9 Best Upper Ab Exercises For Your Core Workouts

Having highly defined and toned abs is great, but having a robust core is even higher. Thankfully, when you do core specific exercises, aesthetics and strength come as a package. Now, one area of the core that it’s worthwhile to concentrate on for strength and constructing a formidable “six pack” is the upper abs.

That is what we’re specializing in here (because the title suggests). We’re going to hone in on the upper abs, covering how they function, find out how to goal them, and what are the best upper ab exercises and workouts which you could start doing today!

We’re going to begin by supplying you with what you got here here for, a proof of what makes a superb ab exercise, together with the perfect upper rectus abdominis (abs) exercises. Afterward, stick around as we’ll offer you a fast lesson on the anatomy and performance of the core muscles as an entire.

Table of Contents:

• What Are The Upper Abs?
• Can You Isolate The Upper Abs?
• How Do You Goal The Upper Abs?
• 9 Best Upper Ab Exercises
• Programming Upper Abs Exercises
• Sample Ab Workouts
• Upper Abs Anatomy & Function
• FAQs

WHAT ARE THE UPPER ABS?

First, there aren’t any upper and lower abs, technically. The rectus abdominis (that are your “abs”) just isn’t divided into top and bottom halves, just left and right sides. Nevertheless, when discussing core workouts, there are exercises that higher goal the highest portion of the rectus abdominis, or in other words, your “upper abs”. 

We won’t say what number of packs are the upper part and what number of are the lower, as not everyone has the identical variety of abs. The truth is, you can have 4-pack abs vs. 6 pack vs. 8 pack, with abdominals starting from 2-10 individual abs that make up your rectus abdominis.

After all, 6 is probably the most common, which is why everyone calls their abs a “sick pack”. In the event you’re fascinated with this topic, make certain you try our article on Abs (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) Explained as we dig into it in much more detail!

For the sake of keeping things easy, when referring to upper abs, it’s the highest portion of the rectus abdominis from concerning the belly button up. Now, while the rectus abdominis just isn’t split into bottom and top halves, anatomically speaking, it is nice to distinguish the highest and bottom a part of your abs in workouts as certain exercises will higher goal the upper abs and certain exercises higher goal the lower abs. 

Principally, the kind of movements you perform (spinal flexion and hip flexion) will increase activation in a single over the opposite, BUT each the upper and lower parts of your abs will probably be activated irrespective of what. It’s just the degree of activation that makes some exercises higher for the upper abs and a few higher for the lower abs.

CAN YOU ISOLATE THE UPPER ABS?

At any time when you’re employed the upper abs, you’ll be working the lower abs to a certain degree. The identical holds true when you’re working the lower abs. 

Nonetheless, with certain core exercises, there’s the next activation in either the upper or lower a part of the rectus abdominis, allowing you to, in essence, isolate the upper abs or lower abs.

HOW DO YOU TARGET THE UPPER ABS?

Your abs act on spinal flexion and hip flexion (in addition to anti-extension). So, when discussing exercises for the rectus abdominis specifically, it’ll be certainly one of these actions. 

Your upper abs will probably be probably the most activated during movements that bring your upper body toward your hips/legs (spinal flexion). 

Your lower abs will probably be most activated during movements that bring your legs/hip toward your upper body (hip flexion). 

For instance, the next exercises will goal your upper abs:

The next ab exercises will goal your lower abs:

• Hanging Leg Raises
• Flutter Kicks

After all, there are exercises that mix each hip and spinal flexion so you’ll be able to work each the upper and lower portions of your rectus abdominis – for instance, V-Ups.

Furthermore, with exercises just like the plank, you might be working your entire rectus abdominis to a high degree (in addition to many other muscles) as you have to resist each spinal and hip movement. The plank is an anti-extension movement, which, again, is certainly one of the rectus abdominis jobs. 

WHAT ARE THE BEST EXERCISES FOR UPPER ABS?

The very best upper ab exercises are based on spinal flexion and anti-extension. There are many upper ab exercises with and without equipment which can be perfect for any fitness level. The entire exercises below emphasize the upper abs and will be made more or easier depending in your core strength and fitness level. 

9 BEST UPPER AB EXERCISES FOR YOUR CORE WORKOUTS

Listed below are 9 of the perfect upper ab exercises to incorporate in your core workouts. 

We’ll make note of progression (harder) and regression (easier) movement options where applicable.

1. Barbell Rollout:

In response to most serious lifters, the barbell rollout is the final word ab exercise, and it’s certainly one of my favorite barbell exercises, period. In the event you want stronger, more defined abs, you’ll want to incorporate this exercise into your routine.

