Sit ups are a great exercise that focuses on the upper portion of your abs, this is a great overall exercise for developing and toning your abdominal muscles. This exercise however; can produce lower back and neck pain if done improperly. Start by lying down on an exercise ball with your thighs parallel to the floor. Although it is not completely necessary you can add weight to your feet, or place them under something in order to help your feet stay planted on the ground.

Take your hands and place each one on each side of your head. In a slow controlled form watching that you try not to arch your back, you’re going to sit up so that you’re chest touches or comes close to your knees. Make sure that when you sit up that you are not pulling your neck forward with your hands as this could cause injury to your neck. Once you have reached the top of the movement slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. Repeat this process for the desired amount or reps.

The leg raise really hits the spot when it comes to isolating the lower portion of your abs. For this exercise you can use a bench or the floor. Your going to start by laying flat on the floor with your hands at your sides. Slowly start to raise your legs off the ground and continue to lift your legs until they are at a 90 degree angle with the floor. Hold this position for a second then slowly bring your legs down to the starting position. Repeat this process for the desired reps.
• Note If you would like to increase the intensity, instead of starting and finishing with your feet resting on the ground simply hover them above the ground a few inches.*

The dumbbell side bends is a very easy yet effective exercise for really hitting your oblique muscles. To start off grab yourself a pair dumbbells that are moderately heavy but not too heavy. With the weights at your sides and with your head staring straight forward, slowly bend your body to the left until the weight is just above the knees. Hold this position for a count of 2 then slowly go back to the starting position. Now repeat this process only bend to the right. Do this for the desired amount or reps.

The crunch is a lot like the sit up only it reduces the amount of potential stress on your neck and back. This is performed by lying on the exercise ball with your thighs parallel to the floor. Place your hands on each side of your head. Using slow controlled movements slowly use the contraction of your abs to bring your torso upwards. Once you have your shoulder blades off the ball stop, and hold for a count of 5 then slowly lower yourself back to the original position. This exercise can be done on the floor as well.

This is basically just a crunch with an added twist to get at those oblique muscles. Again you can use an exercise ball however it is not really necessary. Start off by lying on the floor with your thighs perpendicular to the floor. Place your hands on each side of your head and in a slow and controlled manner use your abs to pull your torso off the ground. However; this time as your torso starts to rise up start turning your body to the side so that at the top of the movement your elbow is touching or is close to the opposite knee. Hold this position for a count of 5 and then slowly lower yourself back to the original position.

If you want an exercise that works out the whole abdominal region, delivering that great overall burn than this is the exercise for you. This is one of those overall exercises. This exercise will require weight, I find that a medicine ball works great for this exercise. Start out by sitting on the ground with your feet about 2.5 feet away from your body. Take the medicine ball in your hands and extend your arms so that the ball is out in front of you. Depending on the intensity you want you can either keep your feet on the ground or hover them a few inches off the ground. With the ball extended out in front of you turn your torso while bringing the ball downwards as if to place the ball on the ground at your side, but not letting the ball touch the ground. Hold this final position for a count of 3 and then bring it back up to the starting position, hold for a second then bring the ball down to the other side. Repeat for desired amount of reps.

The reverse crunch is a great exercise that focuses on the lower region of your abs. This exercise can be done on the floor, with a bench or pull-up bars. Start out by lying flat on the ground with your legs out in front of you, and your hands underneath your buttocks. With a slow controlled movement lift your legs off the ground, once about a foot off the ground bend your knees to a 90 degree angle, and hold for a count of 3. Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps. This exercise can also be done with ankle weights to increase the intensity.

This exercise while it may look a little funny when performing it; does deliver a fairly good workout to your abs. Start out by lying on the ground with your hands behind your head and with your thighs being perpendicular to the floor and your calves being parallel to the floor. Then with slow controlled movements bring one knee as close to your chest as possible while extending the other outwards. Do this for the desired number of reps alternating legs each time so that it looks as though your riding a bike.