Kurt Brungardt - The Complete Book of Abs

A Villard Book
Published by The Random House Publishing Group

Copyright 1993, 1998 by Kurt Brungardt

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Villard Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

V ILLARD B OOKS is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.

This is a revised and expanded edition of The Complete Book of Abs, which was published in 1993 by Villard Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

eBook ISBN: 978-0-8041-8147-1
ISBN 978-0-375-75143-1

www.villard.com

Revised and Expanded Edition

Text design by Beth Tondreau Design/Mary A. Wirth

v3.1

S ince the first edition of The Complete Book of Abs, the interest and obsession with ABs has continued to grow: new machines, dozens of articles appear every month, and new diets and supplements continually show up on the scene. Ive written two other books, The Complete Book of Butt and Legs and The Complete Book of Shoulders and Arms, and the media still call primarily to talk about ABs. Our obsession is here to stay.

The purpose of the second edition is to stay updated with this growth and continue to emphasize the basics. By the basics I mean three things necessary to shape and strengthen your ABs: specific AB exercises, cardiovascular work, and a healthy and balanced diet. And you have to be consistent. The second edition reinforces these principles with new exercises, routines, recipes, and a meal planner to help you organize your eating and workout schedule.

The second edition remains a reference resource packed with information useful to athletes, coaches, personal trainers, and advanced fitness enthusiasts. We have also tried to make this edition more user-friendly. We have simplified the system, added a less-complicated Get Started Now System, and included a basic weight-training program. The second edition is really for your whole body. Its everything you need to get started on a complete fitness program. Train hard, train smart.

Kurt Brungardt

by KURT and BRETT BRUNGARDT

Your ABs are the center of your body. They are part of almost every movement you do. They are the core of your strength and power. Every time you lift, bend, twist, shift weight, or balance, power is transferred through your ABs. Strong ABs are essential for good posture and preventing lower-back problems, which makes them a key area in your physical well-being.

The ABs are also the key to physical beauty. Everyone is concerned with having a flat midsection. If you see someone on the beach and his or her ABs are toned, you assume that persons in good shape. And if you see someone with a gut, you assume he or she is out of shape.

Considering their importance, the abdominal muscles have always been shortchanged in exercise books. They are usually given a single chapter with seven or eight exercises and two or three routines. The Complete Book of ABs offers over a hundred different exercises and dozens of routines all in one volume.

Most important, this book ties in AB work with sound training principles. Its not as simple as it used to be. To ensure a balanced abdominal workout, you need to do more than get down on the floor and crank out a hundred sit-ups. The ABs are like any other body part. The different areas of the abdomen need to be worked in isolation. You need a large pool of exercises (everyone has personal favorites), so you can create variety in your routines, causing your muscles to continually adapt and improve, giving you the best overall development. In this book, you will find answers to the AB questions you always wanted to ask. Questions such as: How long and how often should I train? What exercises should I start with? How often should I change my routine? Should I do my exercises in a certain order? How hard should I push myself? Should I work out if Im sore? Which exercises are most effective for which areas? Are certain exercises dangerous for my lower back? Does my mind play an important role in working out? How should I change my diet to help trim up my ABs?

You will find the answers to these and other questions in this book.

The truth is: There are no shortcuts to great ABs. The only way to trim and tone your ABs is through a combination of consistent, focused AB exercises, a disciplined diet, and regular cardiovascular work (running, biking, rowing, etc.). The bright spot in the midst of this harsh reality is that once you accept the truth, its easy to get what you want. A good plan is half the battle. This book maps out a step-by-step process to help you achieve your goals.

Your part of the bargain is making the commitment. This shouldnt scare or intimidate you. It doesnt mean signing your life away. It means working your ABs five to ten minutes a day, three times a week. But you must do this consistently, making exercise a regular part of your life. It makes no sense to exercise three months and then take a month off. Set realistic goals and then work toward them. The benefits of this small commitment will surprise you. Your muscles will start to firm up, backaches may dissipate, and your posture will improve. Once the workout habit is established, you will naturally want to move on to the next level. Remember: A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

There are many misconceptions surrounding the ABs. There is an absurd history of gimmicks that promise to trim the ABs: plastic suits, suction devices you hook to your vacuum cleaner, waist girdles to wear to the office, and machines that jiggle your belly. Here are some common myths surrounding the ABs.

Sit-ups will make me lose weight around my waist so I look good in a swimsuit.

Current theory shows that exercise stimulates fat reduction throughout the entire body, not in localized areas. You cant spot-reduce specific areas. Tests done on tennis players show their dominant arm (the arm with which they swing the racket) is bigger and has more muscle mass than their inactive armbut has the same fat percentage. Similarly, if you work out your stomach with isolation exercises, that area will get stronger and firmer, but you will not reduce the fat specifically in that area. The new tone will be underneath your fat layers. Only by burning more calories than you take in will you reduce your fat percentage, and this will take place throughout your entire body. Only when you lose the fat will you be able to see the new, defined muscles of your stomach.