What Ab exercise is most effective?

There are almost countless benefits of having a strong midsection that is applicable to almost everyone. Whether you are a runner, gym bunny or just want to become faster, fitter and stronger. Here is my top pick for the most effective core exercise and why you should do it.

Plank Benefits

You'll beat back pain with planks

In 2016, according to the Office for National Statistics, almost 31m work days were lost in the UK due to musculoskeletal problems including back pain with treatment and attributable costs estimated at £12.3bn a year. The solution, thankfully, is significantly cheaper. A core-focused training regime with the king of all core exercises the Plank.

You can dominate at your sport: As a strong core will help you transfer more power to your limbs, you'll be able to punch harder, drive further and send a ball with more force, making you a better athlete at just about anything.

A strong midsection will become the sturdy foundation on which your compound moves will increase, helping you lift heavier weights for more reps, generating more force through your body and keeping your back safe.

In terms of training the core in the way in which it works in everyday life, you need to use muscles like the TA [transverse abdominus], which stabilizes the spine. Planks do that.

The idea of the plank is to train the core muscles to stabilize the spine against movement. Once you’ve mastered a solid 30-second static plank, add movement to it to make the core muscles work harder.

When we are looking at both front forearm planks and side planks in terms of muscle activation of the rectus abdominous (your six pack) and the external obliques (the side of your belly that runs from your armpits to your hips) are being activated and you are also working on the transverse abdominous which stabilizes the spine.

No matter which plank you chose, be sure to brace your abs in (as if you’re about to get sucker-punched) and squeeze your glute muscles to keep your hips fully extended.