Shredz' abs routine

[Shredz]

I have had a few people recently ask me for this (yes HOSS you are one of them!!!) So I thought that I would post it up instead of PMing it to everyone.

My ab routine changes with everyworkout slightly and to be honest with you I usually only do abs approx. 6 months out of the year. This is what I am currently doing.

I start off with crunches breathing out on each rep, and flexing as hard as I can. I do this for 3 sets of 20-30 reps. Then I superset side bridges 3 sets of 20 reps with with the swiss ball rollouts for the same reps and sets.

Side Bridges Laying on your side resting on the forearm of the side you are laying on. Lift your hips up off the floor and hold for 2 secs at the top flexing your obliques at the top. Keep your legs straight out to make it harder.
Swiss Ball Rollout Kneel in front of a swiss ball, put your hands on top of the ball with a slight bend in your elbows. Keep your back straight and roll out until your body is parallel with the floor. Hold for a beat and then return to the kneeling postion.

You don't have to change the exercise entirely to change the workout you can also change the order and what exercise your are going to superset.

[DBarcelo]

I never workout my abs. On the rare occasion that I do anything for my abs, I just use the TorsoTrak.

[Shredz]

My next ab workout for the week will go like this:

Hanging leg lifts for 3-4 sets of 10-20reps. You may start off with 20 but your last set you might only be able to get 10 if you do them properly. Control the reps and perform them slowly. To make it difficult keep your legs straight out with a slight bend in the knees. Hold bar with palms facing forward to help stop you from swinging.

Then I go to superseting Swiss Ball Leg lifts Lay on your back on the ball and reach behind you and grab a smith machine bar or something steady. Keep your legs staight out parallel to the floor with a slight bend in the knees and raise and lower them with a slow concentated movement. Do this for 3 sets of 10-20 reps.

The go immediately to Kneeling Cable Crunches Try to avoid using your abs to help you contract your abs. To help with this I hold the rope at the back of my neck as opposed to out in front of my head. Keep your back flat and legs at a 90 degree angle. Breath out on each rep and flex hard. Do this for 3 sets of 25 reps.

[DBarcelo]

They look like good excercises.

[Shredz]

They look like good excercises.

Only if done properly.

[DBarcelo]

That goes for any excercise really.

[Shredz]

That goes for any excercise really.

I wish more people would follow this. Sometimes i just shake my head. Why cheat yourself???

[DBarcelo]

That's just what happens when people focus on pushing more weight. Trying to show off or feel better. That's why I work out at home. I'm competative and I don't want to tempt myself to end up trying to lift more than I can handle with good form. Back in the day when I first started cheating was considered to be necessary during the last one or two reps. I sometimes cheat on my last rep because of it, so I can't really down anyone for using poor form. But I do keep 99% of my form on point.

[AbsolutelyLethal]

I read, Dr. Hatfield Hardcore Bodybuilding: A scientific Approach , that hanging leg raises are a high intensity form of reverse crunches(leg raises on the ground). Problem is that they are near impossible to do on hanging and you end up working your forearm and hip flexors more. Only people who can truly do them right are gymnasts...Despite that, he sees that neither one is any more or less effective at blasting the ab wall or lower ab blast.

Here is how reverese crunches, thus leg lifts, are done correctly:

Begin with your knees and hips completely flexed. When raising your knees toward your face, you shouldnt swing them upwards, as the ballistic movement will tend to remove some of the desired stress. Instead, raise them up

I tell you one exercise that is IMPOSSIBLE. Place 6-8 inches of padding/lift) underneath your butt/lower back and do a crunch. Each time have the shoulders go ALL the way down and touch the floor to really get hit. This prestretch makes it so hard to get up and actually crunch. If something holds your feet then its easy but just on the ground/air its so hard to get up! You can place the padding underneath the shoulders/upper back and do the reverse crunches too...

Sorry for hijacking Shredz...Carry on....

My next ab workout for the week will go like this:

Hanging leg lifts for 3-4 sets of 10-20reps. You may start off with 20 but your last set you might only be able to get 10 if you do them properly. Control the reps and perform them slowly. To make it difficult keep your legs straight out with a slight bend in the knees. Hold bar with palms facing forward to help stop you from swinging.

[Shredz]

Sorry for hijacking Shredz...Carry on....

no worries bro, but you have to understand that is why I stressed do them slowly. This avoids swinging both in the legs and the body. Just because I am not a gymnast doesn't mean it is impossible for me to be doing them properly.

[hoss827]

Whoooooo hoooooooo thanks bro! I gotta get down the proper technique for this first though.

Thanks again,

--Hoss

[RON]

Thats is it!!!!!! You genetically gifted freak.

[groverman1]

Oh yeah your diet better be in order or you will never have a six pack.

[Shredz]

Oh yeah your diet better be in order or you will never have a six pack.

That's a given!!!

[Shredz]

Thats is it!!!!!! You genetically gifted freak.

Hey don't sell yourself short bro, I would give the abs away for a couple of years to be carrying some of that mass of yours.

[palme]

Why cant i see my abs? seriusly why cant i see them?

j/k

Be glad your abs are symmetrical bro, not everyone gets to have that.