The three rules of ab work: intensity, intensity, intensity! The best way to work your abs is to contract them as hard as you can during the entire set of exercises you happen to be doing for them. The trick is to be able to breathe from your diaphram while squeezing your abs. Also, don’t get hung up on just doing ab crunches until your bored to death. Ab crunches are only one way to work the abs and their focus is mainly on the rectus abdominus — the most superficial layer of abdominal muscle. To create a more solid core and great back support while you’re at it, use isometric contractions to condition the deeper layer of abdominal muscles — your transverse abdominals. Finally, use the stability ball to do your ab work on. This will give you a much more complete and intense contraction throughout all of your abdominal muscles.