Ab workouts

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#1 Crunches

Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground or on a "sit-up board." Cross your hands and place them on your upper chest. Keep your head and neck stable.

The Exercise: You should visualize the rib cage being drawn down and in toward the pelvis when the abdominals contract. Both the contraction and the eccentric (i.e., lowering) phase should be slow and precise.

Caution: Don't put your hands behind your head. This leads to poor form and possible injury.


Reverse Crunches
#2 Reverse Crunches

Lie on your back on a flat or slightly inclined bench, and grab the top of the bench. Bend your knees, so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor over your hips. Keep your knees and your feet close together to reduce unnecessary motion.

The Exercise: Slowly contract the abdominals, focusing on a bringing the pelvis up and in toward your rib cage. Let the abs do the work. Lower the pelvis to its starting position, maintaining constant tension on the abs.

Caution: Don't perform this exercise quickly; excess momentum can cause you to lose proper form and may lead to lower back injury.

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CHEST TRAINING

o Incline Dumbbell Presses
1 set x 15 reps
2-3 sets x 10 reps / 3-0-2 tempo
(Take three seconds to lower the weight, no pause, and two seconds to raise the weight.)

o Flat Dumbbell Presses
4-5 x 10-15 (increase weight each set) / 3-0-2 tempo

o Incline Dumbbell Flyes
3 x 15-20 / 3-0-2 tempo

BICEPS


Biceps and Triceps Training Exercises
o Standing Barbell Curls
3 x 15 / 3-0-2 tempo

o Preacher Curls
3-4 x 10-12 / 4-0-3 tempo

o Seated Dumbbell Curls
2-3 x 8-12 (each arm) / 2-0-2 tempo

Training Exercises for Rock-Hard Abs

AB EXERCISES

o Crunches
4 x 25
fairly slow tempo, but don't obsess about counting

o Reverse Crunches
3 x 10-20 / 3-0-3 tempo

Day 3—Wednesday, Workout #2



SHOULDER TRAINING


Shoulder Weight Training Exercises
o Overhead Dumbbell Presses
3-4 to failure / 3-1-2 tempo

o Lateral Dumbbell Raises
3 x 8-10 / 2-1-2 tempo

o Seated Rear Dumbbell Rows
3 x 10-12 / 2-0-2 tempo

Day 5—Friday, Workout #3
Back Muscles Weight Training Exercises

BACK MUSCLES

o Pullups (Chin ups)
3-4 to failure / 3-0-2 tempo

o Bent-Over Rows
3-4 x 10-12 / 2-0-3 tempo

o One-Arm Dumbbell Rows
3 x 12-15 / 2-0-2 tempo


TRICEPS

o Overhead Triceps Extensions
3 x 15 or to total failure / 4-1-2 tempo

o Lying Overhead Triceps Extensions
4-6 x 15 / 4-1-4 tempo

o Cable Rope Extensions
3 x 10-15 reps / 3-2-3 tempo

Day 7—Sunday, Workout #4

LEG MUSCLES


Lifting Exercises for Leg Muscles
o Free-Weight Squats
Sometimes, just for the sake of variety, I'll use squats as my only exercise.
6-12 x 4-6 to 12-15 / 3-0-3 tempo
(Take about three minutes to fully recuperate between sets if you're really working out hard.)

o Or Leg Presses
(I recommend using this exercise every third workout instead of squatting.)
4-8 x 8-15 / 2-0-2 or 2-0-1 tempo
(Again, take about three minutes to fully recuperate between sets.)

o Dumbbell Lunges
3-4 x 10-15 Or 1 to failure for a burnout at the end of the leg workout / 2-0-2 tempo

o Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
3-4 x 8-15 / 3-0-3 tempo

o Or Lying Leg Curls
3-6 x 8-10 / 2-0-2 to 4-0-4 tempo

o Seated Calf Raises
3-4 x 12 / 3-0-1 tempo

o Or Standing Heel Raises
3-4 x 8 / 3-0-1 tempo