It’s a good idea to always start your workout with an abdominal exercise. Because?

Because most lifters, when they’re done with big, intense exercises, the last thing on their mind is doing extra crunches. If you start with it first, it doesn’t negatively affect your training, it gives you a good warm-up and in the end you end up with stronger abs, especially since once you’ve worked them, each exercise you do becomes more intense. for the rest of the training.

Now I am NOT Mr. Six-Pack Abs. I’m not particularly interested in dieting to the level necessary to show that, because that’s exactly what it is… a show. Your abs can look great and still be weaker than pond water. I want powerful abs! Like everything else. And my abs ARE powerful, because I train them for that specific purpose.

Here are some tips on abdominal training:

1. Structure your training for maximum overall efficiency and total-body unity. That means, use heavy movements that force your abs to fire simply for performance. Read squats, deadlifts, overhead presses. Read especially heavy partial squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses. Performing these exercises forces the core muscles to work in unison with the major muscles of the body. By doing that, you create strong abs that can work in unison with the rest of your body.

2. Train them heavy just like the rest of the body. If you want to go beyond just being able to do high reps on simple bodyweight exercises (crunches, crunches, leg raises, etc.), then you need to add weight to these exercises. Heavy crunches for low reps are an excellent power builder.

3. Train outside the center. Using one-arm exercises is one of the best ways to overload your abs. By changing the resistance one side at a time, you force your abs to work twice as hard to stabilize the body as they would if you were using balanced resistance. Some great moves here; One-arm overhead presses, windmills, suitcase-style deadlifts, barrel shoulders, one-shoulder quarter squats, partial one-arm overhead locks, and squats.

4. Train them Twisted Conditioning style. What I really mean is mix up your training and don’t overdo any particular volume of a style. Do a few high and low reps. Do some bodyweight and weighted work. Do some weight lifting and odd objects. Use some alternative conditioners focused around the abs. Kettlebells, Indian clubs, mallet swinging, paddle lifting, etc. Mix it up with the heavy work, mix it up with the conditioning work. Sometimes work them first, sometimes work them last, sometimes work them in the middle. Do the heavy work first, then the resistance work, then switch and do it the other way around. By using this methodology we create the most complete abdominal development that can work in most forms. For me, that is the ultimate goal.