Perform the ab exercises 3-4+ times every week every other day/workout (for example, use a 1 day on/1 off, 2 on/1 off, 3 on/1 off, or 5 on/2 off, etc. but not a 7 day on/0 off) and after working out your other muscle groups (do abs last) and in this order (always work lower abs first, then upper abs since your lower abs require fresh upper abs as stabilizers during the exercises) and exhale on your (positive) contractions: (you can also do ab exercises (such as 4 sets of leg lifts/crunches every morning after waking up in bed (before breakfast) to burn up to 3 times as much fat since your blood sugar levels are lowest then--caffeine or the FATLOSS e/c/a stack will help accelerate it also):

LEG LIFTS --primarily for toning your lower abs and hip flexors-- the straighter your legs, the more you'll work your hip flexors and the more bent your legs, the more you'll work your lower abs--alternate or superset them for best results
(Do them from a support (V-hold/L-hold on parallel bars) position if you can--otherwise you can just hang from a bar instead)Concentrate on contracting/"folding" your "hips/bottom onto your naval/ribcage" as you SLOWLY lift and SLOWLY lower your legs (you can bend your knees if doing it with straight legs is too hard). You can superset your sets by starting with straight legs until you reach exhautstion/failure for the set and then immediately switching to bent knees to continue the set. Your legs can also lift/use a weight tied/attached to legs for greater resistance and supersetting.
3-4 sets

SIT UPS --primarily for your upper & middle abs and hip flexors
Perform SLOW contractions on the way up AND down. Hips/bottom should always remain in contact with the floor/mat/board--jerking up is pointless and defeats the purpose of resistance.
3-4 sets

CRUNCHES --primarily for your upper abs
Same as above but don't go above about 30 degrees off the floor/board and you should always feel a tightness in your upper abdominal region.
3-4 sets

You can vary this routine to suit individual strengths/abilities and goals. I find that the following exact rountine works best for getting the rippled look I want:

After a set of supersetted leg-lifts from a V-hold, I usually superset my sit-ups into crunches--I do a set of sit-ups upside down (on a sit-up board set at a 30-45 degree decline while holding a 35 lb. weight) to exhaustion,continue with non-weighted sit-ups to exhaustion, continue with crunches to exhaustion, and then I flip off the sit-board.

Repeat 3-5 times, then stretch, hit the lockers, inhale some 5 grams of creatine, then off to the showers,and then scarf down some dinner at a restaurant or homecook my own (anything from filet migon/steak marinated in red wine (or try some shrimp scampi--marinate in white wine & sautee in melted butter--yummy (only 15 minutes to prepare if you hurry) to microwaved hamburgers and Lean Cuisine--yummy!--cholesterol, what's that? :) If I'm in a hurry or on the run, I'll just scarf down some cans of tuna, ion-exchange whey protein,hardboiled eggs, or fajitas of turkey slices wrapped in tortillas (they're quick to make and yummy!) (I always make sure I have some of those in my gymbag--they really keep you going if you're still doing those gymnastics skill workouts) right after lifting (which usually takes me 30 minutes to 1.5 hours to finish depending on what muscle groups I'm shredding that day) Click here to see my routine

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© Copyright 1996 Jason Hun RippedGymnast@cheerful.com All rights reversed. Printed on 100% recycled electrons. 94% fat-free. Dolphin-safe.

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