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The Abs

Program By Michael Hermann

© 2014 Michael Hermann Personal Training, Inc. All rights reserved. You may not copy, share or distribute this work in any format or media without the

express written consent of Michael Hermann Personal Training, Incorporated. For inquires, contact michael@michaelhermann.com.au

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Disclaimer You understand that your participation in any Michael Hermann Personal Training (MHPT) exercise program without a prior medical evaluation from a qualified

medical professional is at your own volition. You take responsibility and liability for any risks, injuries or accidents associated with your participation in a MHPT

training exercise program. You understand that MHPT is unable to provide you with medical advice in regard to your medical health/fitness. You may not hold

MHPT liable in any way for any injuries that may occur while you are using this exercise training program, whether it be before, during, and after seeking consultation with a qualified medical practitioner. As such, any information

shared by MHPT, its agents, officers, and any affiliated companies is not to be followed without the prior approval of your physician. If you choose to use this

information without the prior consent of your physician, you are agreeing to accept full responsibility for your decisions and are agreeing to hold harmless MHPT, its agents, officers, and employers and any affiliated companies from any

liability with respect to injury to you or your property arising out of or connected with your use of the information discussed.

By accepting your comprehensive exercise program, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless MHPT and its subsidiary and other affiliated companies, and their employees, contractors, officers, and directors from all

liabilities, claims, and expenses, including attorney's fees that arise from your use or misuse of your comprehensive exercise program.

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Introduction As far as aesthetic appeal, the abdominals (or commonly referred to as ‘abs’ for

short) are probably the most popularised and talked about muscle group in the

human body. For a number of years I have heard countless discussions about

the abs generated by the media, trainers, avid gym goers, and the general

public alike. For this fact, I find it alarming that the amount of emphasis and

thought people place on training this muscle group is often nowhere near

commensurate to the attention given. This lack of emphasis is not just in the

form of the due diligence to training this muscle group frequently enough, but

also the misguided understanding of how the abdominals can be and should be

trained. The goal of this program is to not just make your abdominals more

appealing (which is accomplished mostly through one’s diet anyway), but to

emphasise the strength, motion and stability that the abdominals are capable of

possessing with proper training and understanding of their functions. This is by

no means the be-all, end-all, ultimate program for the abdominals (such a

program does not exist). However, it is a progressive program that if adhered to

consistently and correctly, will produce great results and improvements in the

qualities mentioned above. When people refer to the abs, they are often talking

about the abdominal wall and the visual muscles and aspects of the trunk that

can be seen directly both anteriorly and laterally – mainly comprising of the

rectus abdominis and obliques. This text will address these muscle groups

predominantly in a quest to make your mid-section stronger and more stable

whilst still adding visual appeal.

Program Notes & Emphasis There are a number of training devices that can be used to assist in training the

abdominals (and a number of devices that should be avoided too). I have

designed this program for use with minimal equipment – the equipment that is

used in this program is commonly found in most gym facilities and commercial

health clubs. If the piece of equipment required is not available to you, you will

need to substitute for a similar piece of equipment or exercise where necessary.

To assist in reference and proper execution of each exercise, click the thumbnail

picture next to each exercise description to view a video of the exercise to be

performed.

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Definitions & Abbreviations

Reps = the number of repetitions/repeats of a given exercise

Sets = a cluster of reps performed in sequence without rest

es = each side – exercises with this abbreviation require both sides of the body

to be worked (e.g. Russian Twists)

ew = each way - exercises with this abbreviation require a movement to be

performed in one direction for the allocated reps and then the other direction for

the same amount of reps (e.g. Swissball Planks + Elbow Circle).

ALAP = As Long As Possible – exercises with this loading principle are to be

performed for maximum duration until exercise technique breaks down (e.g.

Front Plank)

TUT = Time Under Tension –the time the targeted musculature is worked and

placed under tension (e.g. side plank)

For exercises requiring TUT, you perform 1 rep of the exercise and in the reps

column you record the time you held the exercise for with good form. You then

tally your total time for each set you have completed and aim to improve this

total time the next session. You may only improve by a few seconds in some

instances but that is ok – small amounts of progress can add up to larger

amounts consistently over time.

For exercises requiring external load (e.g. Cable Woodchop – midline), let the

reps dictate the weight used i.e. if you can only perform 8 reps for an exercise

and the target is 10 reps, the weight is too heavy – if you can perform 13 reps,

the weight is too light.

Determining Difficulty Level

Different people will have different ability levels and different rates of

progression. For this reason, you may be unsure about which difficulty level is

best for you. To determine which difficulty level is best for you, experiment with

Session 1 of week 1/Phase 1 of the Intermediate and Advanced program in that

order. If you find that you cannot perform the allocated exercises and sets/reps

with good consistent technique, you will need to drop back to a lower difficulty

level to the program level that you could not execute correctly.

You are going to work in the 10-12 rep range for the majority of each program –

If you are doing the advanced program and finding the rep range and exercises

too easy and you are looking to push yourself further, then feel free to increase

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the rep range from 10-12 to 13-15 over each week. You also have the option of

adding load to most exercises in the advanced program, and decreasing the rest

time between circuits as a further from of progression.

