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The Ultimate Ab Solution Article! |
IntroductionThere are only two things that are certain when it comes to chiseling your mid-section! One is that it is the hardest thing to get and two is that well defined abs are sexy to the opposite sex. Quite frankly, abdominals are one of the most misunderstood muscle groups in our bodies. However they are also one of the most sought after. So here comes the Animal to set the record straight and probably cause some controversy at the same time!! Today I will tackle all of your most difficult questions concerning this area of training! With that being said, Bring it on!
Best way to See Abdominal Muscles!Question:
Are
performing
simple
crunches
the
best
thing
to
see
that
six
pack? Training Frequency
Question: Should
I
train
my
Ab’s
everyday? What about Weighted Crunches!?Question: Should I do weighted Ab training? Answer: Yes and no. You should do weighted work to gain mass. A typical routine of 8-12 reps and 3-4 sets per exercise. Doing millions of crunches is an example of training for muscular endurance not strength or hypertrophy (size). Lighter Reps AddressedQuestion: Are you saying I shouldn’t do more than 12? Answer:
Yes,
if
you’re
working
for
mass
and
no
if
your
goals
are
definition.
You
should
train
between
30-50
reps
for
definition
without
weight. How To break down Abdominal TrainingQuestion: Should I separate my abdominal training into upper/lower & obliques? Answer: You can, but it may not be as effective as you think. Stating that you can train upper abs by doing one exercise and your lower with another just isn’t true. Both types of movements use the retus abdominal (the legendary 6 muscles at the front), which accomplishes forward torso flex by stimulating All the fibers that work as a whole. Even the obliques assist with torso flex. However you could say that certain exercises will emphasize more of the upper Ab’s vs. the lower Ab’s, like normal crunches compared to lying leg raises. The bottom line is that you can place more emphasis on aspects of the muscle, but you can’t completely isolate them. How To Order ExercisesQuestion: If I do my Ab’s all at once does the order matter? Answer: As some exercises emphasize certain parts you can pre-fatigue a specific area of your Abdominals and get maximum results for you efforts. If the emphasis is upper abs, then work them first, if its lower than begin by working them. The Need For Oxygen!Question: When do I breathe out? Answer: At the peak of the contraction. Breathe at the top of the movement, just before the negative contraction, exhale the air out forcefully by squeezing your pelvic region to the floor. By doing this during the positive rep, you will produce maximum Ab tension and relieve lumber spine pressure. Speed of Contraction!Question: How quickly should I do my crunches, does it matter? Answer: Yes it does matter! The Ab’s are comprised of slow twitch muscle fibers, for that reason you should slow it down, not hell for leather, believe me you’ll see more results!! I take approximately 3-5 seconds per crunch and sometimes longer! Getting The Trench!Question: But how do I get the trench? Answer: Ever wondered how to get the peak in the Ab’s? The trench in the middle? Hold that contraction at the peak of the movement for about 3-5 seconds and squeeze by rolling your pelvis towards your head. The Master of Angles!Question: If I just do say Crunches and Leg Raises will that be enough? Answer: NO!! To get that 6 pack you need to ATTACK that mid-section from as many different angles as possible, as with every aspect of BB keep your body guessing!!! Crunches, Reverse crunches, leg raises, twisted leg raises etc. etc. etc. Anchoring of feetQuestion: When I do Ab work should I anchor my feet to something? Answer: NO. When you restrain your legs or feet during Ab work you actually train the hip flexor’s more than anything else. Also you place unnecessary strain on your lumber spine Great Balls of Fire!Question: I’ve seen people use a large ball to work their abs, are they any good? Answer:
Amazingly
enough
these
“Toys”
have
been
proven
to
help.
How?
Well
when
performing
curls
on
a
ball
you
increase
abdominal
work
compared
to
off
a
ball.
Mainly
by
using
your
muscles
for
stability
on
the
ball
as
well
as
the
tension
of
the
crunch!!
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