4 steps to strong abs

It is a good idea to always start your workout with an abdominal exercise. Why?

Because most lifters, when they’re done with the big, intense exercises, the last thing on their mind is doing some extra crunches. If you start with it first it does not negatively affect your training, it gives you a good warm-up and in the end you end up with stronger abs, especially because when you have already worked them, each exercise you do becomes more intense during the rest of the training.

Now I am NOT Mr. Six-Pack Abs. I’m not particularly interested in dieting to the level necessary to demonstrate that, because that’s exactly what it is … a show. Your abs can look great and still be weaker than pond water. I want some powerful abs! Like everything else. And my abs ARE powerful, because I train them for that specific purpose.

Here are some tips on abs training:

1. Structure your workout to achieve the highest overall efficiency and total body unity. That means, use heavy movements that force your abs to shoot simply for their performance. Read squats, deadlifts, overhead presses. Especially read heavy partial squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses. Performing these exercises forces the muscles of the torso to work in unison with the main motors of the body. By doing that, you create strong abs that can work in unison with the rest of your body.

2. Train them heavy just like the rest of the body. If you want to go beyond the simple ability to do repetitive high reps of simple bodyweight exercises (sit-ups, sit-ups, leg lifts, etc.), then you must add weight to these exercises. Heavy, low-rep abs are an excellent power generator.

3. Off-center train. Using one-arm exercises is one of the best ways to overload your abs. By shifting the resistance to one side at a time, you force your abs to work twice as hard to stabilize your body than they would if you used balanced resistance. Some excellent moves here; One arm overhead presses, windmills, suitcase deadlifts, barrel shoulders, quarter shoulder squats, one arm partial overhead locks, and squats.

4. Train them Twisted conditioning style. Actually, what I mean is to mix up your training and not go overboard with any particular volume of a style. Do some high and low reps. Do some bodyweight and weighted work. Do some weight lifting and foreign object lifting. Use some alternative conditioners centered around the abs. Kettlebells, Indian Clubs, Sledgehammer swinging, raised paddles, etc. Mix ’em up with heavy duty, mix’ em up with conditioning work. Sometimes I work with them first, sometimes I work with them last, sometimes I work with them in the middle. Do the heavy lifting first, then the resistance work, then switch and do it the other way around. By using this methodology, we create the most complete development of the abs that can work in most ways. For me, that is the end goal.