Who doesn’t want a strong set of abs? Or a nice, flat, washboard stomach? Six-pack abs are all the rage these days. And, even though abs are mostly made in the kitchen, that doesn’t stop people from searching for the best ab exercises to do at the gym.

With this in mind, a study investigated the most common ab exercises and ranked them from best to worst. In this blog, we’ll dive into this study’s findings and reveal what could be the most effective abdominal exercises you can do at AFAC’s gym in Thornton, Colorado.

What Does it Mean to Work Your Ab Muscles at the Gym?

Many people don’t necessarily love ab exercises. Even so, the best ab workout is one you like enough to do consistently. This applies to any workout you do at the gym. Consistency is the key to results.

That said, your ab workouts should target all the different muscle groups in your abdomen, which include the:

• Rectus abdominus – This pair of muscles goes down the middle of your abdomen from your ribs to the front of your pelvis. It’s the most well-known abdominal muscle group, often referred to as the “six pack.”
• External and internal abdominal obliques – These muscles are located along both sides of the abdomen.
• Transverse abdominis – This muscle is located under the obliques. It is the deepest abdominal muscle and wraps around your spine to provide your torso with stability and protection.
• Pyramidalis – This is a small, triangular muscle that’s located very low in your pelvis.

Together, these muscles are responsible for maintaining good posture, protecting your spine, preventing injury, and keeping your body stable during movement. They also enable movements like twisting and turning your trunk from side to side.

When it comes to challenging your abdominal muscles, the following study found that all ab exercises are not created equal.

Comparing Ab Exercises at the Gym

The study, conducted by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), was held at the biomechanics lab at San Diego State University. For its research, the lab tested 13 popular abdominal exercises to find out which ones challenged ab muscles the most.

The study performed tests on 30 men and women for one hour each. Due to its relatively small size, the study shouldn’t be viewed as the final authority on ab workouts, but the insights are still helpful for anyone’s strength training program.

During the study, researchers attached electrodes to participants’ upper and lower rectus abdominus and the external obliques to measure muscle activity.

Researchers also monitored the hip flexor muscles (the rectus femoris) to see if any study participants were using those muscles. If they were, this would be a sign that they were either doing the exercise incorrectly, or it was an exercise that required the body to recruit muscles outside the abdomen.

The overall theory behind the study was the more activity in the abdominal muscles – and the less activity in the hip flexors – the more effective the exercise.

Researchers used crunches as their baseline activity, as this exercise received a score of 100% muscle activity triggered. If an exercise caused double the muscle activity as the crunch, it received a score of 200.

Ranking Abdominal Exercises at the Gym

After collecting all the data, researchers found that the most challenging exercise for the rectus abdominus was the bicycle – a move that resembles riding a bicycle while laying on your back. The second most challenging exercise was the Captain’s Chair (also known as the Vertical Knee Raise). This is performed using a piece of gym equipment that you rest your forearms on while you dangle your feet off the ground. From there, you do knee tucks while suspended in the air.

When it comes to the most challenging exercise for the obliques, the order of the above exercises was reversed, but the bicycle and Captain’s Chair were still the top two most challenging moves.

Although crunches on an exercise ball generated less activity in the rectus abdominus than the bicycle maneuver and the Captain’s Chair, the exercise also produced significantly less activity in the hip flexors, possibly making it the best exercise in the bunch.

Below is a full list of ranked exercises measured in the study.

Activity in Rectus Abdominus

Ranking	Exercise	Mean % of Activity
1	Bicycle Maneuver	248
2	Captain’s Chair	212
3	Ball Crunches	139
4	Vertical Leg Crunch	129
5	Torso Track	127
6	Long Arm Crunch	119
7	Reverse Crunch	109
8	Crunch with Heel Push	107
9	Ab Roller	105
10	Hover (Forearm Plank)	100
11	Traditional Crunch	100
12	Tubing Pull	92
13	Ab Rocker	21

Activity in Obliques

Ranking	Exercise	Mean % of Activity
1	Captain’s Chair	310
2	Bicycle Maneuver	290
3	Reverse Crunch	240
4	Hover (Forearm Plank)	230
5	Vertical Leg Crunch	216
6	Ball Crunches	147
7	Torso Track	145
8	Crunch with Heel Push	126
9	Long Arm Crunch	118
10	Ab Roller	101
11	Traditional Crunch	100
12	Tubing Pull	77
13	Ab Rocker	74

The Top 5 Most Challenging Ab Exercises at the Gym

Using the study results as a guide, here are instructions on how to do the top 5 most challenging abdominal exercises.

