's Ab Bootcamp, Part 1

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A couple of things on ab training before I get into the details. The diet and cardio training are very important now to reduce the remaining bodyfat down to uncover those abs (particularly the lower abs) that you are looking for. Continue the BFL diet and perhaps pull back the evening carbs for the last several weeks to tighten up. You should be doing cardio at least three times per week and perhaps add an extra session or two if you are not happy with your fat loss progress. To really bring the abs out you must totally FOCUS on ABS when you are doing them (don’t let visions of Vegas get in the way). What I mean is you must contract the abs first and pull with the abs in doing any ab exercise. (not just lifting your shoulders or pulling with your arms). Whenever you are working abs it is important to always do your lower abs first as they tire the easiest and the resistance tends to move to other parts of the abdominal. This routine is different than a BFL routine……but I have found for me that my abdominals respond better and become shaper by using a high repetition workout.Here is what I want you to do for the next four weeks which is basically the routine I go into about 3 weeks out from a photo shoot. This routine is meant for finishing your abdominals.Immediately following your a.m. cardio training on an empty stomach (at least three times per week) you will be training your abs. I have always found I can get a much better ab contraction when I am hot, sweaty, and void of food. You will be doing a no rest circuit routine consisting of 6 consecutive exercises, you will then rest and stretch for 2 minutes and repeat, rest and stretch for 2 minutes and repeat again. The whole routine should take you about fifteen minutes. Try the following exercises in your circuit:1.) Lower ab crunch (15 reps) – lying flat on a bench with knees bent at a 45 degree angle bring your knees toward your chest contracting the lower ab.

2.) Leg Raise – (15 reps) – lying flat on a bench, legs straight, lift legs from hips keeping them straight until your toes are right above your eyes (your butt will come off the bench)3.) Side Crunch (15 reps ea. Side) – lying on one hip on bench, knees bent, arms grabbing the end of the bench behind you, bring knee toward chest…you should feel these in the obliques and intercostals. Switch to the other hip and do the same thing.4.) Seated Crunch – (15 reps) sitting on the very end of the bench hands behind your butt, crunch your knees towards your chest then extend back your legs.5.) Lying Crunch w/ Legs up (15 reps) – with legs up on a wall or bench, pull your shoulders off of the ground about 6 inches BY CONTRACTING your abs.6.) Back Hyperextension (15 reps) – face down on a hyperextension machine, start in a folded position and go to parallel, repeat.Ok, now we get an an active rest period for 2-3 minutes. Stretch your abs by locking your hands and reaching as high for the sky as you can, hold for a 10-20 seconds, repeat. Do stomach vacumms (this will reduce your waist size very quickly and give you great abdominal control) by exhaling all of your air and trying to touch your belly button to your backbone, hold for 10 seconds and repeat. These can be done standing, kneeling, or on all fours….concentrate on abdominal control. You can also do some side bends (without weights) during this period. Rests over……repeat the circuit. Active rest for 2-3 minutes, repeat for the third time. You can say ouch now.