Ab Training - Level III (Elite)

Hopefully you have been using the first two workouts to strengthen your abdominals and your entire trunk. If you have, you are probably ready to step into an advanced course of functional ab training. If you're a new subscriber to Revolution, please go to the bottom of the front cover (title page) where you can access previous issues and review the first and second ab training articles. You'll find them very instructive and progressive to begin your quest for a stronger, leaner set of abs.

As you recall, the abdominal wall is a set of four muscles that provide stability and muti-directional movement for the entire trunk. The rectus abdominus is the top layer that originates from your lower rib cage and inserts to your lower pelvis. Your transverse abdominus is just underneath and runs longitudinally instead of vertically. Your internal and external obliques originate on the upper pelvis of your low back and your sides and wrap around your trunk for twisting movement. When working your abdominals, most exercises target one or two of these muscles directly though they all work together to a great extent.

Use some of the basic exercises that you learned in part one of the series as a warm-up. Crunches, oblique crunches, and crunches with knees up would be a good first tri-set. I would do some bench knee-ups after a minute of rest to continue warming up. Progressing safely into harder exercises as you warm-up is recommended if you don't have any back discomfort and you feel ready to move on. Reverse crunches with your hands supporting your sacrum would be a perfect final warm-up set before beginning the advanced routine.

I have specifically chosen exercises that anyone can do anywhere. There are countless exercises that can be done using a swiss ball, cable resistance, or various weight training machines, but I want to equip you with routines that can be done on your living room floor, the playground, or a hotel room.

Now that you're warmed up, I'm going to take you back to high school P.E. class. Remember doing sit-ups with a partner holding your feet down? In most circles, these have been eliminated because they are thought to put too much stress on your low back. If done correctly, however, the roman chair sit-up is an aggressive functional exercise that is excellent for your entire abdominal wall.

Roman Chair Sit-Up

Place your feet or toes under a heavy/stable object like the front of your couch. Place your arms folded across your chest or cup your hands behind your neck which adds resistance. Curl your shoulders up just like doing a crunch but continue upward and complete the sit-up. Pause and contract your abs for a full second. Now, here's where you can perform this exercise correctly and save back stress. As you lower down, don't “uncurl” your trunk, but keep your abs tight. And, don't lower all the way to the floor. Go down as far as you feel you can safely return to the top position by relying on your abdominal strength. If you go down too far and feel your back tighten or waiver under the stress, you need to shorten your range of motion. Even if you can only do partial movements, this constant tension with body weight on the abs places a significant increase of force through the muscles being used compared to isolated movements. If you have an incline board available, you can use gravity to make it more challenging.

Roman Chair Oblique Sit-Ups

The position and set up is the same for this exercise, but you'll be reaching one elbow toward the opposite knee on your way up and then releasing slowly downward to the same starting position. Remember not to go all the way back to the floor, but keep constant tension on the abs by keeping your trunk flexed in the curled position. Alternate side-to-side focusing on contracting your obliques. If you concentrate on contracting the target muscle at the top of the movement, you'll advance your strength and results significantly.

Scissor Crunches

Last month I added bench knee-ups as a way to use the upper and lower abs at the same time. This challenges your coordination and is a dynamic/functional exercise. This month I'm going to take the training wheels off and make the same exercise harder. Start in the same position as bench knee-ups. After doing a couple reps, take your hands from the bench and extend your arms in front of your body for balance. Continue slowly going through the range of motion, but keep your arms extended. This obviously adds even more of a coordination component and you have to be very careful to control your movement. Keep your trunk flexed, as I discussed in the first two exercises, and slowly lower your trunk and extend your legs only as far as you can control safely. Pause at the top and squeeze your abs for a second.

Hanging Leg Raises

If you have a chin-up bar, swing set, or even a barn rafter (watch Rocky III for this variation,) this is the king of ab exercises. You have to be strong to attempt it, but be prepared to feel very weak doing it until you've spent many sessions getting stronger. If you have any shoulder injuries or hand strength issues, this is not worth the risk. There are straps that many gyms have that your can support your upper arms instead of hanging by grip strength, but if you can do them, this exercise may be as far as you ever need to progress. Once you're in position, simply start raising your knees to your chest. DO NOT swing your legs or hips upward, just start curling your lower abs as you raise your knees. If you can't complete a full rep, just do partial reps to begin. You can also have someone gently help get you through your sticking point by lifting under your heels. Contract at the top and then slowly lower down. The ultimate rep is a controlled ascent with your knees, but being able to roll your pelvis upward to complete the full abdominal contraction. If you just raise your knees without curling your pelvis upward, your abs aren't completely contracting. Most people who ever attempt this exercise cannot complete a full rep on their own, but with partial or assisted reps can progress to doing up to ten or more full reps.

Hanging Oblique Raises

This is identical to the hanging leg raise, but you will twist your trunk to one side as you raise your knees upward. Focus on a peak contraction at the top of the movement by squeezing the side of the obliques that are contracting. Alternate sides and use the same precautions as described for the hanging leg raise. This is an advanced exercise that works your obliques primarily and your entire abdominal wall.

Here is a realistic set and rep range for an advanced abdominal workout:

Warm-up

• Crunches x25
• Oblique Crunches x25
• Crunches with Knees Up x25
• Rest one minute
• Bench Knee-Ups x15-20
• Rest one minute
• Reverse Crunches x10-15
• Rest one minute

Workout

• Roman Chair Sit-Ups x10-15
• Rest 30 seconds
• Roman Chair Obliques x10-15
• Rest 30 seconds
• Scissor Crunches x15-25
• Rest one minute
• Hanging Leg Raises x1-10
• Rest one minute
• Hanging Oblique Raises x1-10
• Rest one minute
• Repeat cycle 2-3x