Toby Rowland has been on the cover of Men's Fitness magazine for a dozen years now, so he can confidently say which abdominal exercises are the most effective for men. And also give you precise advice on how to properly pump up the abs for men to gain sculpted abdominal muscles at home and maintain them for life. And here's how to do it.
Toby Rowland first appeared on the magazine's cover at age 20, and now that he's 38, he's looking even better. And this is proof that you can trust him when he talks about the best ways to get pumped up after 30. These rules, if you strictly follow them, will help you achieve perfection.
Find out more: How to build muscle and get in good shape.
“I'm almost 40, but I've only become stronger and more muscular because I've learned a lot about training throughout my life,” Rowland says. “I decided that instead of adding more weight every workout, I would lift less weight more times. But toward the end of my weight training, I add high-intensity classes, which burn a lot of calories and keep me lean. But the most important thing here is the pleasure that going to the gym gives me, although I also work out at home. I’ve never enjoyed training as much as I do now.”
How to pump up the press correctly
Below, you'll find Rowland's tips for transforming your body and creating a strong, ripped six-pack. We've also selected six abdominal exercises for men that aren't as effective as many people think, and we've rounded up alternatives that work better than them in building strong muscles. They'll put you on the path to a six-pack abs.
Lose weight
“As I got older, I took lighter weights, but I did more reps with them, so I got the same amount of tension,” Rowland says. “When you're young, you can lift the heaviest weights, but over time, muscles and joints wear out and lighter weight exercises that won't cause injury become necessary.”
Choosing pairs of exercises
“I like to superset, doing two different movements that complement each other. Sometimes I do antagonistic supersets and do back and chest exercises. Or maybe a complementary approach, for example, a bench press followed by push-ups. It's very effective, and you also have to focus on your tempo and rest time to make each workout effective."
Recommended: 8-week push-up program.
Do more intense workouts
“One of the big changes to my training is adding high intensity intervals towards the end of my workout. Exercises such as the farmer's walk greatly increase the heart rate, this end of the exercise is very effective in making the entire body more toned. And they give me a huge boost of good mood – another reason to include them in my workout.”
Don't Focus Just on the Rectus Abdominis
“I rarely do exercises that only target six packs because my core is always working, no matter what exercise I do. If your stomach is tense when doing squats or bench presses, it’s still doing the work.”
Balance everything in life
“I like to have a glass of wine every now and then, but priority is important: you can’t get drunk on beer every night and still have a healthy, strong body. Consistency is important, and if you train right and eat right, you will get into a good figure and be able to keep it.”
Lift-ups with dumbbells
Which exercise with a bench and dumbbells is the most popular among beginners and professional athletes? Right. Lifts with a light load that allow you to pump up your calves and thighs. The execution procedure is not particularly complicated, but it is still better to follow a certain algorithm of actions so as not to make mistakes in the process and achieve maximum results:
- We stand 10-15 centimeters from the bench with dumbbells.
- We place our left foot on it, and then raise our right foot.
- We climb onto the bench and raise the last one at waist level.
- We lower our right leg down and place our left leg on it.
- We swap limbs and repeat the exercise.
The third point deserves special mention. If possible, try not to place your right leg on the bench, but immediately raise it at waist level. That is, if you swing your left limb, then the right one should not come into contact with the horizontal surface. You can also do a back lunge before switching legs to focus on your hips.
The best exercises for the upper, lower and lateral abdominal muscles
Regardless of your goal, whether it's a six-pack or just a more toned upper body, basic compound exercises like squats, overhead presses, and barbell rows will help you, while also working your entire body and increasing muscle strength. There are also movements that locally work the abdominal muscles; they are useful for pumping up the abs for men who want to lose belly fat.
The four-exercise circuits described below include both isolation and compound exercises. By doing them, you can pump up your stomach and sides. There are three workouts in total: the first trains primarily the upper region of the rectus muscle, the second – the lower, and the third – the lateral and deep, often ignored muscles. Although these workouts can be considered a stand-alone workout, they can be included in an already prepared workout schedule to achieve ideal abs.
How to do each of these workouts
Each of these schemes is a mini-cycle that is best attached to an existing muscle pumping program. These circuits will allow you to recruit the maximum number of muscle fibers in the minimum amount of time if you perform all four exercises correctly, keeping an eye on the number of repetitions and rest times. The first movement in each cycle is the most difficult, and the subsequent ones are easier, but have more repetitions. Due to this arrangement, the stomach works longer and does more intensive work - this stimulates muscle growth. After the last exercise, rest and perform the cycle again. Complete three cycles in total.
