Q: Today in the Hawk’s Nest, we have Jesse who is 21 years old and in desperate need of shredded abs. He writes: “Dave I want to get my abs in really really good shape with summer being here, but something is just not working. I’ve been training them every day for the past three months and I’m seeing some results, but not the results I was hoping for. Do you think I might be overtraining them? And should I exercise them with the same amount of sets and reps that I would use for my arms or chest workout? Also, what is the best way to train them at home being that I don’t have any equipment?”
A: Well Jesse, your abdominals are muscles, but because they are almost in constant use stabilizing your torso and pelvis, they require a different type of training than your chest or arms would. To achieve that ripped six-pack that everybody wants, you don’t want to build massive, thick stomach muscles. You want to strengthen, condition, and reduce the abdominal wall. Unlike building your chest, biceps, or any main muscle body, I found that using very little (if any) weight with high reps and volume is the key to achieving that killer six pack that you are striving for. Try starting off simple with a two-day-on, one-day-off schedule to give your abs time to rest. Like any muscle, they all need rest to grow. Constant wear and tear on your abs will only slow your six pack down from coming in.
When training in your home, I find stability balls to be very effective and low in cost so they won’t break the bank. Stability balls come in different shapes and sizes designed for your height, fitness level and the intended usage. For my height (5’8”), I use a 55 cm or 65 cm ball. This size ball will allow me to not only get the proper stretch needed, but also to focus on my abdominal areas while keeping my legs and feet properly placed on the floor.
At home, these are my three favorite stability ball exercises:
Seated Crunch
The seated position creates a natural tension in the front abdominals before beginning the movement, making it more effective than off the floor lying crunches. Do not use additional weight with this exercise. With your feet shoulder-width apart, sit on the ball, lean back, and walk your legs forward until the ball is under your lower back. Place your hands flat on your upper abs or let them rest on your lower chest. Curl your upper body forward in a crunch motion while exhaling and trying to contract the front abdominal wall back toward the spine. Return and repeat. Do four sets of 25–50 reps.
Right- and Left-side Intercostal Crunch
Modify the basic seated crunch above by simply adjusting your hips and leaning right or left to target the intercostals and obliques. As you get stronger, challenge the oblique area more by moving your feet closer together when performing this exercise. Do four sets of 25–50 reps.
Single or Double Leg Lift
This movement focuses on the lower abs, but avoids strain placed on the lumbar spine (which often occurs with other lower ab movements). Lie face up on the floor with knees bent about 45 degrees; place the ball between your feet. Extend your arms above your head, squeeze the ball between your feet and lift it while doing a lower abdominal crunch. Reach for the ball with extended arms, pause, and then return to the starting position and repeat. Exhale throughout the movement. Do three sets of 10–25 reps.
When performing any abdominal exercise, keep your abs tight throughout the entire movement. This stabilization will help to protect your lower back from injury.
Finally, no amount of training or conditioning will allow you to get that ripped six-pack unless you first burn off any unwanted fat with plenty of cardio and a clean diet. If the diet isn’t there, I can almost guarantee you the six-pack won’t be either. Dieting is 90 percent of the game. The most famous words to live by (that I tell everyone): You are what you eat.
David Hawk Jr. - Is a NPC national level competitor, personal trainer and fitness model. He is currently working with Triarco Industries as their athlete and spokesperson. Dave can be reached at DAVEHAWKH2@YAHOO.COM or DAVE@DAVEHAWKJR.COM.