Most of us slack off when it comes to incorporating an one of many available ab workout routines for men into our overall fitness regimen. Whether you’re a runner, hit the gym to lift weights every day, or incorporate one of the home workout routines for men on the market such as P90X, we all get so focused on seeing visible results in our major muscle groups that we neglect to incorporate an ab workout routine altogether. However, when we neglect to include a core workout into our fitness plan, we’re ignoring one of the most fundamental muscle groups to human movement and physiology.
I’ve been guilty of it as well. I started serious training with weights in college and gravitated toward a 3 day split routine that fit my schedule. I would train the primary muscle groups in succession: chest and back, shoulders and arms, and then legs on day three. However, even as easy as it would have been to incorporate any of the available ab workout routines for men into one of the splits, especially on the same session as legs, I completely ignored it. Subsequently, I gave up core power that would have progressed my overall training along at a faster pace. Similarly, I was a competitive cyclist for five years before I was basically smacked over the head by my coach for not completing a twice a week core workout routine. I was leaving an immense amount of power out of my pedal stroke by not strengthening my abdominal muscles and lower back.
So of the myriad choices of workout routines for men available no matter the routine you choose, I hope that you’ll consider boosting your overall fitness and strength by adding an ab workout routine into your plan. I’m going to outline one below that you may choose to try. Many of the exercises can be adapted to your current fitness level as it’s easy to add or subtract repetitions as needed.Additionally, if you have back issues, you may want to use modified versions of some of the exercises.
Twice a Week Ab Workout Routine
Fit Ball Pass – 3 sets of 10 repetitions
This exercise can be done with a fit ball to begin, however, as you progress you may want to try completing it with a weighted medicine ball. Start with a 4 pound ball and then progress to 6 and then 8 as needed.
Lie on the floor flat on your back with the fit ball between your feet and your legs outstretched. Stretch your arms out over your head. Lift the fit ball with your legs (keeping them extended) and raise your arms to grab the ball from your feet as the ball comes in line with your waist. Lower your legs and arms at the same time (with the fit ball in your hands), bringing the fit ball and your feet a few inches from the floor. Repeat, bringing the ball back up with your hands and passing it to your feet at waist level. Bring the fit ball back down to a few inches from the floor with your feet and do the same with your arms. That’s one repetition.
Plank – 3 times at 60 seconds
Simple lie on the floor face down and then raise your body up onto your toes and elbows with the palms on your hands on the floor. Hold this for 60 seconds.
Leg Scissors – 2 sets of 50 repetitions
Lie on your back and then raise your upper body onto your elbows with your palms face down and tucked under the small of your back. Extend your legs in front of you and raise them four inches off the floor. Extend them outward laterally then bring them back together crossing one foot over the other. Extend them laterally again and then cross the “over” foot under this time. Be sure to keep your feet about four inches off the floor as they pass back and forth. That’s one rep.
Try incorporating this ab workout routine into your fitness plan two times per week.You can vary the number of repetitions as your fitness level improves, but you’ll find with a few weeks that this is one of the ab workout routines for men that will assist you in any area sports or fitness activity in which you participate.
I’ve been guilty of it as well. I started serious training with weights in college and gravitated toward a 3 day split routine that fit my schedule. I would train the primary muscle groups in succession: chest and back, shoulders and arms, and then legs on day three. However, even as easy as it would have been to incorporate any of the available ab workout routines for men into one of the splits, especially on the same session as legs, I completely ignored it. Subsequently, I gave up core power that would have progressed my overall training along at a faster pace. Similarly, I was a competitive cyclist for five years before I was basically smacked over the head by my coach for not completing a twice a week core workout routine. I was leaving an immense amount of power out of my pedal stroke by not strengthening my abdominal muscles and lower back.
So of the myriad choices of workout routines for men available no matter the routine you choose, I hope that you’ll consider boosting your overall fitness and strength by adding an ab workout routine into your plan. I’m going to outline one below that you may choose to try. Many of the exercises can be adapted to your current fitness level as it’s easy to add or subtract repetitions as needed.Additionally, if you have back issues, you may want to use modified versions of some of the exercises.
Twice a Week Ab Workout Routine
Fit Ball Pass – 3 sets of 10 repetitions
This exercise can be done with a fit ball to begin, however, as you progress you may want to try completing it with a weighted medicine ball. Start with a 4 pound ball and then progress to 6 and then 8 as needed.
Lie on the floor flat on your back with the fit ball between your feet and your legs outstretched. Stretch your arms out over your head. Lift the fit ball with your legs (keeping them extended) and raise your arms to grab the ball from your feet as the ball comes in line with your waist. Lower your legs and arms at the same time (with the fit ball in your hands), bringing the fit ball and your feet a few inches from the floor. Repeat, bringing the ball back up with your hands and passing it to your feet at waist level. Bring the fit ball back down to a few inches from the floor with your feet and do the same with your arms. That’s one repetition.
Plank – 3 times at 60 seconds
Simple lie on the floor face down and then raise your body up onto your toes and elbows with the palms on your hands on the floor. Hold this for 60 seconds.
Leg Scissors – 2 sets of 50 repetitions
Lie on your back and then raise your upper body onto your elbows with your palms face down and tucked under the small of your back. Extend your legs in front of you and raise them four inches off the floor. Extend them outward laterally then bring them back together crossing one foot over the other. Extend them laterally again and then cross the “over” foot under this time. Be sure to keep your feet about four inches off the floor as they pass back and forth. That’s one rep.
Try incorporating this ab workout routine into your fitness plan two times per week.You can vary the number of repetitions as your fitness level improves, but you’ll find with a few weeks that this is one of the ab workout routines for men that will assist you in any area sports or fitness activity in which you participate.
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