A masculine pair of arms, bullet-proof chest, and rock-solid abs is what every fitness fanatic hopes to gain. But, the pain that comes while working these areas discourages many people to the point where they avoid it however they can. Others just can’t seem to be getting any results, despite doing hundreds of repetitions over and over again.

The one thing you must know is that high reps do not build muscle. High reps are good for endurance training which basically turns fast-twitch muscle fibers to slow twitch. Your solid ab regime needs to include high resistance exercises that create an overload of the muscle. Sure, you won’t be able to pump up as many repetitions, but you will get guaranteed results.

Five best exercises for toned abs

1. Barbell rollout: Load up a Barbell of 10-pound weight and put an overhand grip on the bar, in shoulder width. Your shoulders should be positioned right above the barbell and slowly roll forward. Hold for a while and then turn in reverse. Be sure to roll as far as you can without getting your back arched.

2. Cable core rotation: Use both hands to hold the cable on your right side so that your left arm remains straight and completely stretched across the body. Using only your arms, pull the cable towards the opposite side until your right arm gains a straight position. Let the cable go back to its original position and repeat.

3. Spider crawl: From the position of a press up, raise one foot and bring your knee up until it reaches the elbow. Hold, then return to the beginning posture and repeat on the opposite side. You can make this move more challenging by adding half repetition on both sides. This will make your obliques work even harder.

4. Dragon flag: Lie down and get a firm grip on the bench on the back of your head. With the knees bended, quickly kick your legs up to point at the ceiling getting your backside slightly elevated off the bench. Get your body back down slowly to the initial position, and then repeat. Avoid swinging your legs up top; rather pull your legs in the form of a crunch before extending all the way.

5. Medicine ball slam: Hold a medicine ball over your head and stand with slightly bent knees. Bent forward using your core muscles and slam the ball on the ground, not further than one foot in your front. Catch the ball while it’s coming back up and repeat. Be sure to focus on your abs while targeting the floor or else this might work as a shoulder exercise.

Things to keep in mind

There is a vast difference between ab exercises and exercises for six pack abs. If you do not differentiate between these two, you might end up gaining more fat in place of muscles due to not doing some key moves. There is a saying that 6 pack abs are made in the kitchen; this is especially true because unless you’re on a clean, fat-free diet, your abs will always be hidden under a layer of fat.