Your abs aren’t just a superfluous accessory that should only be trained with a few uninspired movements at the end of your workouts. You need core strength for just about any activity you want to pursue—so you should be loading up those muscles just like you would any others.
SelectTech 552 Dumbbells
$329.00
BUY IT HERE
This ab series from Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. uses smart positioning and an added load to create some intense anti-rotation work. “What’s happening here is pretty vicious,” says Samuel. “Your core throughout the series has to continually fight the urge to rotate downwards against the dumbbell held out to the side.”
To pull off the decline dumbbell ab fryer, you’ll need a decline bench and a pair of weights. You shouldn’t go too heavy here, since you’ll be holding the dumbbells in position for the entire work period. Check out this adjustable set from Bowflex if you want to try the move at home.
Men’s Health/Eric Rosati
- Anchor your feet in a decline bench, holding a pair of light dumbbells.
- Lower your torso to a position that’s parallel to the ground. Hold the dumbbells overhead with a neutral grip.
- Shift one of the dumbbells out to the side and hold it in position. Perform six situp reps with your arms in this position.
- After the first six reps, shift your other arm into the side position. Perform another 6 situp reps.
- Bring both dumbbells into a position directly above your chest. Finish with 6 situp reps.
Don’t just hold the weights passively as you work here. “Make sure to really punch that vertical dumbbell overhead,” says Samuel. He doesn’t mean to actively press each time you sit up; instead, work to keep your position strong and your arm straight.
Add the decline dumbbell ab fryer to your workout with 4 full sets of the series, taking about a minute to rest in between each round.
For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full slate of Eb and Swole workouts. If you want to try an even more dedicated routine, consider Eb’s New Rules of Muscle program.
Source: Read Full Article