I hear this statement all the time–I may have even used it once or twice: “Abs are made in the kitchen.”
This implies is that the fastest way to a set of rock hard looking abs isn’t necessarily by doing abdominal exercise. If people would just strip the fat off their midsection, they would look a lot better. This would be great if the aesthetic component of your abs was the only thing they were good for–although that would be a rather strange physiological adaptation. Unfortunately, it’s not.
Abdominal strength takes training and practice. You can’t simply eat your way to stronger, more functional abs. Just eating a low carb diet is the fastest way to strip off that fat, but it won’t make you strong. If your abs aren’t strong, this will leave you susceptible to low back and lumbopelvic issues.
In the video above, I wanted to show you an abdominal exercise which is an important progression of the basic lower ab exercises, designed to create strength. This kicks the arse off floor-based crunches and planking any day of the week.
Here are the basics: 3-5 sets of 4-6 reps, then rest for three minutes. Perform this twice to three times per week as part of a strength program to get abs that are both strong and aesthetically appealing.
Training with a strength focus means focusing more on maximal contraction and control of your abdominals, over and above simply gaining a high rep count. In fact, you don’t want to “feel the burn” if you want to get strong.
Just flexing your knees into your chest does nothing for your lower ab strength, but it will give you strong hip flexors. It does, however, put your lower back at risk.
Putting this all together:
The Hanging Reverse Crunch is a high performance exercise. If you are new to abdominal training, make sure you progress up to this exercise.
This is how your lower ab training should progress. First, work on lower abdominal coordination. Second, work on lower abdominal strength.
After you’ve mastered the first two steps, reverse crunches off a bench or the floor are a good way to go.
Once you’re comfortable with step three, move into a Hanging Reverse Crunch:
Take your time to master this simple exercise. Mastery also means that you can look down your nose a bit at everyone else that cheats and flicks their way through this one.
See more from Ash Boddy at The Weekend Surf Warrior.
