OH! Magazine - Australian Version June 2015 | Page 20

MIKE
CAMPBELL

3 TRAINING PRINCIPLES

FOR GREAT ABS
Mike Campbell provides these training tips to
help you create some awesome abs.

bs are often considered the holy
grail of the male physique. Some
may prefer round shoulders or big ‘guns’,
but when it comes to self image, abs top
the ‘I want!’ list for many men.

A

But are they the be all and end all of
masculinity or attractiveness? No, of
course they’re not. What we really need to
do is focus on having a lean stomach
(regardless of visible abs) as this is an
accurate measure and predictor of health.
However, for some guys the added
motivation of seeing a rippled midsection
is a real (and healthy) one; and I believe,
as long as you maintain a healthy approach
and a good perspective about why you’re
doing it, then you have my support! The
question is – how does one get them?
1,000 crunches a day? Endless cardio?
Cut out carbs? Cut out fat? The answers
are ‘maybe’ and ‘maybe not’. You see,
creating visible abs is a complex process
of having a body fat percentage that will
reveal them, and forming the actual
muscle that will take that desired
washboard shape.
So, let’s assume that the large part of
dropping body fat is being taken care of
through your healthy eating habits (which
includes
an
appropriate
calorie
requirement and content make up),
adequate quality sleep, and effective
stress management. Then, what you’re left
with is the training element. There are
three main key principles to consider and
apply when you’re looking to create some
great abs.

for both the formation of good abdominal
muscles, as well as helping to shift the fat
that covers them, is strength training.
Specifically, you need to understand your
individual physiological response to
training, and what your hormones are
doing. The key is to promote testosterone
and growth hormone, as they help build
new muscle, maintain the muscle we
already have, and burn fat. Heavy strength
training will do this, as will the lactate
created from high intensity interval
training (HIIT) – see below. Good nutrition
and quality sleep also play a big role.
Lifting heavy will also get your abs working,
as they are required to hold your torso
strong while you move big loads. Doing
heavy squats, deadlifts and military
presses are ideal, as they all require your
abs to work hard, while all the good
hormonal stuff is happening as well.
You can also encompass specific
abdominal training (such as hanging
knees to
elbows or toes to bar) in your
regime; to increase the strength and size
of the muscles themselves.
2. HIIT the intensity
As well as lifting heavy to promote a
beneficial hormonal environment, one of
the best
additions to any ab-exposing
program is high intensity training. This
can take the form of intervals like hill
sprints, high intensity resistance training
(HIRT) activities like CrossFit, or heart
rate variability training (HRV).

1. Lift heavy
By far one of the most important elements

20

JUNE 2015 ( OH! MAGAZINE )

Either way we’re looking to create a lactate
environment (yes that means it will most

likely hurt), and get your body working to
burn fat. ote: steady state cardio is
N
completely fine and a very good option to
help aid in fat loss; however, I recommend
limiting it to one to two times a week, and
prioritising the above.
3. Consistency
This may be the most common thing that
lets most guys down in their quest for a
ripped stomach. Quick fixes to dropping
the extra kilos is a massive industry;
however, the simple fact is this –
consistent, hard work in all the areas I’ve
mentioned is the most effective way to
actually get a washboard stomach (or at
least, dropping some excess belly – and
overall – body fat.
Jumping programs, trying the latest fad
and falling in and out of training will all
dent your progress. The reality is, in order
to get visible abs or a flat stomach, you
have to consistently apply yourself to your
training (as well as commit to ongoing,
healthy nutrition, quality sleep patterns
and
effective
stress
management
strategies).
So dig your heals in, lift heavy, train with
intensity and work on burning fat and
building strong abs.

http://unleashyouralpha.com

( Men’s Health )