I often get asked what my favorite ab moves are.
Here’s a secret: I don’t spend a lot of time training abs specifically. In fact, that goes for bi’s, triceps and calves too.
My thoughts are that I’ll train big compound movements first and if I have any gas in the tank at the end off my workout, I’ll train abs (or arms or calves).
Or, on a day off from hard training, I’ll maybe do 12-15 minutes of abs.
I think that too many people focus on ‘abs’ or arms and miss the entire point. If you’re training correctly, with intense metabolically demanding exercises, then abs and arms will be taken care of. Pull ups, squats, deadlifts, push ups, rowing, etc all tax the abs. All that pushing and pulling hit the arms.
I’ll admit that I do adhere somewhat to a ‘bodybuilder’ type program a few days a week when I’m not doing a full body workout. I generally will do a pushing day (chest, shoulders, tri’s), a leg day and a pulling day (back and bi’s). However, I’ll generally throw push ups and pull ups in on my leg day or add box jumps or a leg based exercise into a push or pull day so it’s all mixed up. I’ll always have some kind of HIIT in a workout like jumping rope, burpees, or my new fav I love to hate: sit outs.
As far as abs go, my personal favorite ‘go to’ exercises are hanging leg raises or variation like hanging windshield wipers:
I get asked all the time what an alternative to a hanging windshield wiper is, here you go:
Here are some ‘politically correct’ core exercises that I’ll always include at some point when I do manage to fit some abs in:
If you’re looking for a way to target your abs and burn a ton of fat without doing traditional cardio, then check out my friend, Mike ‘Pancakes’ Whitfield’s Ab Finishers.
Mike will show you how to burn MORE fat in LESS time AND work your abs harder with NO crunches or cardio.
Here’s a sample ab finisher from Mikey:
The 3-Minute Doozy Ab Finisher
Do the following circuit at the END of your next workout as many times as possible in 3 minutes, resting only when needed:
Ab Wheel or Stability Ball Rollouts (5)
KB or DB Swings (10)
Bodyweight Chops (5/side) – Keep those abs braced HARD
You’ll get 33 more of where those came from. One of the best parts of Mike’s finishers are the names of each one…he comes up with some doozy’s (just like this one).
If you want to really ‘finish’ off your abs at the end of your workout, or if you want to put a few of these together to use on your ‘off’ day, these are perfect.
Highly recommended 😉