Upper cycle
Dumbbell Crunch
10 reps, rest 10 seconds
Lie on your back, holding a dumbbell or weight plate in each hand. Place a weight on your chest. Lift your torso off the floor, hold the position and lower back, keeping tension in your abdomen.
Crunch with bent knees
15 reps, rest 10 seconds Lie on the floor with your hands at your head. Raise your legs off the floor and bend your knees so that your knees make a 90-degree angle. At the same time, lift your torso and draw your knees toward your chest. Keep your fingers near your temples during the entire exercise. Perform each repetition smoothly, without jerking. Don't let your feet touch the floor between reps.
Modified V-Crunch
12 reps, rest 10 seconds
Lie down with your legs raised off the floor and extended away from you so that they are parallel to the floor. Extend your arms to your sides, also keeping them parallel to the floor. Keep your arms straight as you lift your torso and bring your legs toward your torso, bending your knees until your chest touches your knees. We return under control to the starting position.
Classic twist
20 reps, rest 90 seconds
Lie on your back, keeping your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms over your chest. Raise your torso using only your abdominal muscles, then slowly lower it. Your upper abdominal muscles will already be tired, but try to hold the top position of the exercise for at least a second after each repetition.
Exercises for the lower abdominal muscles
Hanging Leg Raise
10 reps, rest 10 seconds
This compound exercise sets the tone for an overall brutal workout that will include four hanging exercises. Start in a hanging position, keeping your legs straight. Knees and feet touch each other. Keep them together as you lift them, using your abdominal muscles. After lifting, lower them back in a controlled manner.
Torso crunch on the bar
12 repetitions on each side, rest for 10 seconds.
Start in a hanging position with straight legs. We twist our torso while raising our knees, first to one side, then to the other. Continue alternating sides.
Hanging Knee Raise
15 reps, rest 10 seconds
This version is easier than the hanging leg raise, but it's not easy to do. Start in a hanging position and jerk your knees up to recruit more muscle fibers. We return to the starting position in a controlled manner, without swaying.
Knee raises with hold
20 reps, rest 90 seconds
We start in a hanging position, but the knees are already initially raised towards the torso. Raise your knees as high as possible. We lower back to the starting position, keeping the abdominal muscles tense all the time.
Exercises for the lateral (oblique) and core muscles
Incline plank with foot touch
10 reps on each side, rest for 10 seconds
Get into the inclined plank position, supporting yourself on your forearms. We place our feet on a bench to obtain an inclination. Your body should form a straight line, and your goal is to maintain this position throughout the exercise. Lift one leg off the bench, lower it to the floor, and then return it back. Repeat on the other side and continue alternating sides.
Read more: how to do the plank exercise correctly for weight loss.
Russian crunch while sitting
12 reps on each side, rest for 10 seconds
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your heels on the floor. Your torso should be in the top twisting position, forming a 45-degree angle with the floor. Twist your torso from side to side, moving slowly and in a controlled manner.
Exercise "Bicycle"
15 repetitions on each side, rest for 10 seconds.
Lie on your back. We place our hands near our temples, and raise our legs so that our knees form a 90-degree angle. Raise your right knee to your chest, simultaneously lifting your torso, twisting your torso so that your left elbow touches your knee. We lower ourselves to the starting position and do the same on the other side. Shoulders and legs do not touch the floor - then the abdominal muscles work harder, stabilizing the torso.
Plank
Hold as hard as you can, rest for 90 seconds.
Maintain a strict plank by lifting your hips and keeping your torso and buttocks in line.
Relax your head and neck. Breathe slowly and deeply - hold the pose to the best of your ability.
What muscles will it help to pump?
You can achieve sculpted six-pack abs without additional equipment. But to pump up the muscles of your back, arms, legs or shoulder girdle, you will have to pick up dumbbells or a barbell.
General rules for all exercises
- The abdominal muscles should always be tense.
- Flexion - inhale, extension - exhale.
- Keep your spine straight, do not press your chin to your chest.
- Perform all repetitions smoothly.
- To increase the load, use dumbbells or barbell plates.
- Do 10-20 repetitions in 2-3 approaches.
