The 6 Pack of Rules to Get Your 6 Pack of Abs
Abs… the bane of the fitness enthusiast’s existence… The final piece of the puzzle when you’re trying
to build that killer physique.
There are so many myths, tips and tricks to get abs quick and easy. The reality is, if it comes quick
and easy, it goes quick and easy.
So here is my secret formula to turn your fleeting peaks and troughs into mountains and valleys that
last.
- Functional Training:
The enemy of the aesthetic trainer. But only at first. While doing sit ups, crunches and toe taps will
increase your core strength, and start to give you a few grooves, it’s like leading your horse and cart
down the gravel road wondering how the Ferrari’s on the freeway go so fast.
We all seem to think of abs and core as the same thing, the washboard at the front. The reality is
that washboard has 2 sides and a back.
The best combination to increase the quality of your core, is to activate it through functional
movements. You can achieve this by performing movements that require a huge element of stability.
This forces your Abs, Obliques and Erector Spinae (back) muscles to activate to complete the
movement. The more you increase the difficulty of these exercises, the harder ALL of your core
muscles have to work, including your abs.
- Technique:
“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always had”. This is the perfect way to
think about your abs, and your training in general. The most important rule with any training, but
particularly when training is abs, is to make sure your technique is on point. The name of the game
here is discipline. From leopard crawls to Bosu Crunches, you can sneak your way through a core
program and achieve little, or you can perform them as you were (hopefully) taught them, and
achieve lots.
Neutral Spine (straight back) and Core engaged (flexing), are your start, middle and end points.
Avoid your cheeky rest between reps (we’ve all done them), and avoid the lazy swinging reps,
otherwise you’ll be walking home with the same slop you walked in with.
- Intensity:
Your muscles will respond to the stimulus that is applied to them. If you take it easy and meander
through your workouts, you’ll have meandering abs that come and go and don’t stay for long.
To maximise size, you need to maximise intensity. There are 4 ways to progress an exercise;
• Increase Range Of Motion: as a general rule, the longer the ROM, the longer the effort
• Stability: The more stability required, the more difficult the exercise
• Posture: The larger the postural change, the harder the exercise e.g. roll outs on knees
versus roll outs on toes.
• Load: Increase the weight, increase the result
- Exercise Selection
The gold standard for core exercises are those that require high levels of stability, and a strong
movement phase. As your core gets stronger, you want to continually push the boundaries from
point 3, and pick advanced exercises that force you to maximise your core activation. A few to get
you started are;
• Hanging Leg Raises (start hanging, progress to chin up hold)
• Seated BB Overhead Press (feet off the ground, with no back support)
• Hanging Windmills (start knees tucked, progress to pike)
• BB Roll Outs (start on knees, progress to feet)
- Timing:
This flows on directly from Intensity. If you are performing advanced exercises, you aren’t going to
be able to perform them for long. So your rep range, depending on the exercise should be refined to
5-15 reps, with each set being at an intensity that brings your to, or close to fatigue.
Having said that, I am a big fan of prescribing large volume, low intensity abs to clients who are
building a foundation. For clients starting out, I suggest a couple of months working up to daily
targets of:
• 100 sit ups (controlled reps to engage abs and obliques)
• 100 Hip Raises (to increase glute activation)
• 100 Prone (Lying on your belly) Overhead Reaches (for back and rotator cuff)
• 2min Rotating Prone Hold (plank)
- Healthy Eating:
Arguably the most important point on this list… if you want to rep your rig.For those wanting to increase your core purely for performance, stick to points 1-5 and youwill be A-OK! For those getting sliced, you and your food need to become best mates! Ahealthy eating plan high in nutrients and low in energy is going to allow you to burn the fat you need to unveil the hard work you have been putting in. Note** Just performing the correct exercises in the correct way is not enough to get those abs out. So put away the hamburgers, and put in the effort to increase your function and your physique!