Personal trainers across the country hear it every day: How do I get flat abs? How long does it take to get a six-pack? What are best exercises for great abs?  It seems most people looking to get fit in order to be more attractive to opposite sex thinks that a nice stomach is the best thing to have. So for all those people, here’ s quick rundown of what you should know before embarking on a rockin’ abs fitness plan.

First of all, everyone looking to work their midsection should know that they are already have a "six-pack." Just more often than not, it happens to be hiding under a layer of fat. So really, doing endless crunches every day will get you nowhere if you really want to have a sexy stomach. A visible six-pack will only really come from a combination of abdominal excises, a low calorie diet, and regular cardio workouts.  Burning away that fat is priority number one for getting that washboard look.

When planning out ab exercises, treat them just like you would any other part of your body.   Work your abdominal muscles two or three days per week, making sure to give them at least one day of rest to recover from the exercise. Remember, your muscles grow while you a resting, not while you are exercising. For optimum effectiveness, do between 11 to 15 repetitions of each exercise for 2 or three sets. If you have been doing this for a while and find it has become easy, trying slowing down the pace of the exercise.  This will not only make it more challenging, but also more effective in working more muscles.

So what exercises help strengthen your abs? To work the rectus abdominis, do the ball crunch.  To do this exercise, get an inflatable exercise ball and rest your back on it, with your feet on the ground. Place your arms on your chest and use your abs to lift your upper body off of the ball, then lower back down. As you do this exercise try to keep the ball stable.  This exercise is great for working the rectus abdominis.

Another effective exercise is called the "Plank on Elbows and Toes." In this, lie face down with your forearms flat on the floor. Now push your body off of the floor with your elbows and toes, keeping your back straight. You should feel your abs working to keep everything in line. Lower yourself back to ground and repeat.

The vertical leg crunch is another great way to work your rectus abdominis and obliques. Lie face up on the floor and cross your legs. Lift your legs up towards the ceiling so they are totally vertical. Now use your abs lift your torso toward your feet, lower, and repeat.

Remember, even if your main goal is just to get washboard abs, abdominal exercises should just be one part of your overall fitness routine. Consult with a personal fitness trainer to see what is the best way to look your overall best.