Important Tips
Look Beyond Basic Moves
In this era of bodybuilding, you may often hear the statement that a person needs nothing more than deadlifts and other basic exercises to build strong muscles, including the rectus abdominis. This is not true. In contrast, a study designed to compare the effectiveness of the exercises found that push-ups and planks outperformed deadlifts and presses in strengthening abdominal muscles. Although weight-bearing exercises strain the lower back, there is plenty of body weight for the abdominal muscles, both upper and lower, as well as the sides.
What is the execution frequency?
There was once a popular myth that you need to train your abs every day. But now the theory that is heard more often is that it is enough to train the stomach once a week. But the truth lies somewhere between these two extreme assumptions. “Two or three times a week is the optimal schedule for most,” said trainer Johnny Jacobs. “Dividing the three days by type of exercise – static, anti-rotation and dynamic exercises – is even better.”
The return of crunches
By this time, many people understand that hundreds of crunches will not help your back in any way - it is rather harmful. But this does not mean that crunches are irrelevant. In 2021, Dr. Stuart McGill, a back expert, explained: “If flexibility is important to you, then a trainer should choose crunches. If you are developing muscle strength, then crunches and their variations will help again.” What does it mean? Everything is good in moderation.
Improve your existing exercises
When it comes time to make your muscles truly strong, not all exercises are created equal. Try these advanced exercises to see results faster.
Plank to plank with foot touching
Why: While doing the plank, it can be easy to “doze off” and lower your hips to the floor. And then the abdominal muscles will stop performing their function - especially if you did this plank for a while, which is quite difficult. And if you add leg movements, your hips will have to remain elevated and your abdominal muscles will always be working. Plus, you'll be able to count reps instead of seconds. How to: Get into a plank position, lifting your body on your forearms, keeping your elbows under your shoulders. Tighten your abdominal muscles, then lift your hips so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Without letting your hips drop, lift and move one leg as far to the side as possible. Tap your foot on the floor, then bring it back and repeat with the other foot.
Use extra weight
Why: Crunching is the most common abdominal exercise, and also the least effective, because the muscles do not receive enough tension. But crunching with weight—that is, added tension—will force your muscles to work harder and your torso to stay straight. How to: Lie on your back with your knees bent and holding a dumbbell or weight plate in each hand. Extend your arms in front of you. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your torso, keeping your arms straight, lifting the weight as high into the air as possible. Stop and hold this position for at least a second, then slowly lower your torso towards the floor.
Lying leg raises until legs are held
Why: Lying leg raises strengthen your lower abdominal muscles, but this is true for people with a healthy back. They can be difficult to do correctly. And exercise V strains the back evenly, and strains not only the lower, but also the upper abdominal muscles. How to: Lie on your back and sit up straight, arms at your sides, and legs straight. Keeping your arms straight, lift your torso and legs at the same time so that your toes go past your knees to your shins. Slowly reverse the movement to return to the starting position, keeping your abdominal muscles tense the entire time.
Reverse curl to fitball fold
Why: If you don't already have strong abdominal muscles, reverse crunches will be more of a simple back-and-forth movement rather than a strain on the muscles. But with this upgrade, your muscles will have to work all the way. How to: Do a handstand with your toes off the floor while using an exercise ball. Your hips should be in a straight line with the rest of your body. Keeping your abdominal muscles tense, lift your hips so that your body forms a V shape. Hold this position for about a second, then return to the starting position.
Exercise “bicycle” before Russian crunch with weight
Why: With the bicycle exercise, it is easier for your abdominal muscles to accidentally shut down because your body will move from side to side, but if you add weight, your abdominal muscles will have to hold tension the entire time. This change will force all the abdominal muscles - both upper and lower, as well as the sides - to work harder, keeping your legs and torso above the floor. How to: Sit on the floor holding a dumbbell or weight plate in both hands. Legs are bent at the knees and feet are raised off the floor. Keeping your weight on straight arms, turn your torso in one direction and your legs in the opposite direction. Make sure your head follows your hands. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Keep your abdominal muscles tense at all times.
Bend over with dumbbells until alternating touches with hands to heels
Why: Bend to the side with a heavy dumbbell is not the most effective way to strengthen your side abdominal muscles. It is much more effective here to alternately touch the heels with your hands. It will act on both the lower and upper abdominal muscles. How to: Lie on your back with your legs and arms straight. Perform a crunch by bending your knees so that your heels are closer to your hands. Keeping your abdominal muscles tense, move one hand down and touch the heel of your corresponding leg. Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise on the other side. Perform the exercise without letting your torso or legs touch the floor.
