If you want your abdominal muscles to really pop [1], you're going to need to do a combination of the following things: eat clean, focus on building lean muscle [2], and train your abs with and without resistance. Getting your lower abs to show can be really difficult and will take some time, but doing these exercises three times a week, along with consistent exercise and clean eating, will transform your lower abs.
Hanging Leg Raise
- Start by hanging on a pull-up bar with palms facing out, or use the ab straps and hang with your arms inside of them. Do use a box or bench if you need help reaching the bar.
- Pull your shoulder blades down your back to keep your shoulders away from your ears.
- Engage your abs as you fully extend both legs, lifting them up simultaneously with control.
- Lower the legs down slowly and return to the starting position. This completes one rep.
- Avoid swinging during this move to ensure that you're really working your abs.
- Do two sets of 10 reps.
- If this move is too hard, you can do double leg lifts [4] on the ground.
Scissor Kicks
- Lying on your back, lift your legs two to three inches off of the ground. Place your hands on the floor beside you or underneath your lower back for extra support.
- Cross your right ankle over your left ankle, then cross your left ankle over your right ankle.
- This completes one rep.
- Do two sets of 20.
Reverse Crunch
- Lying on your back, lift your legs in the air with your knees bent. Place your hands on the floor beside you.
- Without momentum, use your lower abs to slowly curl the hips off the floor and into your chest. Slowly lower them back to the starting position.
- This completes one rep.
- Do three sets of 10.
Vertical Bench Knee/Leg Raise
- Position yourself on a vertical bench with your back flat against the back support and your hands firmly gripping the handles.
- Pull both knees up into your chest, and with control lower them back down to the starting position.
- From here, fully extend both legs and lift them up until you've reached parallel (or as far as you can go). Lower your legs back down to the starting position.
- This completes one rep.
- Do two sets of 10 reps.