Why I consider the Leg raises as the best abs exercise - Lower body and core workout

In a lower body workout coupled with the core, if you have worked out right, you will always have wobbly legs for a good hour or two and soreness for a day or two. I am not complaining because this soreness is an indicator that the workout was great. The challenge is when you try to descend a flight of stairs later.

While the Squat is the king of all exercises according to me, the king of the abs exercises is the Leg Raise. However, there is a small catch to this. The leg raise you usually see in gyms and fitness centers does zilch for your abs. They are great for working the hip flexors, but not the Rectus Abdominis. The function of the Rectus Abdominis is to pull your hip girdle towards your rib cage or to curl the rib cage towards the hip girdle.

Therefore always continue raising your legs upwards towards your head. This will definitely send sharp contractions through the abdominal wall and make you feel the six packs beneath the layer of fat. To ensure you are working the abs properly, suck you tummy in and tighten it throughout the set. Doing this will ensure that you are working the rectus abdominis, and to a lesser degree, the transverse abdominis.

This is why I consider the leg raise (done in this manner) as the best exercise for the abs. It gets better though. Like all bodyweight exercises, even your abs training can be progressively overloaded with tougher variations of this exercise. The gold standard of the leg raises family of exercises is the Hanging Leg Raises, done with the feet going all the way to your head.

Don't take my word for it, do it yourself and you'll see the results.

For further updates on better exercises, workout tips to boost your results Subscribe to http://eurekafitness,blogspot.in today.