Best ab workouts for men to get chiseled belly

Ab workouts for men are usually slightly more advanced than those for women (applicable to men and women who don't work out).

Ab exercises are important for both men and women. Abs, like any other muscle in the body, respond best to proper exercise and nutrition. Not only are strong abs necessary for good health and athletic performance, but they also give you that sexy, chiseled look.

So, which ab workouts for men are the absolute best for building muscle? If you think that sit-ups and crunches are the only exercises that make abs stand out, you're in for a surprise. Read on to learn more.

Top ab workouts for men

A strong core helps stabilize and control movements of the body (Image via Pexels/Gustavo Fring)

Ideally, you should strive for three core workouts per week. Like any other muscle group, the abdominals can be overworked if you train them too frequently. Check out some of the best ab workouts for men below:

1) Hanging knee raise

Hanging knee raises are one of the best ab workouts (Image via Pexels/Anastasia Shuraeva)

One of the best ab workouts for men, the tranversus abdominis muscle gets a full workout with the hanging knee raises. You can thank these muscles for keeping your stomach nice and flat.

Instructions:

The proper form for a pull-up is to hang from a bar with the hands shoulder-width apart and palms facing outward. The toes should touch each other.
Lift your thighs towards your chest by bending the knees and hips at the same time and tucking the lower back.
At the point where the thighs touch the chest, pause, and slowly lower your legs back to the starting position. Keep your stomach in and hips out of the air by engaging the core.

2) Plank

Probably no other exercise works out the core like a plank. (Image via Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio)

This is one of the best ab workouts for men that can be easily upgraded if you have become used to the classic plank. Planks help strengthen the core and lengthen the spine.

Instructions:

Position yourself in a push-up, bearing your bodyweight on the toes and forearms. Put a 90-degree bend in the elbows, and place them directly under your shoulders.
Put your hands together in front of you, with the palms facing each other. Keep a straight line from head to lower back. Stay there for a full minute.
Once the minute is up, turn onto your right side. One foot should be placed on top of the other, with the weight being transferred to the elbow on the right side. For 30 seconds, maintain the side plank position.
When the timer goes off, roll onto your left side while keeping your bodyweight off the floor and knees bent. You should now touch the floor with just your left foot and left elbow.
Hold the plank position for two full minutes. Perform as many sets as possible without resting.
Record your weekly minutes spent exercising so that you can see your progress over time.

This is one of the best at home ab workouts for men that you can do.

3) Ab rollout

Ab rollouts are a great ab workout for men. (Image via Unsplash/Jonathan Borba)

Ab rollouts are one of the best core workouts for men. However, it's not for people with lower back issues or herniated discs.

Instructions:

Lie on your back, and hold the ab roller with your palms facing outward.
Get on your knees.
In a slow motion; roll the ab roller out to the side, extending the body in front of you. Try to get as low as you can without touching the ground.
If you want to avoid back sway, focus on tightening your abdominal muscles, and take a deep breath.
After pausing in the stretched position, begin to slowly pull yourself back to the starting position while engaging the core and exhaling. Holding on to the abs will help avoid back pain.

4) Oblique crunch

This is one of the best ab workouts for men for targeting the obliques. Both the internal and external obliques are actively involved in the exercise.

Instructions:

Roll onto your right side, and lie with your upper body hanging off the edge of the bench.
Draw the heel of your lower leg forward, and hook it under the bench. Draw the toes of your upper leg back, and hook them under the bench.
Lower your torso to the floor at an angle of about 30 degrees from the bench.
Raise your left hand so that its palm cups your head, and place your right hand on your obliques, hugging the torso so you can feel them contract.
With the legs planted firmly, crunch your left elbow upward, sideways, into your left hip as far as you can.
Go back to your starting position below the bench, and lower yourself slowly up there. After you've completed 15 sets, switch to your left side.

Moreover, you can also include these lower ab workouts for men in your routine.

Takeaway

If you're looking for motivation, you can also try this 30-day ab challenge for men. Ab workouts for men are extremely important, as they help maintain strength and boost longevity.