Though
we wouldn’t quibble with Patrick Bateman in the arenas of business card
design or dissecting prostitutes, his workout needs a tweak. That
washboard stomach is in spite of, rather than thanks to, a
1000-crunch-a-day regime that’s more likely to leave him with lumbar
problems than a six-pack.
It’s
faulty logic that sees a sit-up as the abs version of a bicep curl. A
six-pack is, as the name suggests, not one muscle. So it needs more than
a pump. There’s all manner of engineering under there and you need to
work smarter if you want a core that ripples like a bag of puppies. And,
if you want to keep hitting the gym. That’s because, according to
research by sport science OG Stuart McGill, sit-ups and crunches put so
much force through your spine that you’re more likely to get popping
discs than popping abs.
So switch out for the moves proven to pump up that six-pack – without trading in your PT for chiropractor.
Ab Rollouts
Why It Works
It’s
telling that the dudes in white coats recommend flipping the crunch
over to get your abs on show. A 2010 study found roll-outs hit your
rectus abdominis – that’s the muscle that pops to give you those six
distinct paving stones – harder than either sit-ups or crunches. Without
snapping your spine.
How To Do It
Think
of the roll-out as a dynamic plank. If your gym has an ab rollout
wheel, ideal. If not, use a barbell, or a towel on a slippery floor.
Rest
on your knees with your hands in front of you, then slowly push your
hands and shoulders forward. The lower you can go, the more effective
the move, although it’s best start slow and build up; if you can’t keep
your hips locked and back flat then you’re risking injury.
At full extension, pause, then contract your abs to pull yourself home. Catch your breath and repeat for 10 reps.
Goblet Squat
Why It Works
As
a training rule of thumb, ditch moves with no real-world application
for ones that mimic things you’d do outside the gym. So a move that hits
every muscle in your body and trains you to lift heavy things is,
arguably, more valuable than flexing your midriff like a flipped turtle.
Holding
the weight in front of you is a better six-pack builder than racking it
on your back – your core’s job is to support your spine, so shifting
the downforce forward makes it work overtime to pull you upright.
Meaning a side of back pain relief served with your washboard.
How To Do It
Grab
a dumbbell or kettlebell with both hands and hold it in front of your
chest, elbows tight against your torso. Push your hips back and sink
into a deep squat, keeping your weight on your heels.
Focus
on locking your core and pulling your shoulders back to keep your chest
up, and back straight, as you push to standing. Repeat for 10 reps.
Standing Russian Twists
Why It Works
A
granite six-pack doesn’t just look good from the front. For all-round
core strength you need to hit your obliques too – the muscles that flank
your rectus abdominis and which ensure that your gains are more than
just skin deep.
But
don’t be tempted by the ol’ sit-up with a twist – Canadian research
found they work your bones more than your muscles. So switch to rotation
in a standing position, which keeps your spine in line and hammers
everything that keeps it there.
How To Do It
Grab
a weight plate or medicine ball and hold it in front of you with both
hands. Clench your abs and glutes to keep your spine locked then rotate
explosively to one side.
Pause, then reverse, going equally as far in the opposite direction. Repeat for 10 reps.
Interval Sprints
Why It Works
Here’s
a secret – everyone has a six-pack. It’s just that most are hidden
under a layer of fat. If you’re carrying too many extra kilos, your abs
will stay swaddled. Which is the main reason sit-ups aren’t an effective
six-pack move – they burn next to no calories, so the abs-cloaking
belly remains.
By
adding high intensity interval training to your workout you spike your
body’s ability to torch the wobble. Which gets your six-pack on show
quicker.
How To Do It
Pick
a cardio exercise and switch between 20-second bursts at 100 per cent
effort and 10-second rest periods. Repeat for eight rounds total at
first, then build up to longer stints.
It’s
all the blubber-burning benefits of a 45-minute run, in a quarter of
the time. Although be prepared to become reacquainted with your lunch.
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