To be quite frank, it is not just an “upper ab” exercise, it’s an throughout core exercise. But, since it is so effective for the upper abs, it deserves to be at the highest of this list. 

The barbell works many muscles, but with reference to the abs, that are the predominant focus of the exercise, it really works them in two ways – when rolling the bar out, you might be resisting hip and spinal extension (anti-extension) after which when rolling the bar in, you might be performing spinal flexion. That is a double whammy of rectus abdominis activation!

Note: That is a complicated exercise as you have to engage the ab muscles to stop the pelvis from going into anterior tilt and hyperextending the lumbar spine. 

Here’s find out how to perform the barbell rollout:

1. ​​Load a barbell with 5-10kg plates.
2. Get in your knees with the barbell in front of you.
3. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, shoulder-width apart.
4. Now slowly roll the bar forward.
5. Roll the bar as far foward as you’ll be able to. Ideally, your shoulders will probably be near your ears along with your body almost parallel with the ground. 
6. Pause within the prolonged position, then roll the barbell inward by flexing your abs and bringing your hips back. When the barbell is about in step with your head/shoulders, that’s one rep.
7. Repeat for the specified variety of repetitions.

Best Rep Range: 6-12 reps

Difficulty: Medium-Hard 

Progression: To make the exercise harder, you’ll be able to do it from a standing position moderately than a kneeling position. You may as well use a band for extra resistance. 

Regression: Some beginner alternatives include arm walkouts, arm slideouts, plank saws, and pikes.

2. Stability Ball Crunch:

The steadiness ball crunch is basically great for honing in on the upper abs and even made the highest 3 best ab exercises in a study conducted by ACE¹. It might look easy, however the activation is serious. You’ll feel some SERIOUS contraction within the upper abs.

The wonderful thing about the soundness ball is it allows for a greater range of motion (each contraction and stretching). Plus, it enhances balance and stability, improving your overall physical function by recruiting more muscle fibers and increasing muscle activation within the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and the obliques by 24% to 38%. 

When performing this move, make certain that your abs remain tight throughout this abdominal exercise, and select a point of interest on the ceiling to keep up proper form.

Here’s find out how to perform the stability ball crunch: 

1. Grab a firm exercise ball (stability ball) that’s near the peak of your knees.
2. Sit down on the ball. Ensure your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
3. Together with your arms crossed over your chest or behind your head, lean way back to you’ll be able to comfortably, allowing your back to wrap over the ball.
4. Then, flex on the spine by contracting your abs, brining your shoulders up and toward your legs but within the direction of the ceiling. Be sure you keep your hips, hip flexors, and legs stable as you do that. You need to really feel this in your upper abs. 
5. Repeat for the specified variety of repetitions.

Best Rep Range: Failure

Difficulty: Easy-Medium

Progression: Hold a weighted plate or dumbbell at your chest.

3. Cable Crunch:

The cable crunch is predicated on trunk flexion, as you might be brining your upper body toward your legs. As such, it’s an upper ab dominant exercise.

As a beginner, you’ll use lighter weight, and as you turn into stronger, you’ll be able to adjust the load level while maintaining proper form. That is great because it allows for straightforward progression. You may really control the issue of this exercise easily. 

A couple of tricks to take into account: ​​Keep your back straight to avoid rounding your back, and your hips and arms still throughout the exercise. Be sure you engage your glutes and hamstrings. This may prevent you from sitting in your heels or relaxing your lower body.

Here’s find out how to perform the cable crunch:

1. Using the rope attachment, attach the pulley at the very best height setting.
2. You’ll face the cable machine and grab the rope with an overhand grip.
3. Take just a few steps backward after which kneel. Be sure you keep your toes flexed and involved with the ground.
4. Pull the rope handles towards the side’s of your face/shoulders and hold this position; that is the starting position. 
5. Hinge on the hips to maneuver barely forward to make sure that your shoulders are barely ahead of your hips.
6. Together with your chin tucked, squeeze your abs and start bringing your shoulders toward your pelvis until your elbows are near your legs. As you do that, keep your chest “up/proud”. Really concentrate on using your abs to make this movement occur. 
7. Hold at the underside of this movement, continuing to squeeze your abs.
8. Slowly begin to return to the starting position. That is one rep.
9. Repeat for the specified variety of repetitions. 

