I’m known for my cut abs and to tell you the truth, I don’t need to do crunches to stay lean in that area. We all have our strong points. I have to work very hard to keep my muffin top and upper thighs lean (thanks to my moms pear shaped genetics). I do work clients core in the last 10 minutes of our routine or between sets. If you work your core throughout your resistance routine you have to do at least 30 reps and two sets to make it affective that’s why most trainers just wait until the end of a session and really burn it out. Here is a good starting routine that will really make you burn and strenthen the entire core region.

After you have completed your regular workout, grab the rope pully and attach from the top. Kneel down and move back so that your arms are stretched up over and out in frontof your head. Holding the rope, pull down into your knees until the ends of rope touch the knees into a tight crunch position. Your back should be rounded. Stretch back up into starting pos ition and perform 20 reps for 3 sets. After completing sets move onto a hanging leg raise. Hold yourself into position and let your legs hang straight down. Slowly pull your knees up toward your chest than lower down resisting. Do not relax muscles at the bottom of contraction. Go slow enough to keep abs contracted and to not swing at the bottom of the movement. Perform 15 repitions for 3 sets.

On your next day of resistance training, grab a Bosu ball and lay down on your back.  Make sure that you ar e positioned way back on the ball so that your butt is off of the ground and your head is touching the ground. Put your hands behind your head to support your neck and almost touching the ground, come up 23 inches in a shortened crunch. Exhale and keep your head straight. Allow your back to hyper extend. You should feel a deep burn in your upper abdominal quadrant as well as your low back.  Perform 20 reps of this than with no rest, move forward on the bosu with hands out in front and do full sit-ups.  Move all the way down and all the way up letting your hands lead out in front of you in an upward motion. Perform 20 reps. Do both movements for atotal of 40 reps and 3 sets.

Alternate these ab workouts every other day for 2 weeks and you should not only feel definition but you will be stronger with the rest of your resistance training routine.