When it comes to developing ripped abs, the first thing that comes to mind is performing abdominal crunches.
The abdominal crunch, also just plainly known as the crunch, is a common exercise that many adults perform to work the mid-section of the body. However, while working the core is very important for various aspects of your workout and daily life, it is important to know how to get ripped abs without crunches.
The word crunches often mean performing many reps of spinal flexion in a crunch designed to build a stronger core. However, when they target the rectus abdominis muscle, crunches are only as efficient as the progressive overload allows, meaning there is a ceiling. The content below discusses the abs, the muscles of the abs, and how to tailor your workout to incorporate exercises for this part of the body, all without crunches.
The Muscles of the Abs
The abs are a group of muscle fibers that attach to the spine in various areas. These muscles play a big role in everyday living and are a central part of movement. Here are the muscles of the abs to know and understand so you can work on getting ripped with efficiency.
- Rectus Abdominis. The rectus abdominis is a long muscle that is closely located on each side of the linea alba. It runs from the pubic bone all the way to the sternum and allows for spinal flexion up to 30 degrees. This superficial abdominal muscle contains tendinous inscriptions that run horizontally and creates a checkered area, which is where the term 6-pack abs originates.
- Obliques. The internal and external obliques are the primary muscles on the side of the abdomen and are in charge of rotational movements. Originating from the spine and attaching to the linea alba, the internal and external obliques can make or break an athletic look at the mid-section.
- Transversus Abdominis. Known as being the deepest muscle in the abdomen, the transversus abdominis serves the functional role of protecting the internal organs in this area. Working this deep ab muscle won’t necessarily contribute to a ripped figure, but it can help to support many of the spinal movements performed by the abs for the overall look.
The Importance of Ripped Abs
Since the core involves many different muscles, it is important to utilize as many options as possible. Working crunches only target the rectus abdominis muscle, so leaving those aside may be more practical in this approach. If you want to get ripped abs, consider the practical and fun part of what they can do for your body.
- Ripped abs support mind-body movements. The abs are central to most any movement in the human body. Simply standing upright works the stability muscles. Working the rectus abdominis can help to support part of this, but working all of the abdominal muscles can help to ensure day-to-day optimal movements.
- Ripped abs support athletic performance. You can’t get ripped abs without having some athletic ability. With that in mind, working the abs can encourage various exercise performance ranging from sprints, jumping, to arm work.
- Ripped abs look great without a shirt on. Let’s face it guys, taking off your shirt and feeling good about your ripped abs feels quite freeing on the beach or at the pool.
The Top 8 Exercises that Work the Abs
Hard work and dedication in the gym is what will help to grow ripped abs. Here are some of the best abdominal exercises to try for a ripped core.
- Mountain Climbers. Designed to be a higher-intensity exercise, mountain climbers raise the heart rate while working the abs. Aimed at the lower portion of the rectus abdominis muscle, mountain climbers are performed with quick movements with the stabilizing muscles activated.
- Cable Wood Chops. The cable machine offers a great option for adding resistance for the abs. Wood chops are great for versatility and allow for a full range of motion that mimics chopping wood. The twisting and turning of wood chops target the obliques and secondarily work the entire core.
- Straight Leg Raises. The straight leg raise is a powerful option that can help to strengthen the abdominal muscles. Typically, these raises are performed while hanging from a pull-up bar and target the lower portion of the rectus abdominis muscle.
- Planks. The standard plank works the stabilizing muscles in the abdomen. They can be performed from the elbows or with the hands on the floor in a push-up position, but utilize planks to support your abdominal muscles.
- TRX Pikes. The TRX system offers a tough workout that can also target the abs. TRX pikes involve wrapping the feet in the strap handles with your hands on the floor (very similar to getting in a plank position). Lift the glutes into a pike while maintaining the core, The hip and spinal flexion movements in this exercise help to build the stability needed for ripped abs.
- Pallof Press. Building the obliques involves twisting and turning activities. The Pallof press is a unique exercise that targets the internal and external obliques by utilizing eccentric contractions while resisting twisting motions. Utilize the cable machine or resistance bands to ensure optimal progressions.
- Russian Twists. This is another exercise that targets the obliques, but also works the rectus abdominis and transversus abdominis muscles. Russian twists can be performed on the floor or bench, with kettlebells, weight plates, dumbbells, or bodyweight.
- Battle Rope Swings. Utilizing battle ropes can work the entire body for an extremely efficient activity. Not only do battle rope swings burn tons of calories and can create muscle adaptations within 3 weeks, but they require a great amount of core muscle activation to help stabilize the body while your arms do more work. If your gym has battle ropes, utilize them to shred the core and get ripped abs.
How to Stack your Workout with Ab Work
Stacking your ab work should be performed a few ways. For starters, targeting the abs should be on its own day, so make a core and abs day for best results.
[wpcode id=”229888″]Also, if you incorporate any of the exercises above, mix and match them in your usual routine to make it feel naturally involved. Many of the exercises above work various parts of the body so they double up for multi-use activities.
Conclusion
Working the core and targeting the abs is a goal that is atop of many adult’s workout plans. Building enough strength to get ripped abs without crunches is definitely within reason and the exercises above are some of the best and most efficient options as possible.
Resources
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10461201
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32091465
image sources
- Mountain Climbers: Li Sun on Pexels
