Abs is one of the many muscles in your body and one of the most important for defining. However, over training will strain the muscles and therefore it is important to have a well planned ab exercise routine that focuses on all the ingredients to ensure safety. Ab exercise is not used to burn fat, so we will want to include cardio in the routine, along with a well balanced diet where you count calories, and numerous exercises.

With all things considered let's get to the best ab exercises that you can include in your exercise routine.

Captain's chair: This is by far the best exercise for the abdomen. However, you will need to go to the gym for this exercise. The captain's chair is a platform with grips that you will pull yourself up into a sitting position and then release. Simply hold the grips with your hands stabilize your upper body pressing your back against the pad of the chair and hold your body up with your legs dangling below. Bring your knees up as through you are sitting in a chair and repeat in reps of twelve to sixteen.

Bicycle maneuver- This is one of the oldest and the most productive of the abdomen exercises. Simply lie flat on the floor with your back pressed to the floor, naturally. You will have a gap between the curve of your spine and the floor. Grasp your hands together and place behind your head. With one leg out raise the other bending and raising to the opposite elbows. You will contract your abdomen muscles and raise your shoulder blades while performing the exercise. This is just as though you are riding a bicycle. Rotate and continue.

Vertical crunch- Lie flat on the floor and position your hands behind your head. Extend your legs straight up in the air in front of you and cross your ankles. Pull your belly button back in towards your spine and lift your torso towards your keeps. Be sure to keep your chin off your chest.

Reverse crunch- Lie flat on the floor pressing your lower back to the ground. Raise your hands over your head and extend them out and to your sides. Cross your feet at the ankles and lift your feet off the ground with your knees. You should create a 90- degree angle. Press your lower back on the floor as you contract the muscles in your abdomen. Rotate your hips while reaching your legs towards the ceiling.
The exercise ball is also a great piece of exercise equipment that you should introduce to your routine and can be found at store such as Wal-Mart or your fitness stores.

Include these exercises in each routine beginning with your well balanced diet, stretches, cardio and exercises and you will see results within the first few weeks with as little as three times a week for 45 minutes, that will keep you going to the point where you do develop that well define, sculpted shape.