Best Rep Range: 8-15 reps

Difficulty: Will be adjusted to suit different levels of fitness. Nonetheless, good posture throughout this exercise is important. If you’re having trouble maintaining proper form, you’ll be able to begin with the body weight version of the cable crunch until you get stronger.

4. Hip Lift:

This is basically a reverse crunch, so it may work your upper abs thoroughly too. Every time you lift your hips off the bottom along with your legs straight within the air, your upper abs are going to be powering the movement. 

A couple of key suggestions: Don’t allow leg motion to manage the motion when coming back down. Your abdominals should be on top of things when lowering right down to prevent lower back strain. Also, engage your abs by drawing the pelvis into your rib cage, and don’t lift your neck or head.

Here’s find out how to perform the hip lift:

1. Lay down along with your back on the ground and hands facing palm down at your sides.
2. Your legs will probably be within the air parallel to the ground. Nonetheless, your legs will be straight or bent, just so long as your knees are lined up over your hips within the starting position.
3. Tighten your abdomen by pulling your navel in toward your spine as you inhale.
4. Then as you lift out of your hips, exhale. Make certain that your hips are just a few inches off the ground, and your legs stay pointed straight up as you push your legs up toward the ceiling.
5. With control, lower your hips back to the ground, inhaling as you go down. That is one rep.
6. Repeat for the specified variety of reps.

Best Rep Range: 10-20 reps

Difficulty: Easy

5. Hallow Body Hold:

Hole holds are an isometric compound body weight exercise. There may not be movement, however it requires loads of muscle activation, especially from the rectus abdominis. 

The exercise uses all the abdominal muscles and your low back to carry the position. Nonetheless, it specifically targets the upper abs muscles by creating tension when contracting inward and creating intra-abdominal pressure, or IAP. It also works the lower abs well because it’s worthwhile to hold your legs up in position. 

A couple of key suggestions: Make certain that you usually are not arching your back. Engage the anterior core. And, focus on a spot on the ceiling to avoid tucking your chin into your neck. 

Here’s find out how to perform the hallow hold:

1. Begin by laying in your back and lengthening your arms overhead, ensuring your biceps are next to your ears.
2. Place your knees together and straighten your legs, then point your toes.
3. Engage the core by drawing your ribs toward your pelvis and flexing your abs. By inhaling, you’ll get a tighter squeeze on the abdomen and improve the effectiveness of this exercise.
4. Lift your feet, legs, shoulders, and arms off the ground and press your lower back into the bottom. Only your lumbar spine region will probably be involved with the bottom. (This includes the lower third of your spine, from the tailbone to the mid-back area.) Look down at your body all of the method to your feet without tucking your chin into your chest.
5. Hold this position for just a few seconds after which loosen up by going back into the starting position. That is one rep.
6. Repeat for desired reps. 

Best Rep Range: Failure (or 30-60 seconds) Really squeeze as you hold to extend difficulty and effectiveness.

Difficulty: Easy. The longer you hold the position, the harder this exercise will turn into, and the stronger you’ll turn into. Once you might be in a position to hold this for one minute, you’ll progress right into a hallow rock.

Progression: You may hold a lightweight weight and something between your feet to extend the issue. 

6. Tuck Crunch:

A variation of the crunch will all the time have a spot in our upper ab workout, as research shows that curl up activities do a greater job of activating the upper abs, in comparison with posterior pelvic tilt exercises².

This body weight exercise primarily targets the abs, and specifically, the upper abs. That is an ideal exercise when you’re trying to improve abdominal strength and construct muscles in your midsection.

Different tuck crunch variations could be easier to perform, similar to the chair ab tuck, stability ball tuck, or just keeping your feet planted on the ground as a substitute of lifted off the bottom. Nonetheless, lifting the feet off the bottom will allow for higher targeting of the upper abs. 

For best form, keep your movements controlled and slow. Make certain that your neck and shoulders are relaxed throughout the movements. And, if you’ve gotten back or shoulder issues, it’s possible you’ll wish to select an alternate or discuss this exercise along with your doctor.

Here’s find out how to perform the tuck crunch: 

1. Using an exercise mat, lay in your back.
2. Start by crossing your arms over your chest and grabbing your shoulders with opposing hands.
3. Then raise your legs and bend your knees, keeping your calves parallel with the ground. That is the starting position.
4. Exhale as you start to roll forward, raising your torso off the ground. Don’t take your back off of the mat.
5. In reverse motion, slowly return to the starting position. That is one rep.
6. Repeat for desired reps.

