Ab exercises are the bane of many exercisers’ existences. However, others just love to work on their abdominals. Whether you love them or hate them, ab exercises need to be part of your overall exercise program.

Try the standing pelvic tilt. Align your legs with your hips and bend your knees slightly. Your shoulders should be down and relaxed. You will tilt your pelvis forward and round your back. Then reverse so that your pelvis is tilted backwards with your buttocks extending outwards.

Get into the full pushup position, not the one with bent knees. Your palms should be placed on the floor directly under your shoulders and your head aligned with your spine. Pull in your ab muscles and hold. As you get stronger, continue to increase the length of time that you hold yourself in position.

Get down on your hands and knees on the floor. Your knees should be aligned with your hips and your wrists with your shoulders. Lift your right arm to shoulder height and your left leg to the height of your hip with your toes pointed down to the floor at the same time and hold. While you are holding, reach your fingertips towards the wall in front of you and push the heel of your foot towards the wall behind you. Switch to your other side.

Another good ab exercise is the bent knee/one leg extension. Lie down on your back on the floor and bend your knees with your feet flat on the ground. Pull your shoulders and head off of the floor and start to curl towards your knees. Pull your right knee towards your head, placing your right hand on your ankle and your left hand on your knee, until your bent leg approaches your chest. At the same time, lift your left leg off the floor. Reverse.

Your abdominal muscle exercises should be part of an overall workout program. Keep in mind that in order to see your muscles, you will also have to lose body fat, no matter how toned your muscles are.