The 5 Best Ab Exercises Ever (No boring crunches!)

Everyone wants a flat stomach right? So why does that have to be the hardest fitness goal to achieve for most people?? Obtaining a flat stomach isn't easy, but with these 5 exercises I'm about to tell you about, you will notice your waist getting slimmer in no time.

I have a son who is almost 4 months old and when I was pregnant with him, I gained 50 pounds! I still have about 5-10 pounds that I'd like to use, but my stomach is already flat! (And he's my second child) These exercise can and will work for you, they have for me!

For a beginner, I'd recommend doing 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each of the following exercises:

1. Barbell Twist--Grasp a barbell in both hands and stand with feet shoulder width apart. (You may also hold a dumbell in each hand if that is easier for you) Hold your arm down in front of you, still grasping the bar with your palms facing down and then twist the barbell or dumbells from left to right. As always, keep your ab muscles tight for the best results.

2. Hanging Leg Raise--Hang on a high bar with an overhand grip shoulder-width apart. Be sure to keep your abdominal muscles contracted to prevent your body from swinging through the movement. Proper form is important or you will be wasting your time. Raise your legs up so that they are parallel to the floor and then bring your legs back down. Because you are defying gravity during this exercise, it challenges your core muscles even more.

3. Decline Reverse Crunch--Lay on a decline bench and grip the bench over your head to keep you stable. Full extend your legs and lift your hips off the bench. Be sure to keep your ab muscles contracted and your shoulders and neck relaxed, then fully lower your legs back towards the floor, keeping them straight. Simply increase the decline for a more challenging workout.

4. Barbell Roll Out--Kneel in front of a barbell placed on the floor, lean forward and grip the bar with a shoulder-width grip and then roll the barbell out away from you until your midsection is parallel to the floor; then roll the barbell back towards you, keeping your abs contracted and remembering to keep breathing.

5. Plank--Prop yourself up onto your forearms and toes. (Similar to a push-up position but your forearms should be resting on the floor). Hold your body still, and straight, do not let your back curve or your hips sag - and try to hold it for 60 seconds.

I am confident that if you implement these ab exercises into your workout routine, you will start to notice a slimmer waist within a matter of weeks.