Alternating dumbbell bench press
This classic exercise is well known to almost every bodybuilder and ordinary person who regularly engages in fitness. However, few people realize that with its help you can not only warm up well, but also pump up your pectoral muscles and biceps. The most important thing is to strictly follow the algorithm of actions described below.
- We take a horizontal position on the bench.
- We take a medium weight dumbbell in each hand.
- Raise the dumbbells at shoulder level.
- We begin to lift the equipment above our heads one by one.
A very pleasant bonus is the fact that this exercise also helps strengthen the core muscles, which are responsible for stabilizing the spine. However, the main load, of course, falls on the biceps, pectoral muscles and shoulders. Try to lift at a faster pace to increase the efficiency of physical activity.
Workout for strong and sculpted abs
Try this six-pack ab workout for men twice a week and add it to your workout plan to maintain a strong core.
Here we will try to train the abdominal muscles from all angles and keep them under tension during the entire complex. This is the “secret” to building strong abs. Of course, you need to eat right, but we think this is obvious.
This six-move workout, divided into two circuits of three exercises, will hit all the abdominal muscles, also hitting the deep ones. After this workout, your body will have no choice - your abdominal muscles will soon become bigger and stronger.
This workout should be done twice a week for a month, increasing the weight each week.
How to do the workout
This complex consists of two mini-cycles, each containing three exercises. This means that you will perform the first, second and third movements without a break, resting only after the third.
You'll do the first circuit three times, which targets your upper and lower abdominal muscles, and then move on to the second circuit, where all three exercises will train your entire core.
To put more stress on your abdominal muscles, tighten them before starting the program so that your torso is stabilized from the start.
1A Dumbbell Crunch
For the upper abdominal muscles
Three sets of 12 repetitions, rest 10 seconds
Lie on your back, bend your knees, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Use your abs to lift your body off the floor, keeping your arms straight to lift the weight as high as possible. We hold this position for some time, after which we slowly lower our torso back.
1B Straight leg raise
The movement targets the lower abdomen
12 reps, rest 10 seconds
Lie on your back with your palms near your head. Keeping your legs together, lift them off the floor as high as possible, continuing to keep your legs straight. Continue contracting your lower abdominal muscles, keeping them tight throughout the exercise.
1C Exercise Climber for the torso
30 reps, rest 2 minutes
Start in push-up position. Without allowing your hips to drop, we pull one knee towards the opposite elbow. We return to the starting position, then repeat with the other leg. It was one repeat. Perform the exercise quickly, but do not lose technique.
2A V-twist modification
3 sets of 12 repetitions, rest for 10 seconds.
Lie down on the floor, hold your palms near your temples. Raise your legs off the floor, bending them at the knees. Pull your knees toward your chest as you twist your torso so that your elbows go behind your knees. We lower ourselves to the starting position. Don't let your heels touch the floor.
2B Russian twist with weight
12 reps, rest 10 seconds
Sit on the floor, keeping your knees bent, legs slightly elevated off the floor, holding a dumbbell in front of you. We twist our torso to the left, pause, then twist to the right. We return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Try to keep your legs raised off the floor while performing the exercise.
2C Lift-T with Dumbbells
6 reps on each side, rest 2 minutes
Start in a push-up position, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your core tight, lift one dumbbell and rotate your torso so that your arm points straight up. Reverse the movement and repeat with the other hand.
Bulgarian split squat for legs
Another exercise on a bench with dumbbells (photo below), which targets the calves. To perform it, you will need to lower the bench to a horizontal position and take a really large load. The whole peculiarity of training is that the more effort an athlete makes to stand up, the sooner he will be able to build muscle mass. So 4-5 squats will be very effective.
- We take two dumbbells with a maximum load in our hands.
- We put one foot on the bench and put the other one slightly forward.
- We perform squats on the leg so that the knee touches the floor
- We get up with a sharp movement and repeat the actions until tired.
The main difficulty is keeping your back straight. Most novice athletes begin to lean their entire body forward, as a result of which the main load falls on the back, and not on the leg. To prevent this, try asking one of your friends for backup. Over time, you will learn to maintain an even position. Well, or you can practice a little with a small load, but muscle growth in this case will be very slow.
Ab workout with dumbbells
Get a smart workout in with dumbbell ab exercises to get a toned abs and build a firmer, more defined six-pack.
