Want Killer Abs? It Doesn't Take A Lot... Here's the ONE abs exercise I do with all of my clients. Never fails!
My abs have been everywhere. Now, I'm not talking about my stomach here. Rather the six-packs and toned middles I've created on some of the biggest stars of cinema. You'll see the adamantium abs I built on Hugh Jackman in the Wolverine series. The slender mid-section I chiselled for Jennifer Lawrence in X-Men Days of Future Past or on Jessica Chastain for The Huntsman.
So often, people complain that the abs you see in films are unattainable. But I'm here to tell you that's not the case. In fact, I've one trick in particular that you can start doing today.
No matter the client - whether it's a hulking man like Hugh or a slender female star - I always use my favourite core exercise. It doesn't require any new-fangled machinery, either - just a barbell and some hard work. It's called the ab rollout. In a nutshell, you kneel on the floor with a swiss ball or barbell in front of you. From there, you grab the bar or lean on the ball, tense your middle and allow yourself to roll forward as you control everything with those soon-to-be-burning abs. It's simple. But not easy.
It's important to realise that this is only part of the picture. Your diet needs to be on point if you want visible abs. But the roll out will help boost core strength and endurance - allowing you to do the big gym moves like squats and deadlifts with ease - whilst also allowing more effective high intensity to burn through the stubborn midsection fat.
The difficulty can be adjusted to suit different ability levels. Here's how to approach it to get the best results foryour body:
1) Beginners
Use a swiss ball - you'll find plenty in your local gym, but they're inexpensive if you want to purchase one for your home. Kneel on the floor with a couple of feet between you and the ball. Place your elbows on it, keeping your core rigid and abs tight. Exhale as you roll the ball forward, inhale as you return. It'll burn pretty quickly but persevere.
2) Intermediate
Using a barbell will yield better results. But it's important that you have the core strength to ensure your back doesn't collapse down, which could cause injury. If you're unsure, start with the swiss ball method until you feel confident. Similar to the above, start on your knees. With the bar in front, grab it at shoulder-width and roll forw[ard exhaling. Return. Aim for slow, controlled movements.
3) Advanced
If you're going for mutant levels of muscle, then you can actually strap on a weighted vest and start the movement from standing. This takes practice and confidence, but the results can be amazing. With a barbell near your feet, hinge forward at the hips, hold the bar and roll forward controlling the motion with your abs. You'll be ready film ready in no time.