Bicycles

1. Lie flat on your back on a mat.
2. Place your hands behind your head.
3. Bring your right knee up to your chest.
4. Extend your left leg straight while keeping your left foot off the ground.
5. Rotate your torso so that your left shoulder reaches toward your right knee. Think left armpit to right hip.
6. Reverse the movement to straighten your right leg and draw your left knee toward your chest as you twist your torso so that your right shoulder reaches toward your left knee.
7. Keep switching sides, right knee to left shoulder and left knee to right shoulder.
8. As you extend your legs, the closer they get to the floor, the more difficult the exercise will be.

Captain’s Chair (Vertical Knee Raise)

This exercise involves using the Captain’s Chair (also known as the vertical knee raise or VKR) at the gym. The chair has a back, two armrests with handles that are elevated above the ground, and no seat.

1. Place your forearms on the armrests of the chair and grip the handles. Your legs will dangle.
2. Slowly tuck your knees toward your chest.
3. Your motion should be controlled and deliberate as you bring your knees up and return them back to the starting position.
4. Another variation is the straight leg raise, where you bend at the hips and lift you legs straight in front of you.

Crunches on an Exercise Ball

1. Lie back on an exercise ball. Your back should be touching the ball; your thighs should be parallel to the floor; your knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle; and your feet should be flat on the ground.
2. Arch your back across the ball to extend your body and abs.
3. Put your hands behind your head or behind your ears. Don’t use your hands or arms to lift or pull your head up. Only use them to support your head.
4. Stare at a spot on the ceiling.
5. Contract your abs to raise your torso up off the ball, no more than 45 degrees.
6. Go back to the starting position with your back across the ball. That’s one rep.
7. For better balance, spread your feet wider apart. To challenge your obliques more, move your feet closer together.

Vertical Leg Crunch

1. Lie flat on your back on a workout mat.
2. Extend your legs straight up toward the ceiling so that your feet are over your hips. Your body should be in an L position.
3. Extend your arms straight up over your shoulders and point your fingers straight up.
4. Contract your abs and lift your head, neck, and shoulder blades up off the floor as you reach for your toes. Focus on crunching your abdominal muscles with the goal of touching you toes with your fingers.
5. Return to the starting position. That’s one rep.

Reverse Crunch

1. Lie flat on a mat with your lower back pressed to the ground.
2. Extend your arms flat to your sides and put your hands under your bottom.
3. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground.
4. Contract your lower abs to lift your hips and feet up off the floor, bringing your knees toward your chest.
5. The more you bend your knees, the easier the exercise will be. The less you bend your knees, the harder the exercise will be.
6. Return your feet to the starting position, but hover them over the floor instead of touching the floor. That’s one rep.
7. To intensify the exercise, place your hands behind your head with your elbows slightly in. Lift your shoulders several inches off the ground, and then hold that position. From there, draw your legs in and up to do the reverse crunch.

Putting Ab Exercises to the Test at AFAC Gym

Many of the exercises studied were effective at working the ab muscles. Some were simply more effective than others. Also, the effectiveness of each exercise varied from person to person depending on their fitness level, athleticism, familiarity with the exercise, and past injuries.

For best results, the head of the study recommended choosing a few exercises from the top-third of the lists and try doing them in the gym. Also pick a mix of moves that challenge all your ab muscles and incorporate all three planes of movement — side to side, forward to back, and rotating around your spine. Make sure to enlist the help of one of our personal trainers to make sure you’re using proper form. If an exercise is uncomfortable or feels awkward, try another one. This will help you find your favorite ab exercises, train different muscles, and fight boredom.

Unfortunately, ab exercises will not rip off the layer of belly fat that sits on top of the abdominal muscles. If you want your ab muscles to show, you’ll need to achieve the right body composition and ratio of body fat vs. muscle mass. This can be accomplished by knowing what your basic calorie needs are, tracking the calories you eat, and maintaining a calorie deficit. You can also mix in cardiovascular exercise to burn more calories, as well as eat plenty of protein to support muscle maintenance and growth.

No matter which ab exercises you choose, make sure to train your ab muscles at least twice per week. Strong abs will give you better posture, reduce lower back pain, and support long-term health and well-being.

If you’re looking for a gym to try these ab exercises, we hope you’ll check out Adventure Fitness Athletic Club. The staff at AFAC gym is here to give you a tour of our facility and show you why we’re the best gym in Thornton, Colorado. You’ll discover that everyone you meet at AFAC gym supports and encourages you as you achieve your fitness goals. Our personal trainers can assist you with tailoring a strength training and cardio program that will provide maximum results for your efforts.

If you’re not a member of AFAC gym but would like more information, please stop by and speak to our team. For more information and assistance, you can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.