Forget useless equipment such as those old ab-rockers and the like that you see advertised on TV if you want to gain great abs. To gain sexy, six-pack abs, you need serious exercises to give you serious results. Here are five ab exercises with proven belly-flattening results.

1) The crunch. Tried and true, the crunch is a variation on the traditional sit-up. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Place your hands on either side of your head (don’t lock your fingers together as you can injure your neck this way) and slowly roll your upper body up to a 45-degree angle. Take your time, and do slow and controlled crunches for maximum belly-flattening results. Don’t try to rush and let momentum carry you through the exercise as you are wasting your time and energy.

2) V-sits. Start by lying on the floor with your arms extended over your head and your toes pointed away from your body. Lift your legs and arms off the ground simultaneously, and roll your upper body up while lifting your legs up to a 45-degree angle. Hold the position for a few seconds, then lower to the start position.

3) The plank. This is a truly effective exercise for core-strengthening and building great abs. Start out lying on your stomach, hands at shoulder level, and rise up into a push-up position. Instead of doing a push-up, hold yourself up on your toes with your arms extended for incredible belly-flattening results. When you get stronger, you can raise one leg off the ground for increased ab-tightening results.

4) Bicycle pedal. Start in the same position you would in a crunch, but pull one knee in towards your body, and twist the opposite elbow to that knee. Change sides and repeat. Again, do the exercise in a slow and controlled motion for the most benefits in getting those great abs.

5) Swiss ball. This is a variation on the crunch, but you will need a swiss (exercise ball) for this one. If you are purchasing a new exercise ball, make sure you buy the appropriate size for your height (the packaging will indicate which one is right for you.) Sit on the ball, keep your feet on the ground and lean back into a crunch position and roll up. The ball makes you slightly unsteady, which engages your abs to work harder.

It goes without saying that you can do all the ab exercises in the world but you won’t see any real results until you lose the overlying fat that obscures your abs. You need proper diet, cardio and weight training in conjunction with any ab exercises to truly flatten your belly. Incorporate these with the ab exercises listed above and you can be sporting sexy, six-pack abs in less time than you think.