When it
comes Abdominal Training what many people think it is, is that you’re doing
sit-ups, crunches and using crazy gadgets to get six pack abs. They believe if
you do good ab work, you’re strong and healthy plus you look like a million
bucks. Not so true. Just because you have a great waistline, ripping muscle all
over the core area doesn’t mean you’re strong and healthy, some crack addicts
have six pack abs.
The real
thing about having healthy abs doesn’t always concern on what’s on the outside
but what is inside that counts (sorry had to use a intro line from Aladdin). A
powerful core is not just muscle but the strength within the internal organs
and the core isn’t just the abdominals
but the obliques, lower back and the transverse muscles all working in
unison. When you isolate the abs you’re missing out on the other important
muscles that tie together. Back in the early 20th century, men like
Eugene Sandow, Maxick, Otto Arco, Alexander Zass and others didn’t rely on
sit-ups, crunches, machines and gadgets because they didn’t exist back then,
they relied on what they were training in certain lifts, isometric contractions
and Muscle Control. These men were the pinnicle of Physical Perfection and they
are still admired to this day.
Although some
of the old-timers had great musculature, it wasn’t about looking great. It was
about achieving strength and health from both inside and outside. You can have
the most muscular abs on the planet but if you can’t move and your organs are
shot than what’s the point? Some people believe if you have a 29 inch waist and
weigh less than 185 lbs and are around 6’ than you’re awesome looking and have
a triangular torso with mighty abs to show off, it doesn’t happen for everyone.
Sit-ups and Crunches can give you some muscle but if your neck and back are
weak than you’re not going to get anywhere. Believe it or not, some of the
strongest and healthiest people in the world don’t have six pack abs but are
still agile, flexible and supple. To get the most benefit for strong and
healthy Core Strength and power it’s important to tie in as many muscles as
possible throughout your training.
To build a
powerful core, you play around with exercises that target that but the whole
body comes into play. Lifting odd objects, strengthening the neck and back with
Bridging, doing basic Gymnastic Movements, moving like a wild animal takes a
lot of core strength, contracting the abs during plyometrics to protect your
back from injury and even Sprints develop powerful abs because your whole body
is fired up and you need to stabilize the core as you run because if you don’t
you’re wobbling and could hurt yourself. Powerful abs is not always about the
look, however, like the old-timers you can have great abs and still be
extremely strong. One of my friends Logan Christopher is around 6’2 and about
190 lbs. or less, that’s pretty skinny for a guy that tall but yet is one of
the strongest athletes pound for pound and has an extremely powerful core with
great musculature. It’s true to build a powerful body, you need a powerful Core
because the muscles there give a protective shield, helping you make the most
out of your training.
I’m 5’10
and around 255 lbs. I don’t have six pack abs and quite frankly don’t really
care but at the same time my core is very strong and mobile, flexible and
supple. Without a strong Core I can’t fall back into a bridge, I wouldn’t be
able to bear crawl efficiently, my stretching wouldn’t be that good and most of
all without a strong core I couldn’t hold a bridge or do the TNT Cables/Chest
Expander very well because I would collapse and my body wouldn’t be able to
handle it. So you see even for a big man like myself, it’s still possible to
have strong abs and still have strength to keep going. Cardio and crunches won’t
help your cause, it takes real training to get what you want and it’s very
basic. Start out slow and build up, believe me it feels like a dead end at
first but as you get better, you’re getting closer to being strongest you can
be.
If you want
six pack abs than go for it but look to old school methods to help get you
there and have fun with it, if you don’t desire to have muscled up abs but
still want strength you can do that too. Be awesome and kick ass on your
journey wherever it is.
