Aquajock
Cathlete
I've been playing around with the following technique the past few weeks and have noticed a distinct flattening in the entire core region. This is a deceptively simple modification of Cathe's traditional ab routines (including those found in MIS, Body Max, All Step, Leaner Legs, the Pure Strength routines, and any others billed as "traditional" abs):
As many have noticed, most traditional ab routines are performed supine (face up) on the floor, with the legs also either grounded on the floor or elevated onto your step bench. Varying the elevation of the feet, as well as the degree of extension in the legs (concomitantly, the degree of bend in the knees) can vary the recruitment of the hip flexors especially when you are maintaining a neutral or flat spine.
As a really cool - and effective - variation, try any of the above-listed ab routines (and all others that include supine floor work) LYING ON YOUR LONG STEP BENCH AT AT LEAST AN 8" HEIGHT, with your entire trunk on the bench and your feet on the floor far enough away from the end of the bench that there's only a very modest bend in the knees. Try to keep your feet flat on the floor as well, or you'll find yourself digging in through the heels and taking the workload off the core muscles.
You'll find that your core muscles are working much harder to keep your back neutral and/or flat on the bench, and your legs can't assist as much because of their position. Overall you'll develop a much more concentrated awareness of all of the ab muscles.
I've tried this now at least once a week with various Cathe traditional ab routines, and I notice #1 that my ab section, especially the lower portion of the abs, are much flatter afterward, AND #2 that this effect lasts much longer between land ab segments. (For those who don't know, I also teach aqua group fitness and do ab work in the water; thus I always distinguish between water work and "land" work.)
Hope this gives some a good way to dust off their older workouts and put a new spin on them.
Enjoy!
A-Jock
As many have noticed, most traditional ab routines are performed supine (face up) on the floor, with the legs also either grounded on the floor or elevated onto your step bench. Varying the elevation of the feet, as well as the degree of extension in the legs (concomitantly, the degree of bend in the knees) can vary the recruitment of the hip flexors especially when you are maintaining a neutral or flat spine.
As a really cool - and effective - variation, try any of the above-listed ab routines (and all others that include supine floor work) LYING ON YOUR LONG STEP BENCH AT AT LEAST AN 8" HEIGHT, with your entire trunk on the bench and your feet on the floor far enough away from the end of the bench that there's only a very modest bend in the knees. Try to keep your feet flat on the floor as well, or you'll find yourself digging in through the heels and taking the workload off the core muscles.
You'll find that your core muscles are working much harder to keep your back neutral and/or flat on the bench, and your legs can't assist as much because of their position. Overall you'll develop a much more concentrated awareness of all of the ab muscles.
I've tried this now at least once a week with various Cathe traditional ab routines, and I notice #1 that my ab section, especially the lower portion of the abs, are much flatter afterward, AND #2 that this effect lasts much longer between land ab segments. (For those who don't know, I also teach aqua group fitness and do ab work in the water; thus I always distinguish between water work and "land" work.)
Hope this gives some a good way to dust off their older workouts and put a new spin on them.
Enjoy!
A-Jock
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