10 Key Moves For Great Abs

These 10 trainer-approved moves will help you whether you’re trying to reveal your abs for the first time or chisel out the final details of your burgeoning six-pack.

- Michael Rodio

There’s one thing that a gym vet and a Day 1 newbie have in common when they set foot in a gym—they both want stellar abs. After all, a whittled middle is the ultimate sign of dedication. Unlike, say, your delts or your biceps, your abs don’t simply show up just because you work them hard. Your diet and training need to be on point in order to completely strip away all the belly fat obscuring them. Hey, if it were that easy, we’d all be ripped.

To get some expert ab pointers, we spoke with Ridge Davis, C.P.T. NCSF, the founder of Ridgid Fitness in West Hollywood, CA (and the owner of an impressive set of abs himself). A Puma-sponsored personal trainer and national-qualified NPC men’s physique competitor, Davis knows firsthand how to craft formidable abdominal muscles.

Here are his 10 favorite ab exercises for guys looking to refine—or unearth—their six-pack.

1 SIDE PLANK

WHY IT WORKS: This humble ab exercise is “great for developing beautiful tapered obliques,” Davis says. “The obliques cradle the ‘six-pack’ abdominals, so it’s important that your obliques are slim and toned for aesthetics.”

HOW TO DO IT: There are several ways to do the side plank, but they all boil down to the same basic function. Place one forearm on the ground, using it to brace and support your weight. You can place your other arm to your ear, as if you were talking on the phone. Your same side foot should be on its side, supporting your legs. Your legs should be stacked evenly, so your hips are perpendicular to the ground. Keep your spine neutral (set up in front of a mirror if it helps) and tense your obliques. After an allotted time (60 seconds is pretty good), switch sides and repeat.