This is an article written for people following BFL (Body for Life) who want an extra boost getting their abs in tip top shape. It's tough, but worth it.


by Scott Nelson
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So you want to go to AB Boot Camp do ya Sanieh?…..well okie dokie then here we go…..it ain’t gonna be easy, but if ya want them abs by Vegas, there’s work to be done.

A couple of things on ab training before I get into the details. The diet and cardio training are very important now to reduce the remaining bodyfat down to uncover those abs (particularly the lower abs) that you are looking for. Continue the BFL diet and perhaps pull back the evening carbs for the last several weeks to tighten up. You should be doing cardio at least three times per week and perhaps add an extra session or two if you are not happy with your fat loss progress. To really bring the abs out you must totally FOCUS on ABS when you are doing them (don’t let visions of Vegas get in the way). What I mean is you must contract the abs first and pull with the abs in doing any ab exercise. (not just lifting your shoulders or pulling with your arms). Whenever you are working abs it is important to always do your lower abs first as they tire the easiest and the resistance tends to move to other parts of the abdominal. This routine is different than a BFL routine……but I have found for me that my abdominals respond better and become shaper by using a high repetition workout.

Here is what I want you to do for the next four weeks which is basically the routine I go into about 3 weeks out from a photo shoot. This routine is meant for finishing your abdominals.

Immediately following your a.m. cardio training on an empty stomach (at least three times per week) you will be training your abs. I have always found I can get a much better ab contraction when I am hot, sweaty, and void of food. You will be doing a no rest circuit routine consisting of 6 consecutive exercises, you will then rest and stretch for 2 minutes and repeat, rest and stretch for 2 minutes and repeat again. The whole routine should take you about fifteen minutes. Try the following exercises in your circuit:

1.) Lower ab crunch (15 reps) – lying flat on a bench with knees bent at a 45 degree angle bring your knees toward your chest contracting the lower ab.

2.) Leg Raise – (15 reps) – lying flat on a bench, legs straight, lift legs from hips keeping them straight until your toes are right above your eyes (your butt will come off the bench)

3.) Side Crunch (15 reps ea. Side) – lying on one hip on bench, knees bent, arms grabbing the end of the bench behind you, bring knee toward chest…you should feel these in the obliques and intercostals. Switch to the other hip and do the same thing.

4.) Seated Crunch – (15 reps) sitting on the very end of the bench hands behind your butt, crunch your knees towards your chest then extend back your legs.

5.) Lying Crunch w/ Legs up (15 reps) – with legs up on a wall or bench, pull your shoulders off of the ground about 6 inches BY CONTRACTING your abs.

6.) Back Hyperextension (15 reps) – face down on a hyperextension machine, start in a folded position and go to parallel, repeat.

Ok, now we get an an active rest period for 2-3 minutes. Stretch your abs by locking your hands and reaching as high for the sky as you can, hold for a 10-20 seconds, repeat. Do stomach vacumms (this will reduce your waist size very quickly and give you great abdominal control) by exhaling all of your air and trying to touch your belly button to your backbone, hold for 10 seconds and repeat. These can be done standing, kneeling, or on all fours….concentrate on abdominal control. You can also do some side bends (without weights) during this period. Rests over……repeat the circuit. Active rest for 2-3 minutes, repeat for the third time. You can say ouch now.

If you don’t feel the above workout is giving you the results you want you can add some supplemental ab training- Before my weight workouts, I like to do some hanging leg raises and/or crunches from a pull up bar. These are great lower ab exercises and they stretch you out for your workout. If you have not already, get the 3 minute ab workout and add a couple of the lower ab workouts each week. The exercises are different, effective, and very efficient. Do as many stomach vacuums as often as you want……you can do them at work, standing in line, at church, wherever, and no one will ever know……they give you tremendous control over flexing your abdominals and your waistline. And speaking of flexing, the more you flex your abdominals the more defined they will become. You do this by exhaling all of your air and tightening your midsection as best you can. Do it from the front and sides…….oh, and don’t forget to smile and look natural when you do it

Ok girl, the rest is up to you….now kick some butt….i mean some abs! Final Ab inspection in Vegas.

Sgt. Nelson out.
Nat

I will have to print this up as this is the one area of my body that I feel needs a lot of work and improvement. I have never had very strong stomach muscles and it is the one area that I have always felt conscious about not being as toned as it could be.

As I am getting so close to weight goal, my new goal is going to be trying to decrease body fat percent and toning so that my body actually looks good as well as being smaller

Here's a link to the article off the magazine web site: it's got the pictures which makes things a lot easier.

http://www.musclemedia.com/training/BootCamp.asp

It's a killer; but it really produces results.

Nat

You've done it once again Nat---Thanks for all the useful information!

~Ang~

Bumping !

Nat,
Where do you find the time?? I have upped the ab workouts this time around with bfl. I do the stomach vacuums and I am training the abs 3xweek, every other day. I have added enough exercises to make it a ten minute blast but still need to work on the focus aspect but I am getting better. Measured my waist today and down another 1/2 inch in a week so I know its working although the top looks 200% than the bottom. I will incorporate some of the above exercises and see what happens. Oh one more thing, Have a blast in mexico with the seven bathing suits for the trip. Make sure you wear everyone. We will all miss you and your rock solid advice.
Laurie

ab article is missing from the magazine website now