TRAIN
BRIM’S STATS
OVER 40
HEIGHT: 5'11"
WEIGHT: 175 lbs
AGE: 49
RESIDENCE:
San Antonio, TX
WEBSITE:
drbconsult.com
DO THE WORK
“I knew if I
wanted rock-
hard abs, I
needed to do
more than mini-
mal training.”
BRIM’S ABS
WORKOUT
Fit for Life
Army veteran, former Olympian, and business
consultant RICKY BRIM trains for both
aesthetics and job performance. BY MARK BARROSO
A RETIRED ARMY SERGEANT
major who served 21 years, Ricky
Brim provides services such as team-
building, leadership, and customer-
assistance strategies to various
organizations as a business consul-
tant. The military was Brim’s bridge
to fitness and professional success.
“I joined the Army after I broke my
femur, and my track scholarship got
messed up,” Brim says. “My older
sister was in the military at the time.”
While in the Army, Brim competed in
the 400-meter sprint at the 2000
Olympic Games; his best-ever time in
the event was 45.9 seconds.
76
MUSCLE & FITNESS
Nowadays, Brim trains six times a
week, including two days for abs,
and runs a fast three to four miles
four times per week.
“I train as a bodybuilder, and I’m
working on getting to 200 pounds in
the long term,” Brim says. “I want my
workout style to match my look.”
After reaching a training plateau,
Brim swaps exercises and increases
intensity by upping the load or reps.
Surprisingly, he says his biggest
obstacle to success was fear.
“Once I overcame the fear of
getting injured, I achieved my goals,”
he says.
FEBRUARY 2016
EXERCISE SETS REPS REST
Decline Situp 5 35-40 60 sec.
Ab Knee-ins 10 35-40 45 sec.
15-20 45 sec.
—
Russian Twist* 5
Stationary
Bike Cycling 1 45
min.
Jump Rope 5 2 min.
60 sec.
*Hold 10- to 25-pound medicine ball or weight.
BRIM’S TOP 3 ABS
TRAINING TIPS
AVOID CRAMPS
“I drink two gallons of water a day. I used to
get cramps in my abs, but when I started
drinking more water, the cramps subsided.”
GET LOOSE
“Stretch the abs 10 to 15 minutes before
abs training to avoid injury. I do a cobra
pose, hang from a bar, and do side bends.”
GO FOR TWO
“Don’t train abs more than twice a week,
because your lower back may become
more injury-prone.”
JESSE B. LOPEZ