Weighted ab exercises are one of the best options for developing the strength of your core and the look of your abs, especially when you are short on time. You are best advised to not simply continue to repeat exercises for super high rep counts when you have the capacity to load the exercise up with some dumbbells and create more overload on the rectus and obliques in the process.
Remember, adaptation to physical stress is how muscles get developed to be stronger and more resilient. You want a strong core for more than just aesthetic reasons. Having strong abs and a rigid core are important for spinal stability and maintaining proper form when you attempt your heavier compound lifts in your main workouts. There are no shortages to the benefits you can derive from getting stronger abs, and this follow along workout will help you to do just that.
So here’s what you do:
Set an interval timer or stopwatch for 8 minutes. Perform the first three ab exercises for 1 minute each. Try and continue repping out for the entire minute, however if needed, you may stop and rest briefly with the idea being that you want to get back to the exercise as quickly as you can. The weight used is going to be the way that you will scale this workout depending on if you are more of a beginner than an advanced ab trainee.
The first exercise up is called the dumbbell wiper. This ab exercise is designed to hit the lower abs due to the bottom up initiation of the movement. The idea is to simultaneously curl the pelvis up off the ground while twisting it. The twist will engage the obliques through bottom up rotation and help you to hit both of these muscle groups in one shot. Target the right dumbbell with your knees and then the left dumbbell by twisting your knees the opposite way. Perform this amazing lower ab exercise for 1 minute without stopping if possible.
After a brief 3 second rest to simply transition to the next exercise, you are going to hold the dumbbells as if you are going to bench press them off the floor. From here, you perform an exercise called the dumbbell power-up. This move will more effectively target the mid and upper rectus abdominis and allows you to utilize more power and strength than the first exercise did. Perform this for 1 minute as well, resting only if needed and even then making sure to keep the rest period brief.
After another brief 3 second rest, move onto the next exercise called the seated dumbbell twist. This exercise is a great oblique movement. This forces the obliques to control the momentum gained by the twisting dumbbells in one direction or the other. The further out to the sides that you hold the dumbbells the longer the moment arm and the more work your abs and obliques will have to do to control the weights. Try to do this for 1 minute as well.
Finally, it’s time to challenge your core through a postural exercise that is sure to crush you at this stage of the game. The idea here is to simply press the weights up overhead and sit as tall as you possibly can. Maintain that extended position through the lumbar spine and don’t collapse down onto your ribcage. See if you can last the entire 30 seconds without breaking posture. This is challenging but you can do it.
Rest for the remaining 30 seconds and you will have completed your first of two rounds through this brutal 8 minute home ab workout routine.
If you are ready for it, attempt to complete one more round of this torture to really put that core of yours to work. Here is how it looks like all laid out:
Dumbbell Wipers x 1 minute
Dumbbell Power-Ups x 1 minute
Seated DB Twists x 1 minute
Seated DB Overhead Hold x 30 seconds
Rest 30 seconds and repeat for one more round if able.
If you are looking for a complete core training program that takes your entire core (including your lower abs, upper rectus, obliques, serratus and lower back) for a 12 week journey to a ripped and powerful midsection, be sure to check out the Core4 Abs program at athleanx.com. Train your abs like an elite athlete and see just how quickly you can turn a so so midsection into a powerful and impressive one in no time at all.
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