Muscle - The Big Book of Abs

A RT D IRECTION AND D ESIGN BY A RIEL C EPED
P HOTO C OORDINATOR IS I ZABELA B ERENGUT
C OPY E DITORS ARE K RISTINA H AAR AND J ENNIFER P EARSON
P RODUCTION M ANAGER IS L ESLEY K. J OHNSON
P RODUCTION C OORDINATOR IS C HRIS H AWKINS
R IGHTS AND P ERMISSIONS R ESEARCHED BY F IONA M AYNARD

D IRECTOR OF M ERGERS & A CQUISITIONS FOR A MERICAN M EDIA IS J ONATHAN B IGHAM
G ROUP E DITORIAL D IRECTOR , M USCLE & F ITNESS , M USCLE & F ITNESS H ERS AND F LEX IS P ETER M C G OUGH
F OUNDER /P UBLISHER IS J OE W EIDER
C HAIRMAN & CEO IS D AVID P ECKER
P RESIDENT AND COO IS J OHN J. M ILLER

E DITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY C HRIS A CETO , M ICHELLE B ASTA B OUBION , NSCA-CPT, C RIS B ATISTA , M ICHAEL B ERG , NSCA-CPT, F RANK G. B OTTONE J R ., MS, R. D ANIEL F OSTER , T IMOTHY C. F RITZ , CSCS, B EN K ALLEN , P HIL K APIAN , C HRIS L OCKWOOD , MS, CSCS, L ARA M C G LASHAN , MFT, J ENNIFER P EARSON , C AREY R OSSI , B ETH S ALTZ , MPH, D AN S OLOMON , S TEVE S TIEFEL , MFA, MPW, J IM S TOPPANI , P H D, C HRIS S TREET , MS, CSCS, D EBRA W EIN , MS, RD

P HOTOS BY M ICHAEL D ARTER , R ALPH D E H AAN , S ARAH A. F RIEDMAN , B OB G ARDNER , J AMES G EORGOPOULOS , H ACOB , J OHN K ELLY , B RIAN L EATART , B LAKE L ITTLE , I AN L OGAN , J OAQUIN P ALTING , R ONI R AMOS , R OBERT R EIFF , I SABEL S NYDER , C ORY S ORENSEN , I AN S PANIER , G REG Z ABILSKY

I LLUSTRATIONS BY B RYAN A LLEN , G EOFFREY G RAHN , R ON G UASTAFERRI , E DDIE G UY , B ILL R IESER

C OVER P HOTO C OURTESY OF [???]

2005, 2007 Weider Publications, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by photostat, microfilm, Xerography, or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner. Inquiries regarding permission for use of material contained in this publication should be addressed to: Weider Publications, LLC, Attn: Rights and Permissions, 21100 Erwin Street, Woodland Hills, CA 91367.

Published in 2007 by Triumph Books, 542 South Dearborn Street, Suite 750, Chicago, IL 60605.

ISBN 978-1-60078-031-8

Printed in China.

Some material contained herein previously published in Muscle & Fitness and Muscle & Fitness Hers magazines.

I NTRODUCTION
Y OUR F IRST R EP

L OWER -A B M OVEMENTS

U PPER -A B M OVEMENTS

O BLIQUE M OVEMENTS

C OMBINATION M OVEMENTS

In the often inexact science of resistance training, a number of roadblocks can limit your progress. You can probably admit to being frustrated by several along your own path to getting fit: missing workouts, trying to catch up on your training all in one day, too many desserts, a late night at the office making you too tired to work out. I remember interviewing one up-and-coming bodybuilder who told me that in his enthusiasm to build the best midsection in the sport, he did 1,500 abdominal crunches every morning and night. Thats 3,000 a day! Though this individual finally built the six-pack he so desired, it wasnt without considerable experimentation not to mention rug burn. Even today, there is a lot of confusion regarding ab training. Should you avoid heavy resistance? Are high reps better for burning the bodyfat that blurs your midsection? Are your hip flexors doing most of the work in a particular move? Is the sit-up a smart exercise choice? How do you focus on your lower abs?

How do you set up an effective routine? Little wonder you can find countless books, videotapes, DVDs and late-night infomercials hawking the truth about ab training, all promising flab-free results in minutes a day. If only it was that easy!

The fact is, you can take any number of routes to build a strong and defined midsection, but certain methods are simply better than others. Some people stumble upon what works for them by sheer luck, aided by good genetics and a fast metabolism. Others use trial and error, thinking that some magical combination of exercises will deliver them to six-pack nirvana. In reality, unless you have a very good trainer (which can cost you upward of $1,000 a month) or exceptional DNA, youre going to have to do things the same way as the rest of us by combining a smart training regimen that gradually progresses over time with a sensible eating plan as well as cardio to help you burn bodyfat. And that lifestyle approach, no matter what anyone tells you, is something you learn to live 24 hours not just minutes a day!

This book is an all-inclusive, commonsense approach to laying the groundwork for bringing out your abs in the shortest amount of time possible. No base is left uncovered. Here is a summary of what youll find in these pages:

>> In , youll find a description of the midsection muscles, along with an overview of the importance of strong abs and some motivational tips to help keep you focused.

>> In , youre given a five-week program thats especially suited for beginners and those looking to start with the basics. The workouts build on one another, so each subsequent weeks exercises are slightly harder, challenging you as you gain strength. Also included is a cardio program that increases in difficulty over the course of the five weeks, helping you not only burn fat more optimally but making you fitter and healthier as well. In addition, you get a phase-in nutrition plan that allows you to become accustomed to eating right rather than just going cold turkey as you learn all-new nutritional habits.

>> is a virtual encyclopedia of intermediate and advanced exercises that you can use as your abdominal muscles become stronger, letting you customize your workout for at home or in the gym. The easy-to-follow tips and clear photographs enable you to perform the movements correctly, ensuring faster, injury-free results.

>> is dedicated to learning how to build an effective ab routine, featuring sample workouts from fitness athletes and bodybuilders with outstanding midsections. Because what works for one person may not work for another, this is a great way to see how an individual customizes his or her routine for the best possible results.

>> In , youll find a comprehensive review of nutrition fundamentals as well as a program on how to vary your carbohydrate intake to optimize fat loss. Fat-loss supplements and a speedy eight-day program to look great, which relies on the same nutritional tools bodybuilders use to peak for a competition, are also presented.