The Moves: Lower abs are usually a problem area for most men due to a lack of specific training for that area but also due to bad gender luck -- that's just where we tend to carry extra blubber. The double crunch, which is a combination of a standard crunch and a reverse crunch, brings your entire abdominal wall into play, including that sorely neglected lower third. The burn is unmistakable during your workout, but the day after a few sets of double crunches, you are left with a top-to-bottom soreness in your abs that is the hallmark of new progress.
Another move that tends to get left out of the abs mat crowd is the plank. This move, which trains your deep transverse abdominis muscles, helps you
build strength throughout your entire core. This not only triggers a thorough burn in your midsection but it also helps you to accumulate greater stability on bigger lifts like squats and deadlifts where core strength is key for moving heavy loads.
The Scheme: For this small-but-mighty routine, you're going to work at a non-stop pace, which will
heighten the calorie burn while placing a greater demand on your tragically complacent midsection. You'll start on your back with the double crunch. Perform 10 clean, deliberate reps and immediately flip over on to your elbows for a 10-second plank. At the end of the 10 seconds, roll over and do it again. After five such sequences, you're done. Fifty abs-shredding double crunches and 50 seconds worth of core-liquefying planks. To continue seeing change in your abs, try 12 reps and 12 seconds next week, 15 reps and 15 seconds the next. During Week 4, try going for 20 reps of double crunches and 20 second planks.
Perform these workouts once or twice per week to get the ripped look you're seeking.