Best Rep Range: 10-20 reps

Difficulty: Easy

7. Front Plank Walkout:

While this exercise could have your abs burning, you’ll also feel it in your shoulders, chest, back, and legs. It’s a complete body body weight exercise.

In the event you want a robust core (and abs) that is the one. It’s mainly the body weight version of the barbell rollout as it really works the core in the identical manner. So, when you cannot do ab rollouts or you simply want to change it up, do the front plank walkout. And, when you’re fascinated with more great variations of the plank, make certain to ascertain out our article: 29 Best Plank Variations.

A couple of tricks to assist you to include: Stop the extension before you start feeling your lower back muscles doing the work as a substitute of your ab muscles, and don’t allow the hips to sag to the ground.

Here’s find out how to perform the front plank walkout crunch:

1. Begin in a plank position along with your hands flat on the ground in front of you. A rounded back and barely bent knees are okay. 
2. Keeping your feet planted in the identical place, start slowly walking your hands away out of your feet. Your heels will begin to return off of the ground, and also you’ll be in your tiptoes.
3. You’ll move past a pushup position along with your hands, and proceed to achieve into an extension so far as you’ll be able to, keeping your glutes squeezed and the abs engaged to keep up a neutral spine.
4. Hold this position for 3 seconds before reversing the movements of walking your hands back to your feet and stand back up. That is one rep.
5. Repeat for the specified variety of reps.

Best Rep Range: Failure (30-60 seconds)

Difficulty: Medium. Consider starting with a plank, and when you’re in a position to hold a plank for a minute, you’ll be able to progress into this exercise.

8. Weighted Decline Sit Up:

Weighted decline situps are one of the crucial effective core exercises to enhance your core strength and stabilize the body to stop injury. The weights offer you control over your progressions, allowing you to acquire your fitness goals. 

After all, as a beginner, it is best to start with none weight in any respect. You may cross your arms or hold them behind your head or straight out. 

Because you might be adding the additional resistance to the normal sit up and placed in a declined position, you’re increasing the intensity of the workout on your rectus abdominus (in addition to your transverse abdominis and obliques), especially the upper abs because of the movement being based on flexing your torso toward your legs.

When performing this exercise, be sure to keep up proper form throughout every movement. In the event you are unable to do that, you then’ll need to cut back the quantity of weight. 

Here’s find out how to perform the weighted decline sit up: 

1. Lay along with your back on a decline bench and your legs hooked to keep up stability.
2. You’ll begin by holding a weight along with your arms prolonged overhead, above your chest.
3. Then curl your chest towards your hips while raising your torso off the bench until sitting up.
4. Maintaining control, you’ll begin to return down towards the bench until just before your shoulder blades touch the bench. That is one rep.
5. Repeat for the specified variety of reps.

Best Rep Range: 8-15 reps

Difficulty: Hard

Regression: No weight

9. The Hundred:

This intense exercise doesn’t only engage your entire core, it also recruits your hamstrings and your calves by keeping your legs prolonged within the air through the whole exercise.

When it comes to the rectus abdominis, while it’s an upper ab focused exercise because of the movement being trunk flexion, it is usually great on your lower abs as they will probably be activated in an isometric manner to maintain your legs up. 

All in all, there’s little question that the hundred exercises will get your breath going because it builds a robust core, improving stamina and coordination. Stability and control are essential to the exercise. 

To assist you to perform it appropriately, aim for stability first, and progress through this exercise by holding at the highest for longer. 

Here’s find out how to perform the hundred: 

1. Start by laying in your back, positioning your legs within the air at a 90-degree angle, and knees bent.
2. Extending your arms reach above your head in order that your biceps are positioned at your ears.
3. Lengthen the back of your neck, exhale and contract the abdominals.
4. While keeping your arms straight, start moving the arms towards your feet until your upper back is lifted off of the mat.
5. Hold this position before going back right down to the starting position. That is one rep.
6. Repeat for the specified variety of reps.

Best Rep Range: 10-20 reps

Difficulty: Medium

Crunch – Unsuitable vs Right:

Most individuals do the crunch incorrectly, and it affects the neck and the back.

Listed below are a few of the mistaken things to do when performing a crunch,

• Tucking the chin too far into your chest.
• Jerking up right into a crunch.
• Not keeping your abs contracted throughout the exercise.
• Raising yourself too high off the ground.

Listed below are a few of the right things to do when performing a crunch,

• Use your core to lift your upper body.
• Lift in a slow, controlled manner.
• Place your hands behind your head, not on the neck.
• Keep your lower back in constant contact with the ground.

