Most beneficial stomach exercises

[NeedsPractice]

I saw the recent thread on how often to do crunches, I am curious if anybody has found one particular type of abdominal exercise to be more beneficial than others as far as helping you to generate more power through your waist ( for whatever style you do), as opposed to just tightening and cutting up your stomach ( leg raises or crunches or twists etc.)
I dont know if this has already been covered or not. At the time when i was really into doing abdominal work I wasnt into martial arts. I now do a variety of things but havent been scientific as far as the tracking of benefit martial arts wise.

[Toby]

For me:

Rectus abdominus - Janda situps. Helps with crunching-type movements like kicks, footwork.

Obliques - full-contact twists. Helps with rotational movements.

Lots of others out there to mix it up.

<edit>fixed typo</edit>

[kung fu muppet]

I have found that he best abdominal exercises are
Raising your legs of the ground 6" for a suitably hard time eg 30-45 secs then raise them to 45 degrees for 15 secs then 90 degrees for 30 secs and then go back down in the same way, repeat this if necessary.
Another good one is to go down into push up possition but on your forearms, make sure your body is completely straight and that you have perfect posture.
Normal crunches but alternately turning the waist fully to the side a target to punch always helps but make sure it is shoulder level.

[CaptinPickAxe]

I do:
-Boxer sit-ups (also w/ weights on some nights)
-Impact training with a medicine ball.
-static contractions with weights
-ab-roller
-oblique turns with medicine ball
-crunches

[IronFist]

What are boxer situps?

[CaptinPickAxe]

you lay on your back and have someone stand with his feet beside your head. you grab his feet for leverage. you keep your legs straight and and bring them up like a crunch. The person pushes your feet back and you can't let them touch the ground. repeat.

[IronFist]

Ah, I've done that before. I always assumed that it wasn't that safe of an exercise due to its ballistic nature... I dunno like I could see an ab getting torn or something from doing it.

But I have done them before, and I've pushed other people's feet before, too.

[CaptinPickAxe]

I don't know about tearing ab muscles. If you don't try to push off your partner's legs than all should be well. And they give you good results.

[kung fu muppet]

I do these too in a diagonal way too, this gets the most out of it. But still its not the best exercise you can do

[Ford Prefect]

Maximal Strength Stuff:

Foot-to-bar hanging Leg Raises

Ab Pull-downs

Dragon Flags

Standing Ab Wheel

Russian Twists

Saxon Side Bends


Endurance Stuff:

Sit & Tucks

Flutter Kicks

6" crunches

V-ups

Atomic Sit-ups

Weightless Russian Twists

[Meat Shake]

Russian Twists
Saxon Side Bends
Dragon flags
Atomic Sit-ups
Weightless Russian Twists

^Care to explain these please? :)

I plan on buying one of those hang yourself upside down to do situp sets this week or next.

[Ford Prefect]

Russian Twists: Sit on a decline bench in the 1/2-way point of a situp. Hold a dumbell with both hands/arms straight in front of your chest. Now twist...

Saxon Side Bends: Stand with weights extended overhead in each hand. Bend to one side and then the other...

Dragon Flags: Lie on a bench and grip it hard by your head. Raise your body so that it is straight as an arrow perpendicular to the bench. The only thing on the bench should be your shoulders and head (and hands gripping the bench). Keeping stick-straight, lower yourself so your back is almost touching the bench and then raise yourself back up again...

Atomic Sit-ups: Lay flat on the ground with your arms extended over your head. Fold yourself in half bringing your hands to meet your feet in the air. Only thing on the ground at this point is your arse.

Weightless Russian Twists: Like the russian twist but done with just your bodyweight for more reps...

[Meat Shake]

Cool. Thanks much.

Russian twists and the like are designed more or less for the obliques, yes?

Currently I do-
reverse weighted sit ups
reverse sit ups
weighted crunches
crunches
ab roller
ab dolly (same as ab roller, but your forearms are on a pad instead of full arm extension)
iron bridge
impact iron bridge
impact static holds

Bout to buy a hanging rack to do inverted sit ups.

[Arhat of Fury]

Atomic sit ups LOL, reminds me of what we used to do to the rooks on the football team???

[IronFist]

Just thought I'd add that if you're going to do Saxon side bends, don't start with more than 4-5lbs or so. When you're leaning far to the side, you're got bad leverage which makes 5lbs seem heavy as hell. They're fun tho.

[Ka]

L sits to V sits on the parrelletes or rings or even on the floor.
Thats my vote.
Surprised no one mentioned Bent Press or Windmills with KB or DBs,good value for all the abs in general.