How these Simple (and Affordable) Tools help you Reach new Goals.

Doing abdominal exercises will be key to reaching your goal of six pack abs. The problem with a lot of ab workouts is that they only focus on the exterior muscles, to get permanently get toned abs, you will want an ab plan that works out all of the core muscles, both interior and exterior. One of the best ways to do this is by experimenting, and then incorporating, some basic exercise equipment into your workout.

There are some ab exercises that involve equipment, but unlike the fancy ab gizmos you see in infomercials, the equipment that gets you the best results are the simplest forms of equipment. A stability ball is a great piece of equipment for making sure all of your ab muscles are involved in an exercise move. Stability balls are those big inflatable rubber balls that you see people doing crunches on at the gym, 2 to 3 feet across is a common size. To find the correct sized ball for your body lay down flat on the top of the ball with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. The ball is the right size for you if your knees form ninety degree angles. One where you are a little higher up will still work, but avoid one that is too short for you. Stability balls, just like their name suggests, force your core muscles to stabilize the entire body. By doing this, your muscles naturally kick in to help with the move, greatly decreasing the chance of you doing a move wrong because if your muscles don’t work, you fall off the ball! These balls are also a good way to take pressure of the spine, making them a great option for larger people. Stability balls are not for intensive moves, but they are a great way to get all of your ab muscles working and to learn how to balance your core.

Medicine balls and kettle balls are good additions to general strength training exercises. A medicine ball about the size of a basketball with a leather like exterior, but they weigh as much as a bowling ball. By using a ball, you can move in more natural motions while incorporating the increased resistant from the weighted ball. Many athletes train with medicine balls because it allows them to mimic sports moves. A kettle ball is smaller, has a hard exterior, and has one strong looped handle. The ab moves performed with both of these items are very similar. Most of these moves will have you holding the ball away from your body and twisting your torso in a controlled movement. The weight at the end of your arms acts like a pendulum, forcing your core to work harder than if you were not using a weighted ball.

Another very popular piece of exercise equipment used for ab moves are simple dumbbells. This may surprise you if you thought dumbbells (also known as free weights) were only used for arm exercises. Just like the weighted balls, dumbbells can be held away from your body to create the pendulum effect. What dumbbells allow you to do is have two equal weights to work with, whereas the weighted balls discussed above require you to have two hands on the object in order to use it. (True, a kettle ball can be used by one hand, but if the exercise calls for one handed-weights, dumbbells are most often used.)

Even if you don’t have any of the above equipment, everyday items you have in your own home can help you get the most out of your ab workout. If exercises that require you to lie on you back hurt you, try using pillows or folded up shirts to help you find a position that makes you comfortable. (Be careful not to force your back into an unnatural position and ease into using these props so that you can be certain you are not hurting yourself.) If you want to try getting more out of your ab moves but do not own any dumbbells or weighted balls, try something like a can or soup, an orange, or heavy books in their place.

As you can see, some very simple items can help you increase the effectiveness of your abs workout. Incorporating these items can also keep your workouts interesting and give you more options which will keep you motivated. Give these items a try next time you are at the gym, or grab something out of your pantry for added resistance during your next workout at home and you will be well on your way to six pack abs.