If you could only pick one ab exercise, pick this one…
The number of different ab exercises & ab routines you’ll find on the internet is probably greater than the total human population at this point.
Upon browsing through some of them, it seems to me that most people who post these workouts don’t really understand abdominal training.
The truth is: you build your abs the same way you would build any other muscle.
Think about it this way… if you wanted to grow your quadriceps, you would:
Train them through a full range of motion
Perform an appropriate number of sets per week
Train them close to failure (the point in which you can no longer perform any reps)
Progressively perform more work with them over time
For some reason, though, people apply a whole different set of rules to the muscles of your abs, and core alike.
If you wanted to build your quads, you wouldn’t perform a 10-minute circuit of 10 different exercises. Yet, that’s what seems to be promoted most for the abs.
So, following this fashion, if you really want to build a solid set of abs you need an exercise that trains them through a full range of motion and allows you to sufficiently load them.
In my opinion, there’s one exercise that does this better than almost any other…
The Cable Crunch
How to do this:
Set the cable high and attach a straight bar attachment, zig-zag bar attachment, or rope attachment
Begin on your knees with your torso parallel to the floor and your upper arms near your head
NOTE: It is sometimes easier to get into this position with heavier weights, because you have to counter-balance your own bodyweight.
As you perform this movement, work to keep your hips still and keep your upper arms near your head; movement should only occur around your lower- and mid-spine
Crunch your abs; imagine you are bringing your chest into your belly button
Slowly lower the weight by letting your back extend as much as possible; all while keeping your hips still
Struggle with this movement? Try this first:
This exercise is unique in that it allows you to impose a sufficient weight on the abs, and feels natural enough to almost everyone.
In order to use this exercise to build your abs, I would recommend the following:
Use weights in which you hit failure somewhere between 6-15 reps
Use as full of a range of motion as possible
Lower the weight slowly and crunch it down forcefully
Try to use more weight over time while following these aforementioned recommendations
If you’re someone looking to build strength and muscle in your abdominals, then I can assure you that this movement is your key to getting there.
Need additional help, or want to ask a question?
If you have any questions left unanswered from these, feel free to comment below or email me at info@FitnessSimplified.org!
