ALPHA/OMEGA
ABS
An eight-week program to rip up the midsection.
A major bodybuilding myth is the viewpoint that the secret to good ab development is to spend hours a day doing ab work. In fact such an approach won't work as the key to creating well-defined abs is to train them correctly, not excessively. Doing endless sets and reps is not going to, literally, cut it.
With the ALPHA/OMEGA Abs program, we give you a complete exercises, sets and reps guide to developing a ripped-up midsection in eight weeks. The workload per routine equates to eight sets of never more than 15 reps a set. The next section sets lays out the basics of ALPHA/OMEGA Abs program.
ALPHA/OMEGA
ABS: THE FUNDAMENTALS
1. Don't focus on rep quantity. Doing sets of 30 reps or so for abs is common.
Unfortunately, that's a better strategy for burning calories than it is for
developing abdominals - and it doesn't even do that very well. There's a limit
to how many reps of any exercise you can perform and still contract maximally,
forcing your target muscles to work as hard as possible. Therefore, when you
set a goal of 25 reps, you cannot work your target muscle as hard per rep
as you can if you're only performing 10 reps. Just as with other bodypart
training, fewer more intense reps will help you develop your abs much better
than high-volume training.
2. Focus on rep quality. How you perform each rep will have much more effect on the development of your abs than any other variable, including exercise selection, number of sets and even the frequency of abs training. In the description of each exercise, we lay out the thought process you need to follow to get the most from each rep.
3. Train abs like other bodyparts. To most effectively train your abs, you need only train them two to three times a week with a reasonable number of sets. Abs should be trained with the same intensity you bring to every other bodypart, however, so don't start your abs training while exhausted from the intensity of other bodypart work. When focusing on abs development, keep the rest of your training moderate in order to work abs with the intensity they require.
4. Limit the number of sets you perform. One mistake some amateur bodybuilders make is to perform as many exercises as they can think of in one training session, performing 20 or more sets. But abs are a small bodypart, and they can be fully worked with a relatively short intense training session. Our program limits you to no more than eight sets of abs work.
5. Use a slow deliberate rep pace. Rep pace for abs training should be moderate to slow, allowing you to feel your abs stretching and flexing through the whole range of motion. Often, less-experienced bodybuilders will train abs with explosive movements. Although that type of training may improve sports performance, it doesn't help you build and define your abdominals the way controlled stretching and flexing will.
6. Consider exercise selection. We outline a very specific exercise protocol in this training section. These exercises were selected because they complement each other to help you develop a complete midsection. Each exercise targets a specific aspect of abs development, as explained in the exercise description. Many other equally valid training routines can be constructed, but if you make substitutions, choose exercises which replace the targeted effects of those you are eliminating. Often, bodybuilders will choose an exercise because they find it easier to perform than another. That comfort zone may be a signal that you have "plateaued" with that particular exercise and may derive more benefit from using another exercise in its place. We recommend that you try our specific abs exercise plan with its variations during your eight-week program to challenge your midsection in a way you may never have tried before.
The
training volume for these exercises may seem skimpy compared to what you’re
used to. If you still feel that way after you’re done, then you aren’t working
hard enough on each rep. For targeted abdominal training, perform no more
than eight sets. As
you adjust to this style of abdominal training, you may begin to feel that
the level of intensity is beginning to decrease. If that’s the case, you should
strive to work harder during each rep.
You can do this by slowing down your rep pace, forcing even more effort into
your midsection. You can also use “pulse” crunches, where you crunch down
more than once during each rep.
Keep in mind that building well-defined abdominal muscles stems more from your intensity than from any other variable. Do the ALPHA/OMEGA Abs routine twice a week for eight weeks and your midsection will soon become the center of attention. Click on the exercises below or on the
ALPHA/OMEGA
ABS: THE EXERCISES
EXERCISE
# 1: TWISTING CRUNCH
This
exercise may sound like a candy bar, but it will have the opposite effect
on your waistline. It's an excellent first exercise in your abdominal routine
because it targets both the six-pack and your side abdominals.
