TABLE OF
CONTENTS
ABS TRAINING GUIDELINES
GUIDELINE S (INTRO PAGE)
3
THE WORKOUT
6
AB EXERCISE TUTORIALS
7
DISCLAIMER
14
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
ABS TRAINING
GUIDELINES
This PDF is designed to act as a supplemental resource for you to refer to while you’re at the gym. I would
highly suggest reading over the “ab training” chapter within your program to get a better understanding of why
this routine is designed the way it is. I would also strong advise that you watch the tutorial videos for each
abdominal exercise within this routine (located in the exercise tutorials section of your program) in order to see
the best results with these movements.
The ab workout we’ll be using is designed to adequately target each area of your core musculature: primarily
the upper/mid/
upper/mid/lowe
lowerr abdominal
abdominalss and
and the
the obliques. Both
Both weig
weight
hted
ed and
and body
bodywe
weig
ight
ht mo
move
veme
ment
ntss will
will be
incorporated.
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
ABS TRAINING
GUIDELINES
And as explained in your course, the ab workout you’ll use is designed to be initially performed 1x per week.
week .
After a few months, if you feel ready for it, you can perform the workout 2x per week. But regardless, your ab
workout volume and exercise range will be increased in my intermediate program. So stick to this for now.
When
you choose to train your abs is completely up to you – however I’d suggest training them on a rest day
with your cardio/prehab routine OR after one of your workouts. Refrain from working out your abs on back-toback days.
days. Just like any other muscle group, they require adequate rest and should be given at least 1 day’s
rest before training them again.
And finall
finally,
y, for each of the below
below mo
movem
vement
ents,
s, foc
focus
us on progressively
progressively overloading the moveme
movements
nts by eithe
eitherr
increasing the number of reps you perform or increasing the weight used (if applicable) overtime – however,
this should be done very slowly and gradually AND always with proper form in order to prevent injury and/or
fatigue.
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
ABS TRAINING
GUIDELINES
Exercise
Weighted Cable
Crunch
Lying Leg Raises
Hollow Body
Holds
Thread the
Needle Plank
Sets
3
3
3
3
Reps
10-15
8-12
Notes
Bring chin to knees, don’t excessively
excessively arch or
round your back. Increase weight when
ready.
Keep lower back flat, don’t let feet touch
ground.
~30
second
holds
Make a “C” shape, flatten lower back, keep
arms and legs fully extended. Hold until your
form begins to breaks down. Add weight
when ready.
10 per
side
Start in a side plank position, keep hips
raised, avoid slouching. Increase reps or add
weight when ready.
*this workout is designed to be performed as a circuit. Perform 1 set of each ab
exercise consecutively (one right after the other without rest) and then take a 2minute rest before repeating the circuit again. The circuit should be done a total
of 3 times, meaning that each exercise is done for a total of 3 sets.
If lack of available equipment makes it difficult to perform them in a circuit,
then perform them how you would normally (3 sets of the first exercise then
onto the next) with around 60 seconds of rest between each set.
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
AB
EXERCISE
AB EXERCISE
TUTORIALS
TUTORIALS
EXERCISE 1: WEIGHTED CABLE CRUNCH
Target Muscle: Upper Abs
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
AB EXERCISE
TUTORIALS
Step
Ste
p 1 (Se
(Setup
tup):
): Kneel
Kneel below a high
high pulley
pulley that contai
contains
ns
either
either the rope attach
attachmen
mentt or the seated
seated row attach
attachmen
mentt
(whi
(which
chev
ever
er is mo
more
re co
comf
mfor
orttable
able for
for you)
you).. Gras
Grasp
p the
the
attachment and lower it until your hands are placed next to
your
your face
face (the
(the hand
handle
le shou
should
ld be dire
direct
ctly
ly behi
behind
nd your
your
head/neck). Position yourself such that you’re not too close
to the
the pull
pulley
ey yet
yet not
not too
too far
far – find
find the
the swee
sweett spot
spot that
that
allows you to have the best range of motion and activation
of your abs in step 2.
Step 2 (Crunch): While on your knees, flex your torso down
by contra
contracti
cting
ng your
your abs.
abs. Think
Think about
about trying
trying to bring
bring your
your
chin
chin dow
down towa
towarrds your
your knee
knees.
s. Ther
There
e ca
can
n be a sli
slight
ght
roundi
rounding
ng of your
your back
back to help
help with
with contra
contracti
cting
ng your
your abs,
abs,
but
but it shou
should
ld not
not be too
too exce
excess
ssiv
ive
e (esp
(espec
ecia
iall
llyy if you’
you’re
re
pron
prone
e to back
back pain
pain/i
/inj
njur
urie
ies)
s).. Ho
Hold
ld for
for a seco
second
nd at the
the
bottom position while contracting your abs.
Step 3 (Eccen
(Eccentric)
tric):: Slowly return to the starting position,
but keep the tension in the abs. Repeat for more reps.
