The hallmark of fitness is a nice six pack, because it not only represents a certain level of
effort in the gym, but also maintaining a relatively low body fat percentage.For this, both diet and exercise play important roles, but the reward is a set of abs that are the envy of everyone you know.
Here are six ab exercises to get you that highly sought, but rarely achieved, holy grail; the six pack.
Resources:
http://www.mensfitness.com
1. Pullup
Grab a pullup bar with a grip that's slightly wider than shoulder width. Pull your shoulder blades down and back, bend your legs behind you, cross your feet, squeeze your butt, and brace your abs (this ensures your core gets worked). This is the start position (a). Pull yourself up until your collarbone reaches the bar, driving your elbows down toward your hips (b). Return to the start position (c). If unable to pull yourself up, loop an exercise band over the bar and around your knees.
Sets: 3 Reps: to failure Rest: 120 seconds between sets
2. Medicine Ball Slam
Grab a fairly light-weight medicine ball and hold it up above your head (a). Keeping your torso totally upright with good posture, throw the medicine ball directly downward at the ground as hard as you can (b) be careful: Some bounce back!
Sets: 3 Reps: 20 Rest: 60 seconds between sets
3. Ab Wheel Rollout
Kneel on the floor with your knees directly under your hips and your hands directly under your shoulders holding the handles of an ab wheel. Slowly push your hips forward and roll the ab wheel out, keeping your back flat and allowing your arms to extend in front of your body (a). As soon as it feels like you can’t roll any more without the risk of falling, push your palms toward the floor, simultaneously squeezing your abs and pushing your hips back toward the start position until you reach it (b).
Sets: 4 Reps: To failure Rest: 90 seconds between sets
4. Pallof Press
Attach a D-handle to a cable cross machine and adjust the pulley to chest height (a resistance band around a pole works, too). Stand about two feet away from the machine and pull the handle to your chest (a). If your right shoulder is closest to the machine, your right hand should hold the handle and your left should be more of a guide. While bracing your core, push the handle straight out, so the handle stays directly in front of your chest (b). Slowly return the handle to your chest (c).
Sets: 4 Reps: 10 on each side Rest: 60 seconds between sets
5. Barbell Landmine
Wedge one end of a barbell in the corner of two walls. Lift the barbell up by the other end and hold it on your chest (a). Next, press the barbell directly out from your chest with both hands, fingers laced (b). Keeping your arms straight, rotate from your shoulders to one side, then to the other. Return to the start position (c).
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 on each side Rest: 120 seconds between sets
6. The Pendulum
Lie on the floor flat on your back and raise your legs until you have a 90-degree bend at the hips. Keeping your legs straight, lower them to the right, allowing them to come almost all the way to the floor (a). Return the legs to the upright position and then lower them to the left (b). Repeat in this fashion until all prescribed reps are performed.
Sets: 4 Reps: 10 to each side Rest: 60 seconds between sets
Resources:
http://www.mensfitness.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment