The lower abdominal muscles are equally difficult to target for men and women, but for men, the visual difference lower abdominal development makes to the contour of the body is dramatic. Men carry much more visceral fat or fat under the abdominal wall and around the organs. So for men, poorly developed lower abdominals exaggerate the appearance of a potbelly, while well-developed abdominals will provide a slim, athletic appearance. There are several exercises that can help you lose weight. Just go through the list and formulate the right workout plan for yourself.
Deadlift
Stand before a bar with your legs just less than shoulder-width apart. Bend at the knees and waist and grab the bar so that your forearms are against the outside of your knees. Stand, paying attention to your lower back to be sure it doesn’t bow forward. Follow the same path to set the barbell back down. Perform three sets of five.
Deadlifts require you to tighten the underlying girdle of abdominal muscles that protect your spine and support your torso. They will tighten your stomach from the top to the difficult-to-hit lower abs and will release hormones that will lower your body fat and increase your overall muscularity.
Bicycle Crunch
Lay on your back. Crunch your upper body up. Raise your legs and bend them at the knee, tilting your pelvis towards your chest. Pump your legs like you’re riding a bicycle, and twist your upper body such that you reach your shoulder for your opposite knee. You’ll hit your lower and upper abs at the same time. As you get better, hold a plate against your chest to increase the resistance of the exercise. The optimal rep range is 15 to 20 per set.
Captain’s Chair Crunches
Hold your legs in front of you, and crunch your pelvis away from the back of the chair. You must lift your legs and not move them at the hip or at the knee until your set is done. Because women have proportionately larger legs, and legs are the resistance of this exercise, this strict form is much easier for men. Perform between ten and 20 reps per set.
Ab Wheel
The ab wheel is just a small wheel with two handles. Kneel on the ground and hold the wheel. Roll forward, letting your arms go out before you until your torso is almost parallel to the ground, then roll back in. The ab wheel is a good exercise for men because it requires so much upper body strength to perform. You will really feel this in your lower abs, probably more than with any other exercise. Perform between ten and 20 reps. Once you can do 20 reps, try starting and ending in a standing position rather than kneeling.
