The Ten Most Effective Abdominal Exercises: #5 The Torso Track

  You can turn flabby into fabulous with these top ten abdominal exercises. Dr. Peter Francis and his team from the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University measured abdominal muscle activity by using electromyography (EMG) devices. They then rated the most commonly performed abdominal exercises from most effective to least effective. The study was sanctioned by the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

#5 The Torso Track

  Dr. Francis found the most effective abdominal exercises combined continuous abdominal contraction and rotation of the torso. So adding a twist will always help work your oblique muscles. Overall the Bicycle Maneuver ranked #1, the Captain’s Chair ranked #2, and the Exercise Ball Crunch ranked #3, and the Vertical Leg Crunch came in at #4 for working the abs (see below). In fifth place came Fitness Quest’s ‘The Torso Track’ a piece of equipment sold on infomercials. But the Torso Track faired only slightly better than a regular crunch. Many gyms have a Torso Track. Here’s how to perform the exercise properly according to the manufacturer.

• 1. Grip the handrails of the device and hold in your abs without holding your breath.
• 2. Exhale as you glide forward as far as you can without straining.
• 3. If you fall or collapse, you have gone too far forward.
• 4. Contract your abdominals as you pull back up.
• 5. Complete three sets of then repetitions.
• 6. Always use smooth motion while performing this exercise.

Check the Healthapalooza.com Special Reports section tomorrow when we will reveal the exercises that ranked #6 thru #10 in the study. -Sean Kenniff, MD