I’m answering the number one question I always get asked. “How do I lose those last 10 pounds especially in my stomach area? And is diet really that important?”

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the short answer is yes. And I’ll cover more on that in another video .

The good news is, everyone has abs. We just need to get them to show up.

Endless crunches are not going to make your abs magically appear. It’s really your body fat percent that will dictate whether or not our abs are showing up.

So here’s my advice: Work on reducing overall body fat but still continue doing your ab work, even if you don’t see them yet. You’ll create a strong core. And when they do appear, I have some simple tricks you that will get them to really “pop”.

Below are some exercises you’ll love that require little to no equipment and the exercises are super effective.

We’ll work on: The Lower abs, Middle Abs, Upper Abs, and Obliques.

To achieve that six pack look, it’s important we target all these various muscle groups.

Let’s get started:

LOWER ABS

Leg raises are my favorite lower ab exercise and these really helped me get my core strong after having my daughters. When working these make, sure your lower back is pressed firmly to the floor and head is down to avoid strains. The slower the better and even holding in the down position for a few seconds will help. If you want to take it up a notch add the ball.

MIDDLE ABS

For the middle abdomen, I love this basic sit-up technique of throwing the ball up in the air. You can vary the weight of the ball depending on your level, but using it will dramatically increase the effectiveness of your sit-up because you are activating your abs every time you catch it. I also recommend not using anything to hold your feet down. This forces you to engage to a greater extent.

Another great variation of the previous middle ab exercise is to add a yoga ball. This is great if you have any lower back discomfort because it provides a nice cushion, plus I think they are fun and catching the ball provides a great distraction.

UPPER ABDOMEN

This is probably one of the best and most overlooked exercise when it comes to ab training. I call them my version of a reverse crunch. It is a pulsing movement that focuses on the uppermost part of your abdomen. When I do these consistently I start to develop that line through the middle of my core. I love how that looks and really need to do these more often. You can do them with your legs straight or bent.

OBLIQUES

Obliques are those little muscles you see on the sides of your body. They can become really defined and bring your waste in if done correctly. This side to side movement with the ball is spot on for obliques.

I hope this gave you a helpful overview of how to best train abs anytime/anywhere. Remember you will need both diet and exercise to get that six pack you want. It’s ok to train abs as often as you want, as long as they are not sore. Like any other muscle group, your abdomen needs time to recuperate. I always like to split the exercises above up throughout the week so I am doing one or two each time I train. Have fun with these and be consistent for the best results.