How to Get Six Pack Abs

• Do sit ups: Lie on the floor, feet on the floor, knees up and hands crossed on your chest. Have someone hold your feet down, or wedge them underneath something heavy. Sit all the way up, lifting your lower back off the floor along with your shoulder blades. Keep your back straight (no hunching). Lower yourself down. Repeat.

•  Do crunches: Lie on the floor (with or without a mat) with your arms in front of your chest or with your hands lightly touching your temples (never behind your head). Bend your knees. Raise your shoulders (upper torso) towards your knees, using strictly your abdominal muscles

•  Do leg lifts: Lie on the floor, legs straight out, hands at your sides. Lift your legs straight up (not bending your knees at all) until they're at a 90 degree angle (or close). Lower your legs and repeat without letting your legs touch the floor.

• Do jackknife sit ups: Lie down flat with your back on the floor. Place your hands on the ground to your sides for balance; you can pick them up as you get used to the movement. Simultaneously raise your knees and torso so that your knees and face meet on an imaginary line extending from your pelvis to the ceiling. You should be able to kiss your knees at the top of the motion. Your legs will naturally fold, bringing your feet towards your hips, much like a jackknife. Lie back down (i.e. "spread out") and repeat. 

Don't let momentum bring you down. Slowly put your hands and feet back on the ground. Place a weight between your feet when you think you can handle it.

•  Train your oblique muscles: It's not as important to work on your oblique muscles at first, but eventually you'll want to start working these too. These are the muscles on either side of your stomach. There are multiple ways to do this and anything that includes twisting your torso against a resistance counts. There are twisting machines at gyms; you can twist while you do sit-ups; you can do side bends; you can twist side to side with a medicine ball in hand, etc. 

Be aware though, that many beginners tend to have weak obliques compared to their abs (it simply isn't used as much in daily life) so go easy on the sides at first. 

Do bicycle crunches. Lift your feet off the ground while doing the crunches by alternating each leg in the air. Bring your left knee up toward your right shoulder and then your right knee toward your left shoulder.

•  Do static holds (planks): Put your body into the push-up position but with your elbows on the floor, and your whole body flat. This position is also known as the plank, and it trains your core (including your abs) to hold the body in place. Hold this position for as long as possible.

Beginners should be aiming to start off with at least 45 seconds, while seasoned ab workers are known to achieve over 5 minute static holds.

To perform the side static hold, roll onto one side of your body and lift into the same position as before. This time, only one arm will be on the ground, with the other arm pointed straight up the air and your non weight-bearing leg resting on your bottom leg. Once again, hold this for as long as possible.

•  Do pull-ups hanging from a horizontal bar: You will be amazed at the number of muscles around your stomach working with pull-ups. Do 5 pull-ups with your palms facing away from you and 5 pull-ups with your palms facing towards you. This will also build your pectorals and biceps at the same time.