You would guess that since abs are the body part many people want to develop, ab training would be more popular than it is. After all, if you want to be center stage, your midsection better look right.Someone who understands this all too well is IFBB bikini pro Anita Herbert—and you don’t have to take our word for it. One look at her abs is all you need for evidence. Don’t believe me? Go check out her Instagram account for visual proof, as well as the admiration of her one million followers. After you do that, you’ll probably feel you need to step up your ab-training game. Fear not and keep reading because Anita’s taking you to Abs 101.Although training is important, Herbert wants you to know that Lesson 1 starts in the kitchen. “First of all and most important, if you want to have visible abs, you need to follow the correct diet. If you don’t, you can do situps all day long and you still won’t have a six-pack.” When it comes to working abs, the 2016 Fort Lauderdale Cup champ doesn’t just go through the motions. As you can tell by her descriptions of performing the following exercises, she pays great attention to form and making each rep count.
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Erica Schultz
STRAIGHT-LEG RAISE“Take a shoulder-width overhand grip on a pullup bar (or you can use hanging ab straps as I’m using in the photo) and allow your body to hang vertically, legs together, holding a very slight bend in your knees and hips. Keeping your legs straight and together, contract your lower abs to lift them in front of you to hip height or slightly above. Hold the top position for a count of one, then slowly lower back.”
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Erica Schultz
STRAIGHT-LEG RAISE ON A DECLINE BENCH“Grab a decline bench and set the angle to around 30 to 45 degrees. Lie on the bench backward, with your head on the highest end. Hold on to the pads above your head for stability. With your feet and knees together, point your legs out straight so your body forms a straight plank. Your legs should not be resting on the bench. This is the starting position for the exercise. Keeping your legs straight, knees and feet together and rotating at the hips only, bring your feet up as far as possible. Don’t pause at the top of the exercise, as this counts as a rest. Lower your legs back to the starting position and then repeat for desired reps.” PLANK (not pictured)“Set up for the plank by getting a mat and lying down on your front. To start the exercise, prop your torso up on your elbows and your feet up on your toes. Keeping yourself completely straight, hold this position for as long as possible. [I usually hold for a minute.]”
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Erica Schultz
HANGING TWISTED BENT-LEG RAISE“Raise your knees toward your chest, bending them and twisting to one side as shown in the photos, contracting the abdominals. Hold for 2 seconds, then slowly lower your legs to the starting position, stretching the abs. Repeat by alternating sides.” FLUTTER KICK (not pictured) Lie at on your back, with your arms resting palms-down by your sides or behind your back. Lift your heels about 6 inches o the floor. Keep your legs fully extended, with a slight bend in your knees. Quickly move your legs up and down, alternating in small, rapid and scissor-like motions. As one leg goes up, the other comes down. Use your arms to stabilize you but keep your lower back at against the ground as best as you can.
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Erica Schultz
HERBERT’S AB ASSAULTStraight-Leg Raise| SETS: 4 | REPS: 15Hanging Twisted Bent-Leg Raise| SETS: 4 | REPS: 15 Straight-Leg Raise on a Decline Bench| SETS: 4 | REPS: 20 Plank| SETS: 5 | REPS: 1 minute each or until failureFlutter Kick| SETS: 4 | REPS: 1 minute eachNOTE: Rest for 1 minute between sets. FLEX
You would guess that since abs are the body part many people want to develop, ab training would be more popular than it is. After all, if you want to be center stage, your midsection better look right.
Someone who understands this all too well is IFBB bikini pro Anita Herbert—and you don’t have to take our word for it. One look at her abs is all you need for evidence. Don’t believe me? Go check out her Instagram account for visual proof, as well as the admiration of her one million followers. After you do that, you’ll probably feel you need to step up your ab-training game. Fear not and keep reading because Anita’s taking you to Abs 101.
Although training is important, Herbert wants you to know that Lesson 1 starts in the kitchen. “First of all and most important, if you want to have visible abs, you need to follow the correct diet. If you don’t, you can do situps all day long and you still won’t have a six-pack.”
When it comes to working abs, the 2016 Fort Lauderdale Cup champ doesn’t just go through the motions. As you can tell by her descriptions of performing the following exercises, she pays great attention to form and making each rep count.
STRAIGHT-LEG RAISE
“Take a shoulder-width overhand grip on a pullup bar (or you can use hanging ab straps as I’m using in the photo) and allow your body to hang vertically, legs together, holding a very slight bend in your knees and hips. Keeping your legs straight and together, contract your lower abs to lift them in front of you to hip height or slightly above. Hold the top position for a count of one, then slowly lower back.”
STRAIGHT-LEG RAISE ON A DECLINE BENCH
“Grab a decline bench and set the angle to around 30 to 45 degrees. Lie on the bench backward, with your head on the highest end. Hold on to the pads above your head for stability. With your feet and knees together, point your legs out straight so your body forms a straight plank. Your legs should not be resting on the bench. This is the starting position for the exercise. Keeping your legs straight, knees and feet together and rotating at the hips only, bring your feet up as far as possible. Don’t pause at the top of the exercise, as this counts as a rest. Lower your legs back to the starting position and then repeat for desired reps.”
PLANK (not pictured)
“Set up for the plank by getting a mat and lying down on your front. To start the exercise, prop your torso up on your elbows and your feet up on your toes. Keeping yourself completely straight, hold this position for as long as possible. [I usually hold for a minute.]”
HANGING TWISTED BENT-LEG RAISE
“Raise your knees toward your chest, bending them and twisting to one side as shown in the photos, contracting the abdominals. Hold for 2 seconds, then slowly lower your legs to the starting position, stretching the abs. Repeat by alternating sides.”
FLUTTER KICK (not pictured)
Lie at on your back, with your arms resting palms-down by your sides or behind your back. Lift your heels about 6 inches o the floor. Keep your legs fully extended, with a slight bend in your knees. Quickly move your legs up and down, alternating in small, rapid and scissor-like motions. As one leg goes up, the other comes down. Use your arms to stabilize you but keep your lower back at against the ground as best as you can.
HERBERT’S AB ASSAULT
Straight-Leg Raise| SETS: 4| REPS: 15
Hanging Twisted Bent-Leg Raise| SETS: 4| REPS: 15
Straight-Leg Raise on a Decline Bench| SETS: 4| REPS: 20
Plank| SETS: 5| REPS: 1 minute each or until failure