Plank – Unsuitable vs Right:

Listed below are a few of the mistaken things to do when performing a plank,

• Not engaging your core enough and arching your back.
• Lowering your hips as you turn into fatigued.
• Looking forward, this places a strain in your neck.

Listed below are a few of the right things to do when performing a plank,

• Keep your eyes looking down at the ground.
• Squeeze your glutes and lift your butt to maintain your hips raised.
• Maintain a good core. 

HOW MANY SETS PER WEEK?

What number of sets you’ll be able to do per week will rely on your fitness level. Sets can range from 2 to 10 but will be as much as 20 sets. Selecting the perfect variety of sets on your fitness level would require your best judgment coupled with progression.

You may train your abs day by day so long as you might be training different core muscles, and this may train your muscles evenly and avoid overtraining any single muscle group. 

In case your core is sore, take a rest. Overtraining is rarely a superb idea. Like other muscles, your abs have to recuperate. And if eventually you might be finding that your abs usually are not getting sore ever, then it’s worthwhile to take progression up a notch (do more reps or add an external load or do harder variations). In case your core workouts are getting easier, you usually are not progressive overloading.

HOW MANY REPS SHOULD I DO FOR UPPER AB EXERCISES?

Since the abdominals are made up of each slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers, it’s vital that you simply are using a mix of low weight and high reps and heavy weight and low reps. Furthermore, it’s worthwhile to give them time to rest and recuperate after training (you’ll be able to’t train your abs day by day! at the very least not when you are training them properly).

If you desire to maximize your results, listed below are just a few things which you could do,

• Adapt to the principle of progressive overload. Step by step increasing the stress that you simply place on the muscles prevents them from adapting, which ultimately results in a plateau. This will be achieved by increasing the load used. The goal is to fatigue the muscles by bringing them to failure.
• Use a mix of body weight exercises and weight exercises. Body weight upper ab exercises enhance fat burning through the workout and are equally as difficult as weighted exercises. Whenever you use your individual body weight you activate most of your muscles when performing the exercise.
• Doing timed sets of 30-60 seconds will assist you to to achieve failure or near failure. You’ll generally use light weights for some of these sets.

Suggestions:

Generally, 5-20 reps, and may bring you to close failure. So a superb rule of thumb with low weights and high reps is when you’re not reaching failure with 20 reps, it’s worthwhile to increase the load.  And the identical goes for heavyweight and low reps, when you’re not reaching failure with 8 reps, you’ll wish to increase the load. 

HOW TO PROGRAM UPPER AB EXERCISES INTO YOUR CORE WORKOUTS

A superb, well-rounded ab workout will consist of lower and upper ab hypertrophy exercises in addition to lower and upper ab strength exercises. This implies spreading out sets that may goal the various functions of the abs that we’ve previously discussed in this text.

To realize this, you’ll do ab-specific workouts throughout your week. For instance, in the future, you’ll do an upper ab workout the subsequent session, you’ll concentrate on the obliques or do erector spinae exercises. The goal is to concentrate on the complete abs over different sessions or do a few sets for every in a single workout, 2-3 times per week. 

SAMPLE UPPER AB WORKOUT (5 minutes)

SAMPLE CORE WORKOUT (entire core, 10 minutes)

Perform each exercise for 20 reps within the order listed, after which proceed to the subsequent exercise. Repeat this sequence as repeatedly as possible, following a 10-minute AMRAP timeframe.

ANATOMY & FUNCTION OF THE CORE

Your core muscles and six-pack abs aren’t just meant to look good, they’ve some major responsibilities in movement, support, and stability of your spine.

There are six predominant muscles within the core, and every muscle serves a primary function in how the body moves:

• Erector Spinae (Back Extensors): Trunk extension, lateral trunk flexion, anti-flexion – chargeable for standing up straight when bent over and for bending backward and bending side to side.
  
• Internal and External Obliques: Trunk rotation, lateral trunk flexion, anti-rotation – chargeable for twisting to the left and right and bending side to side.
  
• Rectus Abdominis (Trunk Flexors): Trunk flexion, lateral trunk flexion, anti-extension – chargeable for bending forward or curling up and bending side to side.
  
• Transversus Abdominis: Compression of the abdomen – draw your belly button into your spine.
  
• Multifidi: Spinal stability – holds your spine stable during movement.

Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at the muscles inside your abdominals.

1) Rectus Abdominis:

The rectus abdominis is a protracted muscle that extends from the underside of your sternum to the underside of your pelvis. It is definitely a paired muscle that is split into two halves (left and right) by a band of connective tissue called the linea alba. 

