The Worst Kept Secrets in the Fitness Industry (Part 2): Abdominals

Now that we’ve established a mode for you to start shedding off body fat in an efficient manner, it’s time we loop back to our original topic of conversation and the most desired muscle group in the field of aesthetics; abdominals.

Your abs are no magical muscle. They needn’t endure thousands of repetitions or hundreds of sets to pop out anymore than your chest, leg, back or arms require a dozen repetition over three or four sets. It is however, about understanding your abs from a scientific perspective. Many times you’ll hear people (including self-proclaimed fitness pros) refer to abs by region, i.e. upper abs, lower abs, etc. and while yes certain exercise exert more stress on specific parts of your abdominals, it’s very important to realize it’s all one big connected hunk. It does not operate separately from one another.

That being said, I wish we’d all focus on the concept of “core development” rather than abs. Yes abs are arguably the most aesthetically pleasing bit of your bootylicious physique but there’s a big difference between having popping abs and having a functional and strong core. Just take a look at skinny people. We all have that one friend who’s naturally skinny, they can crunch out two large pizzas followed by a bucket of KFC and a Double Big Tasty combo, head over to Baskin Robbins and devour a tub of peanut butter and chocolate ice cream and still look ready for a modeling shoot. We hate them. We loathe their existence. But science calls them ectomorphs and it’s not their fault, they’re just born that way. But do you notice how they always seem to have popping abs? More importantly, do you notice how they’re more often than not, completely unfit for physical exercises demanding a strong dependency on the core area of the body?

This is why core development is so much more important than worrying about the aesthetic development of abdominal muscles. If you have a strong core, the abs will undoubtedly follow. But instead of having a hollow exterior, you’ll also have the power from within.

“What the shit is the core? Isn’t that like filled with magma and lava super deep inside the Earth? What does this have to do with anything? Oh my God do I have lava inside of me? Am I a mutant?” Once again young Padwan [Boom! Star Wars reference] you worry too much about unnecessary details.

According to the much beloved Wikipedia, “the core refers, in its most general of definitions, to the body minus the legs and arms.Functional movements are highly dependent on the core, and lack of core development can result in a predisposition to injury.” Your core carries you through most workouts. Are you doing push ups? Your core is engaged. Are you doing squats? Core. Deadlifts? Core. Trying to balance yourself on one leg with a glass of beer on your nose during a party? Core.

So instead of situps and crunches (which can still be utilized) we ought to focus on more wholesome exercises that benefit your entire core. The cool thing about abdominal workouts and other body-weight type exercises is that you can perform them virtually anywhere; no gym membership necessary! Let’s begin with my personal favorite; the infamous Plank.

The above video shows how the plank is performed. Naturally, like any other exercise, it can be tweaked to increase its difficulty, whether its via a raised leg in the air, a raised arm, a combo of the two or by doing it with the legs resting on a large stability ball for increased core engagement. The more you find yourself having to squeeze your core in order to maintain balance and perfect form, all the better. Planks are static exercises, which unlike dynamic exercises (those requiring motion) rely on the strength of your core and its constant engagement for performance (i.e. you don’t move)

This exercise - like all others - relies on your ability to execute it in perfect form both to reap out its benefits and to avoid potential injury resulting from poor or improper form. Another variation which can help target your obliques (those much sought-after V-shaped curves on your waist) is the side plank. You can watch it being performed here and it can also be made more difficult by raising one leg in the air or it can be done dynamically by squeezing your obliques to lift your body up and down by its side.

A good start for you is trying to maintain the plank position for 30 seconds. If you find that you're doing so in perfect form with significant ease, prolong it till failure and set that time as your standard set time. Dish out 3 to four sets of those with 30 seconds of rest in between.

Next up on my list of favorites is the Hanging Raises.

Do keep in mind this workout is usually reserved for individuals operating at more advanced levels. Many, even experienced folk, make the mistake of utilizing momentum to drive the movement in this exercise but that’s something you should strive to avoid. This workout engages your entire core area by virtue of your abs raising your legs and lowering them (in a controlled motion) rather than a spring action in which the legs are driving the movement.

There’s a wide variety of other exercises you can throw into your abdominal workout routine in a variety of format (supersets, interval sets, pyramid sets, etc.) such as crunches, heel touches, flutter kicks, scissors, alternating elbow-to-knee bicycle kicks and many more. Just be sure to consult someone with experience in order to show you how these moves are executed in perform form to ensure benefits and avoid injury.

Sample abs workout at the end of your weight lifting/cardio routine:

• Super Set [perform both exercises after one another with no rest in between] - Plank (1 minute)/Hanging Raises (12 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Heel touches (15 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Side plank raises (12 reps per side) - 3 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Alternating elbow-to-knee bicycle kicks (15 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest

And for Christ’s sake, please stop dedicating an entire day to your abs. They’re a minor muscle group. All they need is 10-15 minutes of attention at the end of your chest or shoulder day routine or performed after cardio once or twice a week max. Don't forget to stretch out at the end of your workout.

You might fall flat on your face the first couple of times. The soreness the following morning might be a bit too much. Laughing may be a painful experience for a couple of days but trust me, it gets better, you get better. 

If you have any question on techniques or execution please comment below or reach out to me on Twitter on @Foxicakes I’ll be more than glad to assist!

Now go kiss that mat during a plank.