Starting
Position
Lie with your back on the floor, knees bent and toes in contact with the wall.
Hold your hands behind your neck with your elbows flared open.
Movement
Use your hands to support your neck and head, but avoid pulling on them. Bring
your upper body up off the floor using the power of your abs, and twist your
upper torso so that one elbow begins to move toward the opposite knee. It's
critical to feel that you are rotating at the midsection, not at the hips.
Bring your body up to the point where you feel the maximal contraction - this
should be before you can actually touch your elbow to your knee. At this point,
contract down on your six-pack and side abdominals. Holding your abs tight,
return to the floor, concentrating on feeling the stretch as you lower your
body. Still holding your abs tight, twist up toward the opposite knee with
the other elbow. Focus on keeping
your entire midsection tight throughout the set.
ALPHA/OMEGA
ABS: THE EXERCISES
EXERCISE #2: CRUNCHES
This is an excellent exercise for getting a deep contraction in the center of your rectus, helping you bring out the details in your six-pack.
Starting Position
While lying on the floor, place your feet against a wall so that your lower
legs form about a 90-degree angle with your upper legs, and your upper legs
form a 90-degree angle with your torso. Place your hands across your chest
or at the side of your head, whichever feels more comfortable, and maintain
this position throughout the exercise.
Movement
Bring
yourself up using the power of your abs. As your upper body begins to rise
off the floor, concentrate on the effort in your abdominals rather than on
how high up you can go. As you reach your highest point, contract your abs,
squeezing them for a full second or two. Continue to hold your abs tight as
you begin to lower your body - don't make the mistake of relaxing and allowing
gravity and momentum to bring you back to the floor. Think about the stretch
that you feel in your abs as you lower yourself back to the floor. Between
reps, continue to hold your abs tight - don't relax and then re-tense them
to start the next rep.
ALPHA/OMEGA
ABS: THE EXERCISES
EXERCISE # 4: REVERSE CRUNCH
This is a difficult movement to master, but an excellent exercise to help define the lower portion of the six-pack, one of the most challenging parts of the midsection to develop.
Starting Position
Lie on the floor or on a bench and hold onto something stable placed just
beyond your head. Hold your legs off the ground with 90-degree bends at both
your knees and hips.
Movement
Keep your upper body, from about your pecs upwards, stationary throughout
the set. Curl your lower back so that your hips are off the ground. From that
position, use your abs to raise your hips higher. This movement may be very
slight, only an inch or two, particularly when you first start to use this
exercise. Raise your hips only as high as you can while still forcefully contracting
your abs for a second or two. Then, still controlling your hips and holding
your abs tight, lower your hips until they are just off the ground. Go into
your second rep without allowing the abs to relax or the hips to come back
to the ground.
ALPHA/OMEGA
ABS: THE EXERCISES
EXERCISE # 3: HIGH-PULLEY SIDE BENDS
This exercise targets the obliques and serratus and, when performed properly, will allow you to feel a deep contraction on your sides unlike any other exercise.
Starting Position
Stand a few feet away from a high-cable weight stack with your side square
to the stack and your feet about shoulder-width apart. With your opposite
hand, grasp the handle attached to the high cable with a comfortable bend
at the shoulder and at the elbow. Choose a moderate weight for this exercise
as the weight is used primarily as a counterbalance.
Movement
Bend to the side using only your upper body, trying to avoid any body movement
below your navel. Maintain the bend in your shoulder and elbow throughout
the set - avoid pulling on the handle in a way that changes these angles.
As you bend to the side, focus on the tightening sensation on your side from
your lats to just under your pecs. The movement is small, maybe only a few
inches. At full bend, tighten and squeeze your obliques and serratus on your
sides. Continue to hold them tight as you return to the upright position.
When performed correctly, you can feel a deep stretch as you straighten up.
Continue to hold your side abdominals tight as you transition into the next
rep. Perform 10 reps on each side. 