Frequency

You can use this program in isolation or integrate it with your current training

day routines. Different people will have different recovery ability and different

adaptation responses to this program, so the frequency of training sessions over

a given time period will differ from person to person and should be individualised

based on one’s recovery ability. For this reason, you will notice that there are no

set ‘days’ in the programs. In general, I have found that most will benefit from

training the abdominals in the fashion outlined within this program at least every

2-3 days. Therefore, one’s training split could be as follows:

Mon, Wed, Fri, Mon, Wed, Fri …

Mon, Thurs, Sun, Wed, Sat, Tues …

Program Theory

Apart from the aesthetic appeal, the abdominals have many different functions

and a very integrated set of movement patterns. Therefore the scope of

exercises and training methods which may be applied to this section of the body

is vast. It is worth noting that the human body knows only of movements not

muscles. Your primary task should be to focus on the movement pattern instead

of a single muscle. This program will seek to address the following movement

patterns and functions of the abs, and in the process, make the abs stronger and

more appealing:

Movement Patterns & Functions addressed:

Trunk Twisting + horizontal stability – Exercises used = trunk

Rotation/Anti-Rotation variations

Trunk + Hip Flexion – Exercises used = Crunch + Knee Tuck variations

Trunk Lateral Flexion + sagittal stability - Exercises used = Lateral Crunch

+ Extension + Plank variations

Frontal stability – Exercises used = Front Plank variations

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Due to the nature of the abdominals and their array of innervations and

functions, the above qualities are not always isolated and will overlap or

integrate from time to time (e.g. the swissball jacknife exercise described in Wk

3 of the Advanced program requires both frontal stability and a dynamic crunch

contraction of the abdominals in the same exercise/movement). The main skill

with abdominal work is to be able to control the targeted movements primarily

involving the abdominals without compensating with other movements which will

involve lesser recruitment of the abdominals - an example of this would be using

movements of the shoulder and arms to initiate an abdominal crunch rather than

using the abdominals.

The progression of the exercises and their order throughout the program is

based on a number of factors such as body position, external loading, leverage,

and base of support. When you integrate this program into your training routine,

remember to pay equal attention (if not more attention) to training the muscles

at the back of the trunk, particularly the erector spinae and other back

extensors. These should be trained at a similar volume and/or intensity relative

to your workouts in this program to ensure a balanced development of your

body. Details of specific training routines for opposing movements and muscle

groups are beyond the topic and scope of this book.

Program Walkthrough

We will use Session 1 of week 1/phase 1 of the beginner exercise program as an

example:

Perform exercise A:1 (Russian Twist) for 10 reps each side. Rest 10 seconds.

Perform exercise A:2 (Push-Through Crunch) for 10 reps. Rest 10 seconds

Perform exercise A:3 (Side Plank) for As Long As Possible until technique breaks

down and record time. Rest 10 seconds.

Perform exercise A:4 (Front Plank)for As Long As Possible until technique breaks

down and record time. Rest 120 seconds.

Repeat the circuit A:1 to A:4 an additional 2 times for a total of 3 sets of each

exercise.

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Beginner Program Week 1/Phase 1:

Russian Twist – both feet planted Start near the top of a sit-up position with a 45’ trunk angle.

Knees and hips should be 90’. With straight arms, rotate through the trunk (not shoulders) from left to right covering a 180’ angle of rotation with the trunk.

Push-Through Crunch

Keep arms straight and between bent legs. Keep feet planted while using the abdominals to crunch and raise the torso off

the ground. Do not cheat by swinging the arms or shoulders.

Side Plank

Whilst planted on one elbow, keep the body straight from ankle through to head. Use the first set to determine the

weak side (i.e. that which you can hold for the least amount of time) & do not exceed the same TUT for the stronger side.

Front Plank Hold the body straight from ankle through to head whilst supporting oneself on both forearms.

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Beginner Program Week 2/Phase 2:

Russian Twist – 1foot planted Start near the top of a sit-up position with a 45’ trunk angle. Knees and hips should be 90’. With straight arms, rotate

through the trunk (not shoulders) from left to right covering a 180’ angle of rotation with the trunk.

McGill Crunch

Keep elbows and arms fixed behind head. Keep one leg straight, one leg bent. Keep lower back and legs planted. Use

the abdominals to crunch and raise the shoulders and thoracic spine off the ground.

Lateral Crunch – hand reach

Keep on lateral side of the body with feet in the air throughout entire movement. Focus on using the obliques to simultaneously draw your knees up and into the side of the

body while reaching with the hand towards the feet.

Front Plank + Plate Slides

Use a 10kg weight plate (or a 15kg plate if you really want to push it). As with all Plank variations keep a straight body

from ankle to head and keep hips still for this movement.

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Intermediate Program Week 1/Phase 1:

Swissball Lying Dumbbell Trunk Rotations Keep a straight line between knees and head whilst bridging

your body atop of the Swissball. Upper back should be firmly supported on the ball. Keeping straight arms rotate the trunk from left to right 180’ with a dumbbell in both hands.

