TOTAL-BODY WORKBOOK version
2.0
THE MUSCLE GROUPS 1 EX TERNAL OBLIQUE 2 RECTUS ABDOMINIS
WORDS ADAM CAMPBELL. WORKOUTS MICHAEL MEJIA. PHOTOGRAPHY RICHARD CORMAN. WORKOUT PHOTOGRAPHY BETH BISCHOFF
Chapter 6 of our ten-part series thatll teach you how to build the body you want, one muscle group at a time
Abs
BEGINNER
Do the routine described here two or three times a week. After you finish your abdominal exercises, you can try one set of 8 to 12 repetitions of the following: 1. Lat pull-down 2. Squat or leg press 3. Leg curl 4. Dumb-bell chest press 5. Cable or dumb-bell row 6. Cable triceps extension 7. Dumb-bell biceps curl
Your abdominal muscles are a lot like a skilled group of employees. The harder they work, the better they make you look. And vice versa. This is because you use your abs in virtually every movement that matters: Lifting. Running. Jumping. Reproducing. (It takes a lot of midsection stability to stand over that copier machine. Especially when its printing on both sides of the page.) So the stronger they are, the harder and longer youll be able to play. This eight-week ab-building programme works your entire midsection not just the six-pack muscle (rectus abdominis, for you Latin lovers) but also your obliques (at the sides of your waist) and your lower back. And some of the exercises even strengthen the deep abdominal and lowerback muscles that help you sit up straighter when you arent moving. So whether youre bending, twisting, leaping or chilling, these exercises ensure that you and your abs will perform better and last longer.
The rest of your workout
INTERMEDIATE
Do these ab exercises first in your workout. After that, its up to you how to fit in exercises for other muscle groups. Here are some suggestions.
Divide your programme into two workouts, one for your upper body and one for your lower body. Perform your abdominal exercises on the day you do your lowerbody workout. Alternate between the two workouts, taking a day off after each. Upper-body workout: Choose one exercise each for chest, back, biceps and triceps. Do two or three sets of the chest and back exercises, and one or two sets of the exercises for the arms. Lower-body workout: After doing the abdominal programme in this instalment, choose one hipdominant lift an exercise that emphasises the hamstrings and gluteals (examples include stepups and deadlifts). Then choose one knee-dominant exercise, meaning the emphasis is on the quadriceps muscles of the front of the thigh (squats, leg presses and lunges qualify). Do two or three warm-up sets and two work sets of both of these moves. (A work set means youre using the most weight you can for that number of repetitions. The warmup sets should be percentages of that weight maybe 40%, 60% and 80%. Do fewer repetitions in each warm-up set.) Add your choice of calf exercises.
ADVANCED
Divide your workout into four parts. Do each one once a week; dont work out more than two days in a row. 1. Shoulders and arms 2. Abdominal and kneedominant exercises (described left), plus calves 3. Chest and back 4. Abdominal and hip-dominant exercises (also left), plus calves again
YEAR
PL ANNER
Shoulders Chest & Back 1 Chest & Back 2 Legs & Glutes 1 Legs & Glutes 2 Abs & Lower Back Arms 1 Arms 2 Total-Body Muscle Total-Body Fat Loss
May: June: July/August: September: October: November: December: Jan/Feb: March: April:
D I F F I C U LT Y L E V E L 1 2 3 4 5 6
10
Abs beginner
If youre new to working out or even returning to it after a long lay-off consider yourself a beginner.
Do the four beginner exercises for four weeks, followed by the intermediate exercises on the next page for weeks 5 to 8.
Weeks 1-2
BRIDGE
Start to get into a press-
2 sets of 10-12 repetitions
of each exercise except the bridge 2-3 sets of 12-15 Do weeks 1 to 4 of the intermediate programme.
up position, but bend your elbows, resting your weight on your forearms instead of your hands.
Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Pull in your abdominals (imagine youre trying to pull your belly-button to
your spine). Hold this for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing steadily. Release, then repeat for another 20 to 30 seconds. Thats two sets.
Weeks 3-4 Weeks 5-8
RUSSIAN TWIST
Sit on the floor with your
knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Hold your arms straight out in front of your chest with
your palms facing down. Lean back so your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Twist to the left as far as you can, pause, then
twist all the way back to the right as far as you can. As you get stronger, hold a light weight in your hands as you do this.
TOWEL CRUNCH
Sit on the floor with your
knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Set a rolled-up towel under the arch of your lower back and lie back so your head rests on the floor. Place your fingers behind your ears. Raise your head and shoulders and crunch your ribcage towards your pelvis. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.