The best beginner moves to build strong abs, even without machines. This is great news because it means you can start working on your belly anytime—anywhere, anytime. But after the first results, progress becomes slow, and even if you do hundreds of crunches, the body weight is not enough to move forward.
This is where it’s time for you to increase the load on your abs so that they continue to grow larger and become more defined. One easy and very effective way to do this is to add more weight using dumbbells. Try this challenging but rewarding set of six exercises that will help put you on the path to success.
How to do the workout
There will be six exercises in this set, and the set itself is divided into two cycles - so you will complete all three sets without a break. You perform all 1A reps, all 1B reps, and all 1C reps. You can rest for 10 seconds between the first two approaches, and up to a minute after the third. You should complete sets 1A, 1B and 1C, then rest and repeat the same with 2A, 2B and 2C.
Choose a dumbbell that is not too heavy. You must stick to technique with each rep. If it is too heavy, you will start to swing to perform the exercise, and this should not be done.
1A Dumbbell Crunch
For the upper abdomen
3 sets of 12 reps, rest 10 seconds
Lie on your back, bend your knees and lift a dumbbell above your chest with your arms outstretched. Perform a crunch, lifting the weight as high as possible. Stop at the top of the exercise, squeeze your abdominal muscles and return to the starting position.
1B Side bends with dumbbell
Oblique muscles work
12 reps on each side, rest 10 seconds
Stand at your full height, holding a dumbbell in one hand. Extend your arm with the dumbbell and bend your free arm so that your palm is at your temple. Tighten all your core muscles and bend to the side that supports the weight. After this, return to the starting position. Perform all repetitions on one side, then on the other.
1C Lumberjack exercise with dumbbell
Movement for the torso
12 reps on each side, rest 60 seconds
Hold a dumbbell in both hands above your head. Move the dumbbell to the right of the body. Straining the muscles of the torso, sharply lower the dumbbell to the opposite side of the body. The dumbbell should be near your left leg. We perform the reverse movement, returning to the starting position. We perform all the repetitions, after which we do the same on the other side.
2A dumbbell T-lift
For the core muscles
Perform 3 sets of 6 repetitions on each side, rest for 10 seconds
We start in a push-up position, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your torso tense, lift one dumbbell and turn your torso so that the hand with the dumbbell points upward. Reverse the movement and repeat on the other side.
2B Russian standing dumbbell crunch
12 repetitions, rest for 10 seconds
Stand up to your full height, keeping your arms parallel to the floor. We hold dumbbells in our hands. Keeping your hips in place, turn your arms with dumbbells to one side, then to the other. Then we return to the starting position. It was one repeat. Try to work smoothly and without jerking. Keep your arms straight.
2C Mill with dumbbells
12 repetitions on each side, rest 60 seconds
Stand up to your full height, holding a dumbbell in one hand above your head. Tighten your torso, turn your gaze toward the dumbbells, and, keeping your arm straight, bend at the waist so that your arm moves unloaded down your leg. Reverse the movement and return to the starting position. Complete all repetitions on one side, then start working on the other side.
Legs and buttocks
Although exercises with a barbell are considered the most effective for the muscles of the legs and buttocks (due to the possibility of using large weights), nevertheless, with the help of dumbbells you can also work out these muscle groups quite well. To achieve what you want, the main thing is to do the exercises correctly. All movements must be clear and precise. And as a result, in addition to impressive external results, you will get strong legs and buttocks, which will allow you to significantly improve your performance in other sports, such as running and jumping.
Straight-legged row with dumbbells
In this exercise, the muscles of the buttocks, back of the thigh and lower back receive the greatest load. During dumbbell rows, the hands are in a more comfortable position than a fixed barbell. Thanks to this position of the hands, you can shift the center of gravity, due to which the load on the back extensors is reduced and the load on the back of the thigh is more concentrated. To perform this exercise, grab dumbbells and stand straight. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. As you inhale, moving your pelvis back and leaning forward, smoothly lower the dumbbells down. As you exhale, return to the starting position.
More information…
Squats with dumbbells
Squats are a basic exercise for strengthening the muscles of the front and back of the thighs and buttocks. By doing it, you also use the muscles of the inner and outer thighs. To perform this exercise, hold dumbbells in your hands and stand straight. Feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly pointed to the sides. Hands with dumbbells are lowered along the body, palms facing inward. Keeping your pelvis in a neutral position, expand your chest. Inhale, hold your breath and draw in your stomach. Do a squat as if you want to sit on the edge of a chair. Don't lift your heels off the floor. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position. At the moment of maximum effort, exhale.