Toes-to-sky Crunch

Keep both legs straight and still whilst pointed towards the sky throughout entire movement. Keep arms straight above

chest. Use the abdominals to crunch and raise the ribcage towards the pelvis whilst reaching hands towards toes.

Side Plank Extensions – from hand

Start with the body straight from ankle through to head. From this position lower hips towards the floor until they almost

touch then extend them back towards the top starting position.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Renegade Rows Keep hips steady and body straight from ankle through to head throughout the entire movement. Row the dumbbell

towards ribcage on the same side. Ensure no other body parts move except for the working arm.

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Intermediate Program Week 2/Phase 2:

Swissball Single-Arm Dumbbell Flies Keep a straight line between knees and head whilst bridging body atop of the Swissball. Upper back should be firmly

supported on ball. Keeping the working arm straight, perform a fly whilst resisting movement from rest of the body.

Swissball Crunch

Keep elbows and arms fixed behind head. The lower back should be supported on the top hemisphere of the Swissball

throughout the entire movement. Use the abdominals to crunch and raise ribcage towards the pelvis.

Lateral Crunch from Side Plank

From a side plank position, draw the top knee towards the top elbow. Focus on using the obliques to simultaneously draw the knee up and into the side of the body while reaching with

the elbow towards the knee.

Swissball Plank + Body Saw

Hold the body straight from ankle through to head whilst supporting oneself on both forearms atop of a Swissball. From

this position, draw the forearms back and forth between the abdominals and out in front of the shoulders.

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Advanced Program Week 1/Phase 1:

Cable Woodchop – High-to-Low Position cable above head height. Stand tall with feet shoulder with apart. With straight arms, drive the cable in an

arc-like motion 180’ (using the trunk) outside the opposing hip. Ensure weight is off stack throughout entire movement.

Reverse Crunch

With arms firmly planted by sides proceed to draw knees and hips in towards the chest. Ensuring to contract the

abdominals to bring the pelvis closer towards the ribcage. Lower the legs back to the starting position under control.

Standing Cable Side Extensions

Position cable at a low setting and stand perpendicular to the weight stack. Stand tall and with a straight arm, drive the opposing elbow towards the outer hip. Ensure the weight is

off the stack throughout the entire movement.

Alternating Dumbbell Renegade Rows

Keep hips steady and body straight from ankle through to head throughout the entire movement. Alternate rowing each

dumbbell towards ribcage on the same side. Ensure no other body parts move except for the working arm.

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Advanced Program Week 2/Phase 2:

Cable Woodchop – Low-to-High Position cable below hips. Stand tall, feet shoulder with apart. With straight arms, drive the cable in an arc-like motion 180’

(using the trunk) outside & above the opposing shoulder. Ensure weight is off stack throughout entire movement.

Leg Tucks

With hands lightly planted on the bench for balance, draw knees and hips in towards chest from a 45’ straight leg

position (legs should be hovering off bench at all times). Lower legs back to starting position under control.

Standing Dumbbell Side Extensions

Stand tall holding a dumbbell with a straight arm. Place the opposing hand on head and drive the elbow towards the outer hip on the same side. Lower the dumbbell under control back

to the starting position and repeat.

Swissball Plank + Elbow Circles

Hold the body straight from ankle to head whilst supporting oneself on both forearms atop of a Swissball. From this

position, circle the elbows atop the Swissball in largest circumference possible (use large Swissball for this exercise).

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Where To From Here If you have completed all of the advanced program then congratulations! You

should be feeling much better about the state of your abs. To progress further,

you can go complete the advanced program again and apply the principles of

progression as outlined under the ‘Determining Difficulty Level’ in the program

notes section of this text - increasing reps, adding load, and/or decreasing rest

time.

Alternatively, you can send me an email at michael@michaelhermann.com.au for

the next stages of this program. I would love to hear your feedback on the

program too.

For more info and a full list of other products & services, visit:

michaelhermann.com.au

About Michael Hermann

Michael Hermann is a qualified and sought after Personal Trainer, Strength&

Conditioning Coach and Nutritionist. His love for training and passion for results

has motivated him to continually help other people realise and perform to their

potential. The transformations that transpire for his clients are enduring and

holistic, with success in physical endeavours spilling over into success in other

areas of their lives. For this reason Michael has adopted the motto ‘Transform

Yourself’ for his business and mission statement.

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Whether you want to look better, feel better or perform better, Michael believes

that everyone has the ability to achieve exceptional results. His clientele ranges

from everyday people with health and body composition goals to national level

athletes looking to enhance performance. He has worked closely with a wide

variety of populations and age groups as well as a number of athletes including

rowers, footballers, cricketers, boxers, sprinters, distance runners, tri-athletes,

natural bodybuilders & figure competitors. In addition to training clients, Michael

uses his skills and experience to mentor and lecture other aspiring trainers at

the through various Australian colleges & institutions.

Going forward, Michael envisions and pursues a future where people will look

beyond instant gratification and seek long term lifestyle and training solutions.

It is his mission to empower people to embrace physical culture and find

significance and purpose in their endeavours that will produce lasting results.

For more info visit: michaelhermann.com.au