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
AB EXERCISE
TUTORIALS
EXERCISE 2: LYING LEG RAISES
Target Muscle: Lower Abs
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
AB EXERCISE
TUTORIALS
Step
Ste
p 1 (Se
(Setup
tup):
): Lay flat on your back with your feet
together, legs straight, and arms out to your side. Move
into
into posteri
posterior
or pelvic
pelvic tilt
tilt by contr
contract
acting
ing your abs until
until
your lower black is flattened on the ground.
Step 2 (Raise): Raise your legs up by contracting your
abs until they reach around 90-degrees.
Step
Ste
p 3 (De
(Desce
scent)
nt):: Slowl
Slowlyy lowe
lowerr your
your legs
legs down
down unti
untill
your feet almost touch the ground.
Step
St
ep 4 (R
(Rai
aise)
se):: With
Without
out lett
lettin
ing
g your
your feet
feet touc
touch
h the
the
ground, raise your legs back up from there into another
rep in order to keep constant tension with the abs. Your
lower
back
should
remain
flat
and
no t
arched
throughout
throughout the process.
process.
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
AB EXERCISE
TUTORIALS
EXERCISE 3: HOLLOW BODY HOLDS
Target Muscle: Overall Abdominals/Core
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
AB EXERCISE
TUTORIALS
Step 1 (Setup): Lay flat on your back with your feet
and arms extended. Move into posterior pelvic tilt by
cont
contra
ract
ctin
ing
g your
your abs
abs unti
untill your
your lowe
lowerr back
back is flat
flat
against the ground.
Step 2 (Raise and Hold): Raise your upper body up
off the ground by contracting your abs – raise your
upper body such that your shoulder blades are not
touching the ground. Simultaneously raise your legs
up slightly as well in order to make a “C” shape.
Your arms
arms should
should be extend
extended
ed straig
straight
ht out behind
behind
you,
you, but ensure
ensure that
that your
your lower
lower back remains
remains flat.
flat.
Hold
Ho
ld this
this posit
positio
ion
n whil
while
e cont
contra
ract
ctin
ing
g your
your abs
abs and
and
hold it until your form deteriorates.
Optional (Harder): Once you can hold the movement
comfort
ortably
for
around
30
seco
secon
nds,
you
can
progress it by either holding it for longer times OR
by holding a weight in your hands like so.
Optional
Optio
nal (Easie
(Easier):
r): If you
you can’
can’tt do this
this in the
the firs
firstt
place, try doing the same thing but with your arms
positioned straight forward to make it a little easier
for you.
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
AB EXERCISE
TUTORIALS
EXERCISE 4: THREAD THE NEEDLE PLANK
Target Muscle: Obliques
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
AB EXERCISE
TUTORIALS
Step 1 (Setup): Start by laying on your side
with
with yo
your
ur elbo
elbow
w dire
direct
ctly
ly unde
undern
rnea
eath
th yo
your
ur
should
shoulder
er and your
your fee
feett and
and knees
knees stacke
stacked.
d.
Lift your hips into a side plank position with
your free arm up towards the ceiling.
Step 2 (“T
(“Threa
hread”)
d”):: Tak
Take
e yo
your
ur free
free arm
arm and
and
move it through the open space underneath
your
yo
ur body
body whil
while
e yo
you
u rota
rotate
te yo
your
ur shou
should
lder
erss
and hips towards the floor.
Step 3 (Return): Move back into the starting
positi
position
on and
and then
then repea
repeat.
t. Ensur
Ensure
e that
that your
your
hips
hips stay
stay elevat
elevated
ed throu
througho
ghout
ut and that
that you
main
ma
inta
tain
in a neut
neutra
rall (str
(strai
aigh
ght)
t) spin
spine
e rath
rather
er
than slouching. Repeat for more reps.
You ca
can
n furt
furthe
herr prog
progre
ress
ss this
this ex
exer
erci
cise
se by
performing more reps or by adding weight to
your free hand.
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE
DISCLAIMER
For inquiries or customer support, email contact@builtwithscience.com
The information provided in this book is for educational purposes only. Jeremy
Ethier
Ethier is not a docto
doctorr or regis
register
tered
ed dietit
dietitian
ian.. The conten
contents
ts of this
this docum
document
ent
should not be taken as medical advice and should be performed solely at your
own
own risk
risk.. It is not
not inte
intend
nded
ed to diag
diagno
nose
se,, trea
treat,
t, cure
cure,, or prev
preven
entt any
any heal
health
th
problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult
your
your physic
physician
ian or quali
qualifie
fied
d healt
health
h profe
professi
ssiona
onall on any ma
matt
tters
ers reg
regar
ardin
ding
g your
your
health
health and/or
and/or engag
engageme
ement
nt in physic
physical
al act
activi
ivity
ty.. No part
part of this
this repor
reportt ma
mayy be
reproduc
reproduced
ed or transmit
transmitted
ted in any form whatsoeve
whatsoeverr, electron
electronic,
ic, or mechanic
mechanical,
al,
including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval
system without expressed written, dated and signed permission from the author
(Jeremy Ethier). All copyrights are reserved.
BEGINNER ABS PDF OUTLINE