Abdominals and Upper Body

• The more muscles you are able to work simultaneously, the more tone the entire body will become. The more muscle you build, the more calories you can burn.
  The key to performing compound exercises that work both the abdominals and the upper body is to activate your core before the upper body lifts the weight. For example, if you're performing dead lifts, you first will activate your abdominals, making sure your core is stable before lifting the weights. Once the core is stable, use your glutes and low back to lift your body up, lifting the weights from the ground.
  Another good way to activate the abdominal muscles first is to perform exercises on a stability ball. Lie on the ball with your feet flat on the floor, dumbbells in each hand, and walk forward so the ball is supporting your back, between your shoulder blades. Activate the abdominals to keep your hips from dropping, making sure your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle and your trunk is straight from the shoulders through the knees. Perform dumbbell flies, bringing the weights together at the top. Keep your abdominals tight to keep your body from swaying from side to side as you lift the weights.
  
  

Abdominals and Lower Body

• To work the abs along with the lower body, create workouts that activate the abdominal muscles first, then add in the legs. For example, to work the lower abs and incorporate squats into the workout, stand with your feet about hip-width apart, activate the abs, lower your bottom toward the ground as if to sit back into a chair. Hold for a count of three, then squeeze your glutes to raise yourself back up. Repeat for a total of 30 squats.
  You also can work the abs along with the legs by performing compound exercises such lunges. Take a large step forward, making sure you do not extend your knee past your toes. Drop the opposite knee to the ground, then use your abdominals to pull the body back up, drawing the back knee back up, and stepping that foot forward to meet the front foot. Repeat the lunges, moving in a forward direction, until you have done a total of 30 on each leg.
  
  

Total Body Core Strength

• Strengthening the core muscles is the key to a strong back and strong abdominals. One exercise that works the core very well is the plank. To perform this exercise, lie down on the floor on your stomach and place your elbows down on the ground directly below your shoulders. Press your body upward as if to do a push-up, but stay on your forearms and your toes, suspending your body in the air. Hold this position for a count of 30 for beginners, or a count of 60 if you are more advanced. Lower your body, take a rest, and repeat 10 times.
  
  Performing crunches on a stability ball will also help develop your core strength. The added instability the ball provides forces your core muscles to work harder to keep your body in the proper position while performing the crunches. If doing simple crunches on the ball is too simple for you, you can balance your low back on the ball, place one foot on the floor and the other foot up on the wall to increase the instability and work the abdominals even more.