The weighted ab workouts are good at making the exercises more intense. As such they make you develop your muscles faster than the bodyweight ab workouts. In this article, there are different ab workouts that you can do to develop and strengthen your ab muscles. There are ab workouts for men at home, dumbbell workouts, non-weighted workouts, and workouts for beginners, and more.
In addition to that, this article gives various ab workouts ranging from weighted ball ab workouts, planking ab workouts, lower ab workouts for men, and many others. By the end of the article, you will be in a better position to make an informed decision whether you should do the weighted or non-weighted workouts.
Weighted Ab Workouts With Dumbbells
Having toned abs is almost everyone’s goal. Doing exercises that use weight is good for melting fat around your abs. In addition to that, it makes your abs stronger. There are many exercises that you can do using dumbbells to target your abs. Below are the exercises that you can try out.
V-Sits
This exercise grinds belly fat. In addition to that, it chisels your abs and tone them. This is an easy exercise that can be done at home. Besides working your abs, it also works your anterior serratus, arms, and hips muscles. To do the exercise, follow the instructions below;
- Lie straight on the floor and face upwards.
- Hold a dumbbell with both hands and let it rest above your head.
- Then lift your upper body and the legs at the same time. You should form a V-shape at the top of the move and squeeze your abs.
- Lower your body to the floor.
- Repeat as much as you can.
Weighted Russian Twists
The Russian twist exercise is a good exercise if you want to tone your abs. It also makes it easy for you to lose weight. Additional weight such as dumbbells makes the exercise more intense. To do the exercise, follow the steps below;
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet planted on the floor.
- Slightly lower your upper body so that your thighs and upper body forms a ‘V.’
- Hold a dumbbell with your hands and keep your elbows slightly bent.
- Then twist your upper body to the one side and then to the other side. Keep moving the dumbbell from side to side.
- Repeat
Weighted Ab Exercises Bodybuilding
There are different bodybuilding exercises ab that you can do to target your abs. For instance, you can do weighted ball ab workouts to tone your abs and to lose fat around your abs. Below are different exercises that you can do;
Medicine Ball Decline Russian Twist
This exercise brings a great challenge to your abs muscles. It burns fat and also makes your muscles stronger. This is one of the best lower ab workouts for men. To do the exercise follow the instructions below;
- While holding a medicine ball, sit on a bench and make sure that your legs re-secure.
- Hold the ball in front of your chest with both hands in such a way that the elbows point sideways.
- Lower your body backward.
- Then twist your upper body to the one side and then to the other side.
- Repeat as much as you can.
Weighted Sit-Ups
Sit-ups is one of the best ab workouts. Using the weight makes the exercise more intense and more effective. This exercise is good for shedding off weight around your tummy and to make your abs muscles stronger. You can use any weight of your choices such as dumbbell, kettlebell, or weighted plate. To do the exercise; follow the steps below;
- Start by lying on your back and keep your knees bent at about 90 degrees with your feet planted on the floor.
- Grasp a weight plate with your hands and hold it against your chest.
- Raise your upper body towards your thighs. Pause at the top of the movement with your forearms touching the thighs.
- Lower your upper body to the floor.
- Repeat to meet the number of your desired sets and reps.
Are Weighted Ab Workouts Better?
To make your abs lose weight and stronger, you can do weighted ab workouts or non-weighted workouts. The exercises have a different impacts on your abs. The weighted ab workouts are more intense, and they can speed up the process of shedding off weight.
Your abs can be stronger faster when you are using the weight compared to non-weight. To make the non-weight ab workouts more intense, you will need to do more reps. Therefore, it can be said that the weighted ab workouts are better than non-weighted because they make you lose more fat faster.
Weighted Ab Exercises For Lower Abs.
As you do the abs workouts, you should consider how they target your abs. Not all the exercise can work your entire abs muscles. Some exercises hit the lower abs awhile others are good at targeting the upper abs. Below are the lower ab workouts for men. However, women can also do them.
Weighted Crunch.
The weighted crunch is one of the best ab workouts. The best thing about this exercise is that it melts the fat around your belly and it also tones your lower abs. However, as much as it targets the lower abs, it also has an impact to your upper abs. Besides working your abs, the exercise also hit your back, arms, and hip muscles. To do the exercise, follow the steps below;
- While holding a dumbbell against your chest, lie on the floor and face upwards. Keep your feet on the floor with a hip width distance in between them.
- Bend your knees and engage your abs muscles.
- Then raise your upper body up until your body forms a V-shape.
- Return your body to the floor.
- Repeat as much s you can.
Landmine Row.
The land mine is one of the ab workouts that you can consider doing to strengthen your abs muscles. The exercise also works your arm and shoulder muscles. Interestingly, it targets your lower ab muscles. To do the exercise; follow the instructions below;
- Load a barbell with weight on one end. Make sure you load weight that you are comfortable with.
- Then place the end without weight in a corner of a house and then hold the other weighted end with one hand. Your hand must be below the weight.
- Row the barbell by waving it from one side to the other in an inverted U-shape.
Ab Workouts With Weights Male.
Men love having a six-pack. It shows that they are fit and that is a great achievement. There are different men weighted ab workouts that can be done. Below are the exercises that men can do to develop their abs muscles;
Dumbbell Side Bend.
The dumbbell side bend is one of the easy exercises that can be done by beginners. This exercise is good for strengthening your abs muscles. In addition to that, it also strengthens your anterior serratus muscles. To do the exercise; follow the instructions below;
- While holding a pair of dumbbells in your hands, stand with your feet at shoulder width apart. Let the arms rest by your body sides with palms facing inside.
- Then bend a waist to your one side as far as you can. Make sure that your back is neutral.
- Pause at the bottom of the movement.
- Rise up to the starting position and then bend to the other side. Pause at the bottom of the movement before returning to the starting position.
- Repeat as much as you can.
In addition to the above, other ab workouts that can be done by men include barbell back squat, medicine ball throw sit-ups, medicine ball decline bench crunch, one arm pulley cable side bend, ab roller, and many others.
Ab Workouts For Beginners.
As a beginner, you can also do exercises that target your abs muscles. What is important is doing the exercise using the right form. There are easy exercises that can help beginner tone and strengthen their abs. Some exercises have been discussed above.
The exercises that can be done by beginners include sit-ups, mountain climbers, high tension plank. If they want to do weighted ab workouts they can do dumbbell side bends, weighted sit-ups, weighted Russian twists, and many others.
Weighted Ab Workouts Vs Non Weighted.
Doing weighted ab workouts is better than doing non weighted ab workouts. This is because the weighted ab workouts provide more tension. They make the exercise more intense thereby quickening muscle mass development. In addition to that, you can also lose belly fat faster when doing weighted ab workouts due to the high-intensity of the exercises.
Furthermore, the weights ab workouts are shorter compared to the non-weighted exercises. You are likely to develop your muscles faster when you do the weighted ab workouts than the non-weighted workouts.
Final Thoughts
When you want to develop your ab muscles, you can do various exercises that can shed off weight, develop muscle mass, and make your muscles stronger. The weighted ab workouts and bodyweight ab workouts can do all those things but the impact is not the same.
The results that you can get by doing the weighted ab workouts are different from the non-weighted workouts. The weighted workouts are the best. You can realize the results faster than when you are doing non-weighted exercises. The weight strengthens your muscles thereby developing muscle mass faster.
Have you done weighted ab workouts? Which exercises do you prefer? Share your experiences below.