So I want to preface this by saying you simply cannot build abs with exercise. Abs are a function of a low body fat percentage. When your bodyfat drops under 10 percent you will see abs, under 8 and you will see them define. You can strengthen, harden and grow ab muscles but if your bodyfat % is over 10 you will not see them. You can do crunches from now till the second coming and if your body fat percentage is 12 you will not have visible abs.
None of the magic magic abs workouts or diets will work. No amount of following contests where people just claim to have abs helps. So what can you do? You can strengthen your core muscles which helps with all lifts and build your abs strong at which point you can get your bodyfat under 10% and you will reveal your abs and look great. Remember, you want to do this with lifting and not just insane dieting. Skinny guys with visible abs are like fat girls with big tits — it doesn’t count.
So get big, get strong, get lean and you will have the sought after abdominal definition. To this end (as well as to build the core strength to really enhance squats, deadlifts and all the other great lifts, here are the list of abdominal workouts we will be using in WBF SEASON V: 73024752.
Cable Crunch
Leg Lifts
Standing (weighted) Oblique Side Crunch
Crunch
Incline Situps
Hanging Knee Raise
Roman Chair Situps
Russian Twist
Back Extension
Seated Leg Up
Cable Crunch: Ok, so this is my favorite ab exercise. The burn is fantastic and you can really feel yourself strengthening. There are, like for all lifts, dozens or even hundreds of form videos and often many of them are good. For the cable crunch there is one video which you need to see and one only. This video will leave you doing a perfect cable crunch.
Leg Lifts: Leg lifts are great for working those bottom abdominal muscles…these are the hardest ones to show off but that has nothing to do with them being harder to work but rather that this is a harder area to get rid of fat. What lower ab core strength will do is stabilize your squats so you can add weight to your 9.5 RPE which will, in turn, put more tension on all of the muscles the squat hits which, in turn, is excellent for overall development. Further, strong lower core muscles means less time with a sore lower back ache…..period. Here is a leg raise form video I think is pretty good.
Standing (weighted) Oblique Side Crunch: Here is another great core workouts and another chance to listen to the incredibly annoying yet very well informed scott herman. Follow his advice on this, you will love it. Also, please keep this in mind. When you do a weighted standing oblique crunch the weight is in one hand as you crunch down to one side. The side with the weight is NOT the side being worked. The side being worked is the opposite side. I know it seems cooler and will save time, but don’t hold a weight in each hand so you can do both. If you hold a weight on the side being worked it just manages to be a counter balance. As you go to an upright position the muscle in the left side pulls and is strained by the weight held on the right. If you hold a weight on the left side as well you are only making it easier for the muscle by counter balancing the weight. Be smart.
Inline Situps: in the incline sit-up it is important to make sure that the hip flexors are not the dominant, but that that honor is given to the abdominal. Here is a good video on how to perform them.
Hanging Knee Raises: Here is what I believe to be king of the lower ab work out plus it gives a good stretch which should feel great. If you find that they are getting too easy (and this will happen with repetition and strength growth) stick a dumbbell between your knees or put ankle weights on to weight down the leg.
Roman Chair Situps: If you have access to a roman chair you really need to be using it. If not there are ways to modify. As with all modification, DO NOT JUST FUCKING GUESS….every single thing about every single lift has been agonized over in this program. Do you know why I want you to do a Roman Chair sit up set? No? Ok, then ask me before replacing it. Almost all lifts can be modified to work with what we have, ALMOST ALL, but don’t just guess. Let’s work out a way to make sure we get the right effect from your output.
Roman chair is one of those intimidating pieces of equipment in the gym because we don’t really know how to use it and that is why I like it. I would say that about 80% of the people I see in the gym have no idea how to bench press. However, they have no qualms about getting on a bench and doing it. Why? Because they have seen it on tv and in movies. You lay on a bench and press weight. Easy right? No….fucking wrong. Very wrong. My next article will be all about proper bench press form. What happens is that people think they know how to bench press but don’t and when they do it they, at best, waste their time and at worst hurt themselves. This problem doesn’t exist with the Roman Chair because you look at it and instantly know you have no idea how to properly use it. So watch this video a few times and go hit it and hit it right.
Russian Twist: Here is another great side oblique and core strength workout. Not a lot of great videos on the kettlebell russian twist, but this is the best one I found. Please hit me up for form tips and advice on this one. It is super important in the pantheon of lifts and doing it right could be a big game changer for you guys.
Back Extension (hyperextension): This one is gonna make you sore. These are muscles you just never work and when you strengthen them they will totally change your squats, deads,benches and a slew of other lifts for the better. This video is good, but for christs sake, hold some weight in your hands when you do these. Don’t be a bunch of pansies.
Seated Leg Up: This one is new for me but Arnold goes on several times about its effectiveness and I worked it out a few days in the gym and could really feel a burn so I have included it. This is another one of those moves that is very easy to do wrong and if you do you are just wasting your time. This video really explains things perfectly so get on that shit.
There you have it. These are all of the AB workouts for the WBF SEASON V program. There is only one more post left for these forms and it will be a short one covering “miscellaneous.”
Well guys, it is December 1st. We are 2 weeks from go time. Watch all these form videos. Take notes. Get your head straight. Message me if you want the program. Let’s chat about what we are going to be doing, how we are going to do it….let’s walk into the gym in two weeks knowing exactly what’s what so we aren’t figuring shit out on the fly. It’s almost go time mother fuckers…..so let’s get ready to go.