAISE (lower abs, transverse abdominus) Hang from a bar with your hands spaced slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your legs should hang straight underneath you, toes pointing toward the floor (2a). (If you're advanced, place a dumbbell between your ankles.)

Next, rock your pelvis upward and slowly raise your knees up and to the left (2b). "Imagine you are trying to touch the right side of your hip to your chest," says McDaniel. Slowly lower your legs back down and repeat, this time raising your knees up and to the right. Lower your knees back down and repeat.

3. WOOD CHOP (internal/external obliques, transverse abdominus) Stand to the right of a high-cable pulley with your right shoulder facing the machine. Keeping your feet flat on the floor (toes pointing forward), reach your left arm across your chest and grab the cable handle, then place your right hand on top of your left hand. You should look as if you're holding an ax out to your right side (3a). Pull in your belly button and hold it there for the entire exercise.

Next, keeping your knees slightly bent, slowly rotate your torso to your left as you draw your arms across and down (3b). (Your arms should stay as straight as possible until the movement naturally forces your elbows to bend.) Once your hands end up above your left thigh (3c), slowly reverse the motion back to the starting position and repeat. Switch positions (so that your left shoulder faces the machine) after completing the prescribed number of reps.

(Tip: Think of your head and tailbone as ends of one straight line. "You want to rotate your body off that axis point, avoiding any excess twisting or bending of the spine for best results," says McDaniel.)

STRATEGY #2: IN-HOME PILATES-BASED

Working out at home may feel limiting to some, but for others, it offers the greatest amount of freedom. Being away from prying eyes can allow you to try abdominal exercises you might otherwise feel too self-conscious to do in public--movements that may look silly, but are guaranteed to put your abdominal muscles through paces most basic ab moves can never touch.

This at-home routine is derived from Pilates, a series of floor exercises that force you to hold specific positions which develop strength, flexibility, posture and coordination. But as esoteric as these movements may seem, "they're actually more rooted to the real-life use of your abdominal muscles than your average exercise," says Ed Morand, A.C.E., N.A.S.M., Pilates instructor at the New York Sports Clubs/Town Sports International in New York City.

Every Pilates move requires a set of tight, strong abs simply to hold yourself in the starting position. The continual tension on your abs keeps your midsection muscles working overtime to maintain your posture, which lets you reap even more six-pack success from every exercise on offer here.

Morand offers the following three positions for developing abs of steel without needing anything but a mat, a few minutes to spare, and the dedication of a pit bull.

THE EXERCISES

1. TEASER (upper/lower abs, internal/external obliques) Lie on your back with your knees drawn up and your arms down at your sides (1a). Slowly stretch your legs out so they are above the floor at a 45-degree angle. As you go, raise your upper body off the floor so that your torso is also held at a 45-degree angle. (You should look like the letter V.) Draw your hands up alongside your legs--without touching--as high as you can toward your feet (1b).

Hold this position, then slowly raise your arms up and over your head until they are in line with your upper body (1c). Slowly sweep your arms back down in front of you (1d), toward your ankles; then keep your hands close to your legs as you lower both your upper and lower body down to the floor (1e) and repeat.

(Note: To protect your lower back, always be sure to use a padded mat when performing any exercise that requires you to sit, kneel or lie on the floor.]

2. CORKSCREW (transverse abdominal muscles, internal/ external obliques, rectus abdominus) Lie on your back with your knees drawn up, arms down along your sides (2a). Extend your legs straight with your feet together, your feet pointing toward the ceiling (2b). (If you suffer from a tight back, you can bend your knees slightly as long as your thighs are perpendicular to the floor.)

Keeping your head and shoulders on the floor, slowly rotate your feet (or knees, if your legs are bent) clockwise as if you're drawing a circle in the air (2c). Bring your feet back to the center, then rotate them counterclockwise (2d). Then bring your feet back to the center again. (Imagine drawing a sideways figure 8. The larger the circle you can draw, the harder and more effective the exercise.) Repeat for eight circles on both sides.

(Tip: "Resist the urge to extend your arms out to the sides for balance," says Morand. "Keeping them close to your sides places more emphasis on your abdominals.")

3. EXTREME (lower abs, transverse abdominus) Lie on your back with your times up, arms at your sides (3a). Slowly extend your legs out and up until they are straight and 45 degrees above the floor. Simultaneously, curl your shoulders and lower back off the floor, extending your hands toward the outsides of your feet so that your arms are straight out in front of you (3b).

Holding this position, slowly draw your left knee into your chest (3c), then extend your left leg back out (your right leg should remain stable throughout the movement). Repeat seven or eight times with your left leg, then perform the same knee-to-chest motion with your right knee for the same number of reps.

