Recent studies have shown that many of the exercises claiming to help get you 6 pack abs are really a waste of time and effort. So let’s take a look at the results from one study and find out which exercise came out on top and which ones could be hindering your results.

First up we will look at which exercises are the worst for creating those illustrious 6 pack abs. In dead last place was the ab rocker, apparently that smooth rocking motion is so effective at making your ab workouts a breeze, it is 80% less effective than the traditional crunch.

A close rival to the ab rocker was the ab wheel. The main problem with this device it that it does very little to stimulate your abdominals. This is becuase of the poor, and limited range of motion the abs actually undergo with this 6 pack abs exercise.

Now surprisingly another one of the poor performers was the basic abdominal crunch. I have to say this has been given a very bad reputation due to so many people not actually performing it properly. Improper form and technique is the main reason this exercise will never help you achieve 6 pack abs. While if done correctly it is a great exercise for your rectus abdominus (front or 6 pack abs) it doesn’t effectively target your entire core which is why it didn’t rank very well.

So there you have it the 3 worst performing abdominal exercises. You don’t have to give up on them entirely, they are still good additions for a full core workout, but by themselves they won’t give you the muscle stimulation you need, to get those chiseled 6 pack abs.

If you want to find out what the best abdominal exercises were from this study check out my other post:

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By now you should realize it doesn’t take hundreds of grueling abdominal exercises to lose belly fat. You can get a great and effective core workout in just 5 minutes. I know you probably think that just isn’t enough but I’m telling you that it is. Too many people become stuck in the mentality that more is better, they do an absurd amount of crunches everyday and think they are making progress.The reality is they might be able to impress themselves with how many they can do in one sitting but the results just aren’t matching up. Your muscles need to be stimulated to grow through proper resistance exercises, if you can do 200 crunches then it’s obviously not hard enough and you won’t be getting anything from it. 2 or 3 sets of an abdominal exercise for 8 – 12 repetitions is all you need, and it won’t be wasting all your time.Remember the important thing is to fatigue your stomach muscles within those 2 or 3 sets by adding appropriate resistance or finding a tougher ab workout. One more thing even if you finally manage to get this part right you also need to take into consideration how many calories you are consuming daily compared to how many you are burning off. Cardiovascular exercises to lose belly fat will help you to burn more calories than you consume, (unless you are eating a bucket of Kentucky fried chicken every day for breakfast), creating the right caloric deficit for fat loss success.Here are 3 abdominal exercises to lose belly fat that you can do in 5 minutes:1. Standing reverse wood chops with medicine ballStand with knees slightly bent just a little more than hip width apart. Grab a medicine ball with both hands and hold it by your right hip. Keep your gaze straight while contracting your abs and turning your upper body slightly to the right. Then bring the medicine ball up and across your body until your arms are extended above your left shoulder. Now bring the medicine ball down and position it on your left hip and perform the movement towards your right shoulder.2. Penguin Toe TapThis is a great oblique workout. Lie on your back with your knees bent, arms by your sides, and feet flat on the floor. Now contract your core and slowly lift your shoulder blades up until they are a few inches off the floor. Then twist your body to the left hand side until your hand touches your left foot. Repeat this movement towards the other side and continue to alternate sides until you have completed each set.3. Plank Belly BusterThis one is great for tightening and flattening your stomach as it works your deep tranversus muscle. Once you are in the plank position push your bum up into the air and bring it back down, keeping your back and legs straight throughout. Make sure your core muscles are creating the movement and moving your butt up and down.That’s all there is to it, keep it simple by sticking to 2 – 3 sets of 8 – 10 reps. Focus on getting the technique right before adding resistance. These exercises to lose belly fat will give you a great entire core workout and all in 5 minute

By now you should realize it doesn’t take hundreds of grueling abdominal exercises to lose belly fat. You can get a great and effective core workout in just 5 minutes. I know you probably think that just isn’t enough but I’m telling you that it is. Too many people become stuck in the mentality that more is better, they do an absurd amount of crunches everyday and think they are on their way to losing belly fat.

The reality is they might be able to impress themselves with how many sit-ups they can do in one sitting but the results just aren’t matching up. Your muscles need to be stimulated to grow through proper resistance exercises, if you can do 200 crunches then it’s obviously not hard enough and you won’t be getting anything from it. 2 or 3 sets of an abdominal exercise for 8 – 12 repetitions is all you need, and it won’t be wasting all your time.

Remember the important thing is to fatigue your stomach muscles within those 2 or 3 sets by adding appropriate resistance or finding a tougher ab workout. One more thing even if you finally manage to get this part right you also need to take into consideration how many calories you are consuming daily compared to how many you are burning off. Cardiovascular exercises to lose belly fat will help you to burn more calories than you consume, (unless you are eating a bucket of Kentucky fried chicken every day for breakfast), creating the right caloric deficit for fat loss success.

Here are 3 abdominal exercises to lose belly fat that you can do in 5 minutes:

1. Standing reverse wood chops with medicine ball

Stand with knees slightly bent just a little more than hip width apart. Grab a medicine ball with both hands and hold it by your right hip. Keep your gaze straight while contracting your abs and turning your upper body slightly to the right. Then bring the medicine ball up and across your body until your arms are extended above your left shoulder. Now bring the medicine ball down and position it on your left hip and perform the movement towards your right shoulder.

2. Penguin Toe Tap

This is a great oblique workout. Lie on your back with your knees bent, arms by your sides, and feet flat on the floor. Now contract your core and slowly lift your shoulder blades up until they are a few inches off the floor. Then twist your body to the left hand side until your hand touches your left foot. Repeat this movement towards the other side and continue to alternate sides until you have completed each set.

3. Plank Belly Buster

This one is great for tightening and flattening your stomach as it works your deep tranversus muscle. Once you are in the plank position push your bum up into the air and bring it back down, keeping your back and legs straight throughout. Make sure your core muscles are creating the movement and moving your butt up and down.

That’s all there is to it, keep it simple by sticking to 2 – 3 sets of 8 – 10 reps. Focus on getting the technique right before adding resistance. These exercises to lose belly fat will give you a great entire core workout and all in 5 minutes.