Isometric Exercises for The Abs

When exercising, or thinking about getting involved in an exercise program, there may be some words that are thrown around that are new to you. This can cause confusion and may frustrate a person who is trying to understand and apply different aspects of exercising. For instance, what are isometric exercises? To make it simple, isometric exercises are simply flexing, or applying force to a particular group of muscles, and holding the position for a specified amount of time without moving. The reason many people enjoy this type of exercise is that it can be done anywhere because no special equipment is needed.

Holding an Isometric Crunch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Crunches is a popular form of isometric exercise specifically for stomach muscles. Besides being able to perform them anywhere, crunches are also a convenient form of exercise because they can be fit into practically anyone's schedule. The range of movement with isometric exercises is very limited and the amount of time to complete one set is such a short amount of time, usually between 6-8 seconds per repetition, it does not take too much time. However, these movements only work isolated parts of the body and therefore more than one exercise is needed to work out different muscle groups even within the stomach.

Breathing also seems to be a factor in isometric exercises for stomach muscles. As a person breathes slowly in and out, they are contracting the stomach muscles, which is the point of isometric exercises.
   
Besides crunches there are also other forms of isometric exercises for stomach muscles - a quick search on the internet can turn up some helpful and instructive information. Again, keep in mind that a well-balanced exercise plan combines several different types of moves that work different muscle groups within the stomach.