This archive report was first published on 6 September 2019.
Transform Your Core in 4 Weeks ¶
Looking to build a stronger six-pack? Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., has devised a 4-week workout plan that will get you there. This intense program features 7 ab exercises and a conditioning finisher to help you achieve a rock-solid core.
Before we dive into the workout, here's a secret about six-pack abs: You don't need six cubes of muscle in your abdomen to live a happy and productive life. However, you do need an all-around great core workout to fix your posture, avoid injury, and look pretty damn good on the beach.
Directions ¶
Train 5 straight days, then rest 2 days. Do this workout 3 days a week, with heavy-weight workouts in between. On your first heavy-weight day, do 4 sets of 10 deadlifts, then do 30 minutes of running. On your second, do 4 sets of 10 lunges per leg and 4 sets of 10 dumbbell rows per arm, then jog for 30 minutes.
The Workout ¶
Do this as a circuit. In weeks 1 and 2, do each move for 30 seconds, then rest 15; do 3 rounds. In weeks 3 and 4, work for 45 seconds, then rest 15; do 4 rounds.
Exercise 1: Two-Step Getup ¶
Start by lying on your back with a dumbbell in your right hand directly over your chest. Press the bell upward, propping yourself onto your left elbow. Pause, then push your torso off the floor. Return to the start. Do 1 set on each side before moving on to the next exercise.
Exercise 2: Ab Runner ¶
Begin by lying on your back with your hands touching your head and your feet together. Sit up and bring your left knee toward your chest, trying to touch it to your right elbow. Pause and squeeze your core, then return to the start. Repeat on the other side, gradually increasing your speed.
Exercise 3: Weighted Hollow Hold ¶
Start by lying on your back with your feet together and your arms extended behind you, holding a light dumbbell. Raise your arms off the floor and simultaneously raise your legs 2 inches off the floor. Contract your abs, driving your lower back into the floor. Hold until time is up. If it's too hard, ditch the dumbbell and keep your arms extended.
Exercise 4: Side Plank Leg Lift ¶
Set up in a left side plank with your legs straight and your feet stacked. Your left elbow should be directly below your left shoulder, and your core should be tight. Lift your right leg as high as you can, pause, then return to the start. Do 1 set on each side before moving on to the next exercise.
Exercise 5: Inverse Crunch ¶
Begin by lying on your back with your hands by your sides and your feet together. Raise your legs so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor, then bend at the knees. Tighten your lower abs, lifting your hips off the floor. Focus on driving the contraction with your abs as you do this. Lower back to the start.
Conditioning Finisher ¶
Set a timer for 8 minutes. During odd-numbered minutes, do a set of the first exercise as quickly as possible with good form, then rest until the end of the minute. During even-numbered minutes, do a set of the second exercise, then rest until the end of the minute.
Exercise 1: Renegade Row
Set up in pushup position with your hands on dumbbells that are directly under your shoulders. Do a pushup, then brace your core and lift the right dumbbell off the floor. Row it to your right rib cage, then return it to the floor and repeat on the other side. That's 1 rep; do 4 to 5 reps per set.
Exercise 2: Dumbbell Swing
Hold a dumbbell by its head at your hips, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your core tight, let it swing down through your legs. Now explosively drive your hips forward, standing up and squeezing your glutes. The momentum should drive the dumbbell up to nearly chest level. That's 1 rep; let the momentum of the dumbbell carry you into your next rep. Do 15 reps.
