Get great abs! Get Scientific!
Being scientific about your workouts guarantees that your abs are improving at each session. Failing to be scientific often results in frustration and ultimately failure; failure because you quit!
If you want great abs (or any body part) this article will give you the tools that mean acquiring them are an inevitability.
Scientific?
What do I mean by this? You must do the following:
- You must stick to the same workout routine for at least 8 weeks at a time
- You must record every single workout performance i.e. number of reps and weight used
- You must beat your last workout every time
The Same Ab Workout Routine
As you know from my ‘MuscleHack Anabolic Workout Plan‘ I like to keep Ab workouts simple i.e.
- Only 3 different exercises
- 6-9 sets
- 8-16 weighted reps
If I keep changing the exercises, how can I be sure I progress every week? 10 reps of decline sit-ups with a 25lb weight is not the same as 15 crunches. In order to scientifically know that my body is improving I keep my workouts exactly the same for 8 weeks and ideally 12 weeks.
I keep a workout log beside me while I workout. It’s just a piece of paper with the exercise name, weight used and number of reps completed. So while I’m working out I’m counting the number of reps I’m getting as I go along (7, grunt, breath, 8, c’mon Mark!, 9, ahhh!!, 10 C’Mon!!!! – something like that 😉 ).
Once I finish I immediately grab my pen and record how many reps I get. If I’m working my abs and I get 16 reps, I write ’16’ and next to it I write a higher weight so that I know which weight to use for progressive results next time around. For example, if I get 16 reps of 20lbs, I write ’16’ and ’25lbs’.
Next time I’m hitting my abs I will use 25lbs for that particular set and record how may reps I can manage. Let’s say I get 9 reps, I’ll record that and next week aim for 10 until I can get 16 reps at 25lbs when I increase the weight again. Here’s an example of a bicep workout log. (8-12 rep range for biceps).
It’s scientific, measurable results that gives you certainty that your body is improving week on week.
What I’ve described here is known as Progressive Overload. Constant, never-ending improvement.
Mark McManus
There must be a stage where further improvement is not possible….surely you cannot keep on improving endlessly…?
That’s right Peter. This is especially true with ab muscles; they’re only going to get so big which is really a good thing.
Although for the rest of the body it will take many many years to reach a ceiling.
Mark
Thanks Mark…what then happens when you reach that level?
I assume you have then reached the optimum level for your body and it is a matter of maintaining that level.
Hi again Mark
I have limited training equipment at home at the moment but plan on changing that soon. I do however have an old and still fully working Bullworker from the 1970’s (that’s giving my age away)…. is it of any use?
Peter,
When you reach your goal you simply workout at the same level to maintain your results, you don’t need to keep striving for progressive overload at this point.
You’re right about the bullworker. I don’t know how many reps you could get with this thing but it’s sure to be higher than 8-12. You need something that you can keep increasing the resistance on so that your body has to continually adapt and grow.
It’s not totally useless though and if it’s ll you’ve got to start then go ahead but I recommend buying some free weights or joining a gym.
Cheers,
Mark
so adding 5 pounds at a time wont hurt your gains?
because thats all my gym has to offer.
-mario
@mario. 5 pounds is a little much for progressing with the abs. Try to find something else to hold against your chest or use a steeper angle for decline sit-ups.
Hi Mark. I just started working out using THT and i’m really excited but i was a little confused on how to work my abs. In Total Anabolism it says to have a 5 day split and put abs on my biceps day. However I think I remember reading in one of your articles to work out the abs 3 days a week. I don’t have your abs book yet, I plan to get it soon but until then just wondering hows the best way to work out abs.
I’m sorry i don’t want you to give away information out of your book. I specifically just wanna know how often should abs be worked out a week. Thats it.
At the moment I am using once a week for most of the year, then twice a week when cutting (which is once a year).