If You Want Amazing Abs...YOU BETTER HAVE AMAZING LEGS!

A lot of new clients ask me what type of ab work I personally do to get shredded abs, and I proceed to go into the follow auto-responder: 

1.) I eat like a caveman

My Rapid Fat Loss Nutrition System  focuses on consuming core meals (consisting of lean proteins, healthy fats, and green vegetables) every 2-4 hours for a total of 4-6 meals per day depending on my current goals (fat loss or muscle gain emphasis. I only consume activity meals (consisting of leans proteins, nutrient dense whole grains carbs, and fruits and veggies) after intense exercise and when I am trying to get super ripped, I simply don’t consume activity meals for weeks at a time.
 
2.) I train my whole body, not just more core
Everybody knows we all have awesome abs underneath that blubbery winter suit. So the key to burning off that protective lard layer is to train your whole body to provide the maximal muscle-building and fat-burning stimulus. On top of that, when I train my core, I focus on pillar movement that works the shoulder, hips, and core in three planes of movement (see side planks below) so get as many muscles involved as possible.

3.) I really focus on strengthening and building as much lower body muscle as possible

I take leg training seriously because it separates the men from the boys and the women from the girls. Leg training is brutal and that’s why most people are too wimpy to do it. However, the majority of your muscle mass is in your lower body and thus strong and muscular legs are the key to building a skyrocket metabolism that will have you burning fat and building muscle 24-7. That’s why every one of my workouts contains both a double-leg movement and a single-leg movement and I alternated between knee and hip-dominant variations for both on a workout to workout basis to balance my lower body training. So if you want a flat, 6-pack abs, you better focus on getting nice legs first!

Check out my workout for today, it was legit, and it epitomizes my training system for abs:
TOTAL BODY CIRCUIT TRAINING!

Pre-Workout A- 5 minutes
Self-Massage w/ Softball & Foam Rolling
Flexibility Circuit


8-Exercise Tabata Circuit
- Perform each exercise for max reps for 20 s, with a 10 s transition to the next exercise in the exact exercise order listed below for 4 straight minutes:
 Exercise#1- Bilateral Knee-Dominant:   MB Jump Squats
Exercise#2- Vertical Pull:   Neutral-Grip Pull-ups
Exercise#3- Vertical Push:  Parallel Bar Dips
Exercise#4- Unilateral Hip-Dominant Variation:  Single-Leg Hip Extension with off-leg parallel to floor with arms across chest (left leg)
Exercise#5- Unilateral Hip-Dominant Variation:  Single-Leg Hip Extension with off-leg parallel to floor with arms across chest (right leg)
Exercise#6- Core Hip-Dominant:  Valslide Mountain Climbes
Exercise#7- Core Linear Stabilization:  Left Side Pillar w/ Abduction (top leg raise)
Exercise#8- Core Linear Stabilization:  Right Side Pillar w/ Abduction (top leg raise)
- After completing the last exercise, take a 1-minute rest and transition
- Perform this 5-minute sequence 4x for 20 total minutes

I must admit I had to take a 15 s rest in the middle of the 3rd minute as I was dying, but I sucked it up and kept going. This was absolutely deadly! I felt it EVERYWHERE… I think I saw God’s face on the last round, ha ha!

Finisher A- “30-30’s”
Exercise#1- Total Body: KB Deadlift to Curl
Exercise#2- Total Body: KB Squat to Press
Perform this 1-minute round 5x for 5 total minutes

Post-Workout- 5 minutes
Self-Massage w/ Softball & Foam Rolling
Flexibility Circuit

Get Fit!

Jeff McDaniel,C.P.T.
FastFit Fitness
http://thefastfit.com