As an entire, the rectus abdominis is your “six-pack” (or 2, 4, 8, and even 10 pack depending in your ab structure – everyone seems to be different). The first job of this muscle is to carry your internal organs in place and move the body between the ribcage and pelvis. When performing any flexion or anti-flexion of the core, your rectus abdominis will probably be activated.

2) External Obliques:

These large flat pairs of muscles are positioned on either side of the rectus abdominis. With low enough body fat and the perfect oblique exercises, the external obliques will be seen because it is a superficial muscle.

It’s the biggest of the lateral abdominal muscles (the opposite two being the inner obliques and the transversus abdominis). Its predominant responsibility is to twist the body left and right and to bend side to side. It is usually chargeable for resisting these movements. Moreover, the external obliques aid in contracting the abdomen. 

3) Internal Obliques:

This broad and thin pair of muscles are positioned on either side of the rectus abdominis and are deep to the external obliques (covered by the external obliques). The muscle fibers run in the other way to the external obliques, and while they’ve the identical movement roles, additionally they work opposite to one another.

So, when rotating to the left, your right external oblique is working along with your left internal oblique (the inner oblique is a same side rotation muscle whereas the external oblique is an opposite side rotation muscle). Just a fast fun fact. 

4) Transversus Abdominis:

The transversus abdominis is the deepest of the abdominal muscles, resting underneath each the obliques and the rectus abdominis. The muscle wraps all the best way around your abdomen and to your spine.

Its predominant job is spinal stability and to keep up normal abdominal tension. You may note when performing transversus abdominis exercises, it’s activated when drawing your belly button into your spine.

HOW DO YOU GET DEFINED TOP ABS?

The key to having well-defined abs is definitely no secret in any respect…your weight loss plan is the important thing to revealing the hidden muscles. In the event you don’t have a low enough body fat percentage, your abs muscles can’t be seen – irrespective of how strong or defined they’re. 

Let’s put this into perspective for you.

While various aspects play an element on this, similar to body types and fitness goals, a male might want to have around 13–16% body fat to see their abs, and a female will need around 22–25% body fat. For more defined abs, you might want to have a fair lower percentage of body fat.

So after they say abs are made within the kitchen, it’s true.

You may have strong, tight abs, but when you’ve gotten even the least amount of body fat covering, no person will know.

Nonetheless, with that being said, it’s likely which you could see the definition within the upper abdominals way before your lower abs. It’s because lower belly fat is one of the crucial stubborn fats to lose and probably the most common area for fat to build up. Most individuals who workout frequently won’t have much fat covering their upper abs, but many will still have that “pouch” covering the lower abs. 

To get visible abs, try our Best Cutting Workout & Food plan Plan and our 4 Week Meal Plan For Weight Loss!

BENEFITS OF TARGETING THE UPPER ABS & AB STRENGTH

In the event you’re not including ab workouts into your routine, it’s affecting your overall strength, endurance, and performance. People say big compound movements are enough for core strength, but the reality is, it’s really not. In the event you aren’t doing core specific exercises, you’ll have a weak link that’s your core.

Your abdominal muscles are also an anchor on your back. Weak abdominal muscles place unnecessary strain in your back. Not only does this increase your risk of injury, however it also prevents you from achieving many fitness goals. 

Besides having less strength and resilience, your abs are crucial for balance, coordination, posture and even stamina.

Put it this manner, your abs are involved in just about each movement you make. So, in fact, it may be vital to have them in tip-top shape. 

The bonus is, figuring out your abs will make them more defined in time. You may notice some nice, greater, sharper looking abs while you achieve a lower body fat percentage. Sure, they haven’t got serious growth potential like other muscles (thankfully as that might get weird), and a few persons are naturally born with thicker abs, but anyone can develop their abs to make them standout more. 

FAQs

Let’s answer some often asked questions on upper ab exercises.

Do planks work upper abs? 

Yes, while you properly perform a plank, it engages your abs, including your upper abs, and helps to develop a robust core. 

What happens if I train abs on a regular basis?

​​Your abs are broken up into different muscles, and for this reason, you might be in a position to work out different ab muscles day by day while giving the others a break. You need to not goal the identical muscles consecutively. 

How do you tone your upper stomach?

Toning your upper stomach requires doing ab-specific workouts that focus on your top abs while also reducing the fat layer covering your abs.

How you can do away with upper belly fat?

Your weight loss plan is the critical component to eliminating upper belly fat. No amount of cardio or exercises by itself goes to be enough to burn fat.