BACK EXTENSION
Position yourself in a
Raise your upper body
back-extension station and hook your feet under the leg anchor. Hold your arms straight out in front of you. Your body should form a straight line from your hands to your hips. Lower your torso, allowing your lower back to round, until its just short of perpendicular to the floor.
until its slightly above parallel to the floor. At this point you should have a slight arch in your back, and your shoulder blades should be pulled together. Pause for a second or two, then repeat.
D I F F I C U LT Y L E V E L 1 2 3 4 5 6
10
Abs intermediate
An intermediate has been lifting for at least six months to a year, has tried several different workout programmes, and has seen gains in strength and muscle mass.
An intermediate should do the four intermediate exercises shown here for four weeks, then the advanced exercises for weeks 5 to 8.
Weeks 1-2 Weeks 3-4 Weeks 5-6 Weeks 7-8
TOTAL-BODY WORKBOOK
version 2.0
TWO-POINT BRIDGE
Get into the standard
2 sets of 4-6 3 sets of 6-8 2 sets of 3-5 2-3 sets of 5-8
press-up position. Lift your right hand and your left leg off the floor at the same time. Hold for three to five seconds. Thats one repetition. Return to the starting position, then repeat, this time lifting your left hand and your right leg. Alternate until youve completed all of your repetitions. Make sure you do an equal number with each hand and leg.
HANGING LEG RAISE
Grasp a chin-up bar with
an overhand grip and hang from it at arms length, with your knees slightly bent. If you have elbow straps (shown), hang from them. Without bending your legs any more, lift your knees towards your chest by rounding your back and curling your hips towards your ribcage. Pause, then slowly lower your legs again.
SWISS-BALL CRUNCH
Lie on your back on
LOW-TO-HIGH REVERSE WOODCHOPPER Stand with your right side facing a cable station, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend over and hold the stirrup handle with both hands by your right calf muscle. Your shoulders will be rotated towards the cable machine. Keep your arms straight throughout the movement. Pull the handle up and across your torso as you
straighten your body and twist your shoulders to the left. Your right arm will end up in front of your face, the handle at the same height as your ear.
Pause, then slowly return
to the starting position. Finish the reps on this side, then switch sides.
a Swiss ball with your hands behind your ears. Raise your head and shoulders and crunch your ribcage towards your pelvis. Pause and slowly return to the starting position.
D I F F I C U LT Y L E V E L 1 2 3 4 5 6
10
Abs advanced
Do the three intermediate exercises on the previous page for four weeks, then switch to the advanced exercises for weeks 5 to 8.
Weeks 1-2 Weeks 3-4 Weeks 5-6 Weeks 7-8
TOTAL-BODY WORKBOOK version
2.0
To use the advanced level youll have been lifting consistently for more than a year, seen considerable gains in strength and size, be proficient at squats and several varieties of deadlift, and able to do at least five chin-ups.
SWISS-BALL JACKKNIFE
Get into press-up
2 sets of 68 3 sets of 810 2 sets of 68 2-3 sets of 810
position your hands set slightly wider than and in line with your shoulders but instead of placing your feet on
the floor, rest your shins on a Swiss ball. With your arms straight and your back flat, your body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles.
Roll the Swiss ball
towards your chest by raising your hips and rounding your back as you pull the ball forwards with your feet. Pause, then return
the ball to the starting position by lowering your hips and rolling it backwards.
OBLIQUE HANGING LEG RAISE Grasp a chin-up bar with an overhand grip and hang from it at arms length, with your knees LONG-ARM CIRCLE CRUNCH Lie on your back on a Swiss ball with your arms extended straight above your head in line with
slightly bent. If you have elbow straps, hang from them. Then raise your legs until your knees are bent at 90 degrees. Keep your knees bent and lift your left hip towards your left armpit, until your lower legs are nearly parallel to the floor. Pause, then return to the starting position and lift your right hip towards your right armpit. Thats one repetition. your right hip, then continue contracting your abdominals to move your torso anti-clockwise until youre crunching upwards, then left, and
TWISTING BACK EXTENSION Hook your feet under the leg anchor of a back-extension station. Place your fingers behind your ears.
Lower your upper body,
Raise and twist your
allowing your lower back to round, until its just short of perpendicular to the floor.
upper body until its slightly above parallel to the floor and facing left. Pause, then lower your torso and repeat, twisting right. Thats one rep.
your ears and your thumbs crossed so they interlock. Raise your head and shoulders and crunch your ribcage towards
then down, so that your upper body moves in a circle. Each circle you complete is one rep.
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