And remember, you don’t have to be lying flat on your back in order to effectively work your abdominals. There are many ways to strengthen them by using those bouncy exercise balls, hanging from a bar, doing yoga and Pilates, etc. Mix it up! The surest path to impressive abs is variety in your toning exercises. Here are a few examples of things you can do:

• Lie down with your belly button pulled inward and your lower back pressed against the floor. Put your hands behind your head (but remember not to pull on your neck!) and touch your fingertips together. Bring your knees up and pretend like you’re pedaling a bicycle. At the same time, alternate touching your elbows to the opposite knee.
• Sit up with your arms and legs extended straight out in front of you. Exhale, hold your abs in, and slowly lay back, one vertebra at a time, until you’re lying flat. Don’t let your heels leave the floor! Now, using the same method, slowly roll back up into a sitting position.
• Lie on your back with your knees bent so that your feet are flat on the floor. Bring both fists up to chin level and hold them there, like a boxer getting ready to throw a punch. Slowly raise your shoulders off the floor like you’re doing a standard crunch, but instead of simply going forward, move in a clockwise circular motion. Only your shoulder blades should be off the floor; the rest of your back should be firmly pressed into it. Do a few reps, and then switch to a counterclockwise motion.
• Make use of the gym equipment: dangle from a bar and slowly lift your knees up toward your chest in a very smooth, controlled movement.

Nobody ever said that getting those ogle-worthy six-pack abs was easy (okay, someone might have said that, but trust me, they were lying). It will take plenty of effort and discipline, but follow the simple guidelines and you’ll be well on your way to “abs”-olute perfection.