More information…
Lunges with dumbbells
Lunges with dumbbells are one of the best exercises for training your legs and buttocks. In this exercise, the hamstrings and gluteal muscles receive maximum load. To perform it, take dumbbells in your hands and stand straight. Feet shoulder width apart. Bring your shoulder blades together, lower your shoulders, tighten your abs. Hands with dumbbells are lowered along the body, palms facing inward. Take a long step forward with your left foot and lower into a lunge so that your left knee is over your ankle and your right knee is pointing toward the floor. The right leg rests on the toe. Straighten your legs and take a step forward and lunge with your right leg. Continue alternating legs as many times as necessary.
More information…
Challenge program for 30 days for the abs
Pump up your abs in one month of challenging but effective workouts.
Keeping yourself in good physical shape is a lifelong plan, which is why it's so important to find an exercise that you enjoy. You also need to have goals that you can set for yourself and achieve. Not just any goals, but achievable, tangible goals. That's why many people like challenges so much. You will be surprised how much you can accomplish in 30 days. Completing the challenge will be a big morale boost for you. Maybe this feeling of achievement is just what you need to push you towards success.
Before we move on to long-term plans, let's look at more immediate ones, for 30 days. And this plan has already been thought out for you down to the smallest detail. This challenge was developed by Taofeek Folarin, a trainer from the Sweat It London gym, who has developed a month-long workout to pump up the abs and improve abdominal strength. You may not have a perfect six-pack by the end of the challenge, but your posture will definitely improve, as will your mobility. You will have more strength in your torso for any task.
Out of 30 days, you will only have four rest days, and all other days involve core exercises or high-intensity training. Here's all the information you need to execute your plan.
How to complete this monthly challenge
“This challenge will not only tone your core, but also improve your overall endurance,” says Folarin. “The intensity of the workout continues to increase, allowing you to improve every day until you have mastered all the exercises by day thirty.”
The workouts use only body weight, so you can do them anywhere, anytime. You will be able to continue with the plan no matter what life does to you. What's even better is that even a beginner can do the exercises.
Each week of the plan involves performing the same exercises for five days, increasing the intensity of the exercises by adding ten seconds of work each time until you work 60 seconds without a break. At the beginning of the next week, the timer is set to zero, but a new exercise is added. In the first week, the workout includes three exercises, and in the second - four.
The intensity of exercise is also increased by adding high-intensity workouts performed at intervals of 40 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest. Five approaches are performed. "High-intensity training will improve your endurance and help you burn fat, so you can see the abs you're developing," says Folarin.
Finally, on days 29 and 30, you'll end your plan with your toughest ab workout yet to show yourself and everyone around you how much stronger you've become.
If at the end of the thirty-day challenge you feel like continuing, you can sign up for Folarin's Sweat It gym.
Raising the body with dumbbells
Have you been looking for an exercise with dumbbells on a bench for a long time? Then you've come to the right place. With the help of the workout, the algorithm for which is described below, you will be able to pump up your abs without any problems. Moreover, this will not take too much time. The most important thing is to perform all the described actions exactly and gradually increase the load by adding weight and increasing the angle of inclination on the bench.
- Place the bench in a horizontal position.
- We take a heavy projectile in our hands and place it near our chest.
- We begin to perform body lifts, as they do when swinging the press.
As soon as you start to feel that this exercise is not putting a lot of stress on your muscles, try increasing the angle of the bench by a few tens of degrees. The steeper the surface, the more difficult it will be to lift the body. And if in parallel with this you also increase the mass of the dumbbell, then performing this exercise will be even more difficult. Just don’t overdo it so you don’t have to take painkillers later.
Exercises
Dead beetle
Lie on your back with your arms extended toward the ceiling and your legs raised, knees bent at a 90-degree angle. At the same time, lower your right leg, extending it. Lower your left hand towards the floor, but do not touch it to the floor. After this, lift your arm and leg and do the same with the other arm and leg.
Twisting
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Use your core muscles to lift your torso off the floor until your torso is vertical. Return to the starting position.
Russian twist
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet off the floor. Lean back so your body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Bring your hands together in front of your chest, then begin twisting your torso from side to side.
Leg raises
Lie on your back. Keeping your legs as straight as possible, lift them until your feet point toward the ceiling. Slowly lower them to the floor to the starting position.
