"The Abs Diet" is a book by David Zinczenko with a sensible long-term approach to staying lean and developing your abs. The exhaustive list of 50-some abdominal exercises offers variety to keep your abs training fresh. You do the workout three days a week, hitting the upper abs, lower abs, obliques, transverse abdominis and then lower back, one exercise each in that order. Then you repeat the circuit one to three times per workout.
Standing Crunch
Standing crunches work the upper abs and make an excellent alternative to traditional crunches because you can easily add resistance by moving the pin on the weight stack.. With a rope attachment on the high cable pulley behind you, grip the ends of the rope on either side of your head and crunch down for a full contraction. Hold for one second and slowly lower to the start and repeat.
Decline Crunch
Another upper abs exercise, the decline crunch is challenging but allows a very full range of motion. To do these, start by lying on a declined abs bench, ankles secured by the footpads, and crunch upward until your shoulder blades come off the bench. Keep your arms crossed or tucked behind your head and do not use momentum to swing upward.
Hanging Knee-Raise
Hanging knee-raises target the lower portion of the rectus abdominus or abs. Gripping a chin-up bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and facing away from your body, raise your knees toward your chest until your pelvis curls upward slightly at the top. Fully straighten your legs to make this move tougher.
Reverse Crunch
Reverse crunches target the lower abs better than any other exercise, according to "Xtraordinary Abs" by Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman. Lying on a decline abs bench with your head at the higher end, hands gripping the footpads or handle, you start with your backside on the bench and slowly crunch you hips upward as your knees come toward you chest. Do not lift your shoulder blades or use momentum and keep your lower and upper legs at a 90-degree angle.
Side Jackknife
These work the side obliques, also known as the "love handles", which are a trouble area for many people. Start on your left side with your legs straight, bracing yourself on the floor with your left forearm. Place your other hand behind your head, elbow leading the motion as your torso crunches upward while you simultaneously raise your legs off of the ground. Switch to your other side and repeat.
Side Bridge
Side bridges also target the oblique muscles, which allow you to bend sideways at the waist and act to stabilize your core. Supporting your weight with your forearm and the outside edge of the foot on the same side, make your body into a straight line head to ankles and tighten your abs as much as possible. Hold this position for as long as you can, preferably 30 seconds. Repeat on other side. Place your feet on the edge of a flat bench to make this more challenging.
Negative Crunch
Negative crunches work the transverse abdominis, a muscle underneath your abs, that often gets ignored entirely. Stabilize your feet as you sit in the crunch position on the floor. Interlock the fingers of your hands and slowly begin lowering your back toward the ground, like the opposite of a crunch. Stop when you reach a 45-degree angle to the floor and return to the starting position.
Barbell Rollout
Barbell rollouts resemble the many "abs wheel" products on the market and target the transverse abdominis. With plates on a barbell use a shoulder-width grip on the bar as you kneel on an exercise mat or towel, shoulders over the bar. Rolling the bar out in front of you, you keep your knees in place and extend as far as possible, then return to the starting position by rolling the bar back toward your body.
Back Extension
Remember that your lower back muscles or erector spinae oppose your abs and are an important part of your core stability. On a hyper-extension or back extension apparatus, with your feet secured by the footpads, lower your torso at the waist until it reaches just short of perpendicular to the floor. Then rise your torso until it makes a straight line with your legs, parallel to the floor.
Swiss Ball Superman
Lower back exercises like the superman can help to strengthen your erector spinae muscles to eliminate back pain. Rest your abdomen on a large Swiss ball, face down. Your upper arms should fully extend and lift up parallel to the floor as your chest comes off of the ball like a Superman flying pose. Return to the starting relaxed position and repeat.
References
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; 2004
- BodyBuilding.com; Abs Exercise Guide
- "Xtraordinary Abs"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2006
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