STRATEGY #3: HOME OR GYM PHYSIOBALL

Maybe it's because you only see women using one, or because it looks like something Toys-R-Us puts on sale around Christmastime. Or maybe it's simply because it sounds like something made by men who enjoy yodeling and find Eucalyptus bearable. Whatever your explanation is for being afraid to use a Swiss ball, you're not alone. Seasoned exercisers share your fears, but for an entirely different reason: Nothing puts your midsection through greater, shape-shifting torture.

Exercising your abdominal muscles with a Swiss ball is one of the best ways a guy can jump-start his routine, for what may seem unique to you is actually quite familiar to your muscles. A Swiss ball mimics movements your abdominal muscles typically do throughout the day. "The abdominal wall's greatest job isn't to cud you off the floor; it's to constantly support and stabilize your body in an upright, balanced position all day long," says Jeff Bell, C.S.C.S., N.A.S.M., A.C.S.M., co-owner of Spectrum Wellness, New York City.

Merely positioning yourself on the ball forces all your muscles (especially your abs) to naturally contract before you even start a movement. "Doing crunches on top of a ball also lets you bend back through a greater range of motion to work more muscle fibers along a safe, supported surface," says Bell. "Trying to arch your lower back on a flat surface to achieve the same effect will only compromise the spine instead of strengthen your abdominals."

The following routine offers all the benefits Bell mentions in one simple three-step, boredom-beating plan.

THE EXERCISES

1. BALL CURL-UP (upper abs, internal/external obliques) Sit on top of a Swiss ball with your legs in front of you, feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms on your chest, touching each hand to the opposite shoulder (1a). Keeping your feet flat on the floor, slowly lean back and roll yourself down the ball until your shoulders and back touch (1b). "Beginners may need to shift their butts forward a bit on the ball to make it easier at first," says Bell. "The stronger your abs already are, the less adjusting you'll need to do to get yourself into this starting position."

Next, slowly curl yourself back up, vertebra-by-vertebra, stopping just short of returning to an upright, seated position (1c). "The ball should never move as you go," says Bell. "The steadier you keep the ball, the more effective the exercise is for your abdominals." Repeat the motion, taking at least four seconds to lower yourself and four seconds to lift yourself back up.

2. BALL PIKE (transverse abdominal muscles, internal/external obliques, rectus abdominus) Get yourself in a push-up position, hands flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart and your legs behind you. Lie with the tops of your feet on top of the ball--your toes should be pointing away from you (2a).

Keeping your head facing down and your body steady, pull in your belly button (this activates your transverse abdominals to help protect your back), then slowly draw your knees toward your chest. The ball will roll slightly forward, toward your head (2b). "Try to keep your hips down as far as you can," says Bell. "Raising them takes the emphasis off the abdominals and redirects it to the hip flexors." Hold this position, then extend your legs back out, rolling the ball farther back so that your hands end up three or four inches in front of your shoulders (2c). Repeat the movement, taking four seconds in and four seconds out.

(For a bigger challenge, try placing your feet and/or hands closer together in the starting position.)

3. TWO-BALL PLANK (upper/lower abs, transverse abdominus) Lie facedown across two Swiss balls. Your body should be straight as a plank, with just your chest lying on one ball and your knees and shins resting on the other (feet 12 to 15 inches apart). Place your fingertips on the floor for balance and hold this position for 60 seconds.

As this becomes easier, you can make the exercise more difficult by placing your hands on the sides of the ball. (Advanced exercisers can rest their arms at their sides, reach them out to the sides, or extend them straight out in front of their head.

SO WHERE ARE MY ABS ALREADY?

When you'll start seeing results depends on your eating habits, your cardiovascular routine and a little nuisance we like to call genetics. But, most experts agree, if you follow a low-fat diet (with no more than 25 percent of your daily calories coming from fat), you should shave off enough body fat to start enjoying all the hard work you've put into the muscles underneath.

If you're ...       And you do cardio ...  You should see
                                           results in ...

Under 15% body fat  3 times a week         1-2 weeks

15%-20% body fat    3-4 times a week       2-3 weeks

20%-25% body fat    4-5 times a week       4-5 weeks

Over 25% body fat   5 times a week         6-8 weeks
THE WORKOUT

EXERCISE            SETS       REPS

Cable pull-down      2        10-15

Hanging side-
  twist raise        2         8-10

Wood chop            3         8-10 *

* both sides
THE WORKOUT

EXERCISE       SETS    REPS

Teaser          2       3-6

Corkscrew       3        8

Extreme         3       7-8 *

* each leg
THE WORKOUT

EXERCISE           SETS        REPS

Ball curl-up        2          8-10

Ball pike           2          5-10

Two-ball plank      2       60 seconds

AB BEGINNINGS

If you're entirely new to ab training, or if this is the first time you've made a commitment to an ab program, use any of the three routines for a complete ab experience. After two or three months, when you're ready to step things up a notch, simply replace an exercise, by number, from one routine with one from another.