Rock climber
From a push-up position, lift one knee toward your chest, and do it fairly quickly. Then do the same on the other side.
Plank in motion
From a forearm plank position, begin to extend one arm, then the other, to rise into a push-up position, then lower back into a plank with one arm, then the other.
Dumbbell bench press (incline)
The exercise is ideal for a person who wants to pump up their biceps in the shortest possible time. It’s worth noting right away that lifting dumbbells will be quite difficult, so you should take a light weight. As for the remaining nuances, just follow the algorithm of actions described below.
- We line up the bench at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Take a comfortable position, pressing your back tightly to the plane.
- We take dumbbells in our hands for a regular bench press (with plates facing the bench).
- With each inhalation, we lift the iron, turning it 90 degrees towards us.
- Your forearms should be parallel to the floor.
- The palms should face the athlete's face.
- Slowly extend your arm, lowering the dumbbells (without throwing them).
It is highly recommended to start performing this exercise with a large number of repetitions with a small weight. After several approaches (from 3 to 5), you can add a few plates to the iron and start doing fewer repetitions. The most important thing is to do the exercise as accurately as possible, as written above.
High intensity exercise
Find out more about why high-intensity training is most effective for weight loss in men.
Running in place with a high hip lift
Run in one place, but at the same time raise your knees almost to your chest.
Frog
From a push-up position, suddenly move your legs so that they are in front of your hands. Then move your legs to the starting position.
Jump with legs tucked
From a standing position, jump as high as possible. Raising your knees to your chest. Land softly and immediately move on to the next jump.
Burpee
From a standing position, fall into a push-up position (and do a push-up to your liking), then quickly stand up and jump up. Land softly and repeat.
We recommend that you learn in more detail what the correct burpee technique looks like to achieve maximum effect.
Exercises for “wings” with a dumbbell
Another exercise with dumbbells lying on a bench, which will be especially useful for those people who want to pump up the serratus muscle. Since the main task of the athlete is the correct execution technique, a relatively light weight can be used. Remember that the “wings” will have to pump for quite a long time. But if done correctly, the result will be really noticeable.
- We take a horizontal position on the bench, bending our legs at an angle of 90°.
- We take the projectile in two hands and place it above our heads with our arms retracted.
- We move our arms back, while straining the back muscles (“wings”).
- Slowly return our hands to the starting position.
As a rule, a noticeable effect will appear only after 3-4 weeks of such exercises. It's best to choose a relatively light weight and perform as many reps as possible. But 4-5 approaches per workout will be quite enough. In addition, this exercise greatly strains the abs, so you will be able to kill two birds with one stone.
Table of the 30-day challenge of abdominal exercises
This abdominal muscle training program is designed to perform a series of movements every day. The table shows the schedule for performing movements to pump up cubes per month. To quickly achieve the desired result, you need to follow a diet with a calorie deficit for weight loss so that subcutaneous fat disappears faster.
| Day 1 | Dead bug, twist, Russian twist, 30 seconds each |
| Day 2 | Dead bug, crunch, Russian twist, 40 seconds each |
| Day 3 | Dead bug, twist, Russian twist, 50 seconds each |
| Day 4 | Dead bug, twist, Russian twist, 60 seconds each |
| Day 5 | Running with high hip raises - 5 sets of 40 seconds with a rest of 20 seconds |
| Day 6 | Dead bug, twist, Russian twist, 60 seconds each |
| Day 7 | Let's relax |
| Day 8 | Dead bug, crunch, Russian twist, leg lift 30 seconds each |
| Day 9 | Dead bug, crunch, Russian twist, leg lift 40 seconds each |
| Day 10 | Dead bug, crunch, Russian twist, leg lift 50 seconds each |
| Day 11 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise 60 seconds each |
| Day 12 | Frog, 5 sets of 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds |
| Day 13 | Dead bug, twist, Russian twist, 60 seconds each |
| Day 14 | Let's relax |
| Day 15 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise, Rock Climber 30 seconds each |
| Day 16 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise, Rock Climber 40 seconds each |
| Day 17 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise, Rock Climber 50 seconds each |
| Day 18 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise, Rock Climber 60 seconds each |
| Day 19 | Press-up jumps 5 sets of 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds |
| Day 20 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise 60 seconds each |
| Day 21 | Let's relax |
| Day 22 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise, Motion Plank 30 seconds each |
