abs

BLAST YOUR ABS AT HOME

By UNKNOWN - 6:23 PM

The routine is composed of 5 abdominal exercises carefully chosen to hit both the upper and lower abs. You will note that no direct oblique work is present. The reason for that is the fact that direct oblique work only leads to a wider waistline.
So having said that, below is the list of the Magnificent FIVE:

EXERCISE 1 SIT-UPS

PRIMARY TARGET: Upper AbsSECONDARY TARGET: Lower Abs and Obliques
  1. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your legs secured under a piece of heavy furniture (I am assuming that you are doing this routine at home).
  2. Place your hands by your chest.
  3. Flexing your abdominals, raise your torso until you are in nearly a sitting position.
  4. Retaining tension on the abs, lower your torso to the beginning position. (Note: Maintain full control throughout the movement. Avoid the temptation to rock back and forth).

EXERCISE 2 LYING LEG RAISE+CRUNCH

PRIMARY TARGET: Upper and Lower Abs
SECONDARY TARGET: Obliques
  1. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs straight in front of you.
  2. Place your hands at your sides by the floor for support.
  3. Flexing your lower abdominals, raise your legs until they are perpendicular to the floor.
  4. At this time, raise your shoulders and torso as far as possible from the ground in a curling movement without raising your back from the floor.
  5. Retaining tension on the abs, lower your legs to the beginning position and then bring your torso to the starting position as well. (Note: Maintain full control throughout the movement. Avoid the temptation to rock back and forth).

EXERCISE 3 KNEE-INS

PRIMARY TARGET: Lower Abs
SECONDARY TARGET: Upper Abs and Obliques
  1. Sit on the floor (or on the edge of a chair or exercise bench) with your legs extended in front of you and your hands holding on to the sides for support.
  2. Keeping your knees together, pull your knees in towards your chest until you can go no farther.
  3. Keeping the tension on your lower ab muscles, return to the start position and repeat the movement until you have completed your set.

EXERCISE 4 TOE TOUCHERS

PRIMARY TARGET: Upper and Lower Abs
SECONDARY TARGET: Obliques
  1. Sit on the floor (or on the edge of a chair or exercise bench) with your legs extended in front of you and your hands holding on to the sides for support.
  2. Simultaneously bring your legs up as far as possible while at the same time bringing your torso towards them.
  3. Return to the start position and repeat the movement until you have completed your set. (Note: This is a modified version of a V-Up. In a true V-Up your starting position is lying down on the floor and bringing yourself up with no arm support).

EXERCISE 5 REVERSE CRUNCH

PRIMARY TARGET: Upper and Lower Abs
SECONDARY TARGET: Obliques
  1. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs straight in front of you.
  2. Place your hands at your sides by the floor for support.
  3. Slowly bend your legs at the knees bringing them towards your chest.
  4. Once the knees are by your chest, raise your shoulders and torso as far as possible from the ground in a curling movement without raising your back from the floor.
  5. Return your legs to the starting position and bring your torso back to the floor.

FREQUENCY

You may perform this routine a minimum of 3 days per week with the maximum being every day. 

 However, keep in mind that you will not get to see your abs unless you are eating slightly less calories than your body burns. Remember that I am not talking about starvation here.

I am referring to 5-6 small meals a day (for men) and 4-5 small meals (for women) composed of roughly 40% carbs, 40% Protein and 20% Fats each (people with higher metabolisms may need a bit more carbs). 

 In addition, ensure that you are doing at least 3 days of cardiovascular work.

MODIFICATIONS

If you cannot do an exercise due to lower back injuries for instance then feel free to substitute it for an exercise that does not bother your back.

If on the other hand, you have a healthy lower back and would like to add a bit of mass to your abs, I would just do the routine three times a week and use some resistance in the exercises.

NOTES

Please remember that if your diet is not dialed in neither will be your abs no matter how much cardio or exercise you do. So stick to your diet, weight train hard, and bomb those abs. 

Come Spring and Summer and we guarantee that if you have paid your dues you will have a better midsection than the one you have now.

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