| Day 23 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise, Motion Plank 40 seconds each |
| Day 24 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise, Motion Plank 50 seconds each |
| Day 25 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise, Motion Plank 60 seconds each |
| Day 26 | Burpees 5 sets of 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds |
| Day 27 | Dead Bug, Crunch, Russian Twist, Leg Raise, Motion Plank 60 seconds each |
| Day 28 | Let's relax |
| Day 29 | Running with high hips, frog, jumping jacks and burpees, three sets of 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds |
| Day 30 | Dead bug, crunches, Russian twist, leg raises, moving plank, two sets of 60 seconds, 20 seconds rest |
Sources:
- https://www.coachmag.co.uk/abs-exercises/7809/how-to-get-abs-faster
- https://www.coachmag.co.uk/core-workouts/7712/the-core-workout-for-men-who-want-defined-abs
- https://www.coachmag.co.uk/abs-workouts/7613/the-six-pack-workout-to-build-bigger-abs
- https://www.coachmag.co.uk/abs-workouts/7877/take-the-30-day-abs-challenge
- https://www.coachmag.co.uk/workouts/abs-workouts
Spider curls - biceps exercise
One of the most effective biceps workouts, since during its implementation only this muscle group is involved. Why is the exercise called “spider”? The thing is that it was them that the famous actor Tobey Maguire used when he needed to prepare to play the role of Peter Parker. A noticeable result from such training will appear in a couple of weeks, but it all depends on how correctly the lifts are performed.
- Place the bench at an angle of approximately 60 degrees.
- We lie down on the plane with our stomach and take dumbbells in our hands.
- We turn our palms in the direction where our eyes are looking.
- We begin to perform slow lifts without straining our back.
Try to perform this exercise as efficiently as possible so that the effect becomes immediately noticeable. To do this, you need to select a weight of the projectile that you can lift from 5 to 10 times in normal condition. In addition, the edge of the dumbbells should always touch the chin, and the lifting of both arms should be approximately simultaneous. To avoid straining your back, you need to strengthen your legs well. Reducing the degree of inclination will not affect the quality of the exercise in any way, since the bench is needed solely for the convenience of the athlete.
Plank with dumbbell raise
Take a plank pose with straight arms: do not bend in the lower back, work your abdominal muscles. Then take a dumbbell in your right hand and, bending your elbow, pull it towards your body. Lower the dumbbell to the floor. Perform 15 repetitions of the exercise in each direction.
At first, you can perform the exercises at a slow pace. But try to increase your speed over time.
Rolling a dumbbell under you
This exercise feels like a punch to the stomach. The muscles of the arms and legs are also loaded.
Execution technique
Place your hands on the floor and step on the bar of the dumbbell with one foot. Roll the dumbbell under your foot away from your hands while simultaneously bending your other leg and bringing your knee toward your body. Roll the dumbbell back, closer to your hands, while simultaneously bringing your other leg back.
Perform eight times and repeat on the other leg.
Side plank
Take the dumbbell in your right hand. Sit sideways on the mat, resting on your left thigh and left forearm. Cross your ankles, resting the sides of your feet on the floor. Lift your pelvis off the floor and extend your right arm (with dumbbell) up. Fix at the top point for 15-30 seconds . Then slowly lower yourself down and repeat the same on the other side.
Will your waist disappear if you pump up your abs?
If the obliques become too bulky, your waist may become wider, but this rule does not apply to everyone. There are women whose abdominal muscle structure is such that no amount of “pumping” will spoil their narrow waist. But even if the body constitution is inclined to have a wide waist, then the solution to the problem is not to use “volume” training in exercises for the oblique abdominal muscles, that is, not to do an exorbitant number of repetitions.
Anatomy of the abdominal muscles
The abs consists of the rectus abdominis and oblique muscles. They are clearly visible if a person has a low fat percentage.
There is also a deeper muscle - the transverse muscle, which is located under the straight line. It supports the abdominal organs, reducing its size and preventing protrusion of the abdomen.
In bodybuilding, it is customary to train only the rectus and oblique muscles, which are responsible for the visual effect.
There is also a myth that there are special exercises for the upper and lower abdomen.
Remember: there is no such thing as “upper” and “lower” abs!
The rectus abdominis muscle is a paired long muscle that comes from the sternum and ends with an attachment on the pubic bone. Works the entire length, whether you're lifting your torso or legs.
It is divided into “cubes” using special tendons (fascia).
The number of cubes is determined genetically and cannot be changed through abdominal training.
