How To Get Six Pack Abs | Ab Training Science Explained ft. Christian Guzman

Summary

In this video, physique competitor and YouTuber Christian Guzman discusses the key to achieving a ripped six-pack. He emphasizes that while diet is crucial for visibility, targeted training is essential for development. Guzman debunks myths about squats and deadlifts being effective for ab growth, citing studies showing minimal activation. He recommends specific exercises like crunch variations and leg raises for targeted ab development and suggests incorporating both high and low rep ranges for optimal results. The video also touches on the importance of training the lower back to complement ab work.

Takeaways

• 🍽️ Diet is crucial for revealing abs, as they are made visible through leanness.
• 💪 Building abs involves training to develop the muscles and then revealing them through diet.
• 📚 Understanding the anatomy of the abdominal muscles is essential for effective training.
• 🙅‍♂️ Squats and deadlifts do not effectively activate the abs, contrary to popular belief.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Isolation exercises like crunches and leg raises are effective for targeting the abs.
• 🚫 High rep ab training is not supported by research; a mix of high and low reps is recommended.
• 🤔 The safety and effectiveness of crunches are debated, but expert opinions suggest they can be beneficial.
• 🔍 EMG studies show that certain exercises, like the ab slide and double leg thrust, activate the abs significantly.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Partner-assisted exercises can make ab training more fun and effective.
• 🧘‍♂️ Modified planks, like the long lever posterior pelvic tilt plank, can greatly activate the core muscles.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Training both the abs and the lower back is important for a balanced and healthy physique.

Q & A

What is the primary factor in getting abs that really pop?

The primary factor in getting abs that really pop is diet. While training is essential for developing the abs, it's the diet that reveals them by achieving a lean enough body composition.

What are the four main muscles that make up the midsection?

The four main muscles that make up the midsection are the external oblique, internal oblique, transverse abdominis (TVA), and the rectus abdominis.

Do squats and deadlifts effectively work the abs?

No, squats and deadlifts do not effectively work the abs. They are primarily compound exercises that target other muscle groups and do not activate the abs significantly according to EMG data.

What are some of the best isolation exercises for targeting the abs?

Some of the best isolation exercises for targeting the abs include crunch and sit-up variations, ab slide, supine double leg thrust, and side bridge.

What is the role of the transverse abdominis (TVA) in core stability?

The transverse abdominis (TVA) plays a crucial role in core stability by compressing the abdominal contents and aiding in core stability, making it active in many different exercises.

Why are weighted crunches recommended for stimulating the rectus abdominis?

Weighted crunches are recommended for stimulating the rectus abdominis because they allow for progressive overload, which is essential for muscle growth and development.

What is the significance of the 2009 study by Morrison and colleagues regarding abdominal exercises?

The 2009 study by Morrison and colleagues found a trend for increasing activation with increasing load, supporting the idea that weighted crunches are an effective way to stimulate the rectus abdominis.

How does the hanging leg raise perform in terms of activating the lower abs?

The hanging leg raise is found to be most effective for activating the lower abs, as it brings the pelvis towards the chest, which is a movement that targets the lower abdominal region.

What is the long lever posterior pelvic tilt plank and why is it effective?

The long lever posterior pelvic tilt plank is a modified plank exercise where the elbows are moved forward under the eyes and the glutes are squeezed hard. It's effective because it results in over 100% activation of the upper and lower abs and the obliques compared to a standard plank.

Why is it important to train the antagonist to the abs, the spinal erectors?

Training the antagonist to the abs, the spinal erectors, is important for postural health and longevity. It helps balance out a well-rounded ab routine and ensures overall core strength and stability.

What is the recommended rep range for ab exercises?

The recommended rep range for ab exercises is moderate reps in the 6 to 12 range for easily loaded movements and higher reps in the 15 to 30 range for more bodyweight and explosive movements.

Outlines

00:00

💪 The Key to Ripped Abs: Diet and Training

Christian Guzman, a physique competitor and YouTuber, emphasizes that while diet is crucial for revealing abs, training is essential for their development. He explains the anatomy of the abdominal muscles, focusing on the rectus abdominis, which is central to achieving a 'six-pack' appearance. Christian debunks the myth that squats and deadlifts are effective for ab development, citing studies showing low activation levels of the abs during these exercises. Instead, he advocates for isolation exercises like crunches and sit-ups, which have been shown to have high activation levels for the rectus abdominis. The video also addresses the controversy around crunches, referencing expert opinions that they are safe when performed correctly as part of a total body resistance training routine.

05:01

🏋️‍♂️ Advanced Ab Exercises and Training Techniques

This section delves into more advanced ab exercises and training techniques. It discusses the effectiveness of different exercises on the upper and lower abs, highlighting the bosu ball crunch and hanging leg raise as particularly effective. The video also touches on the importance of training the obliques and recommends exercises like half-kneeling cable chops for a dynamic range of motion. Christian shares his personal favorite exercises for ab training, such as the partner-assisted decline medicine ball crunch throw for its fun and explosive nature, and partner-assisted lying leg raises for their effectiveness in targeting the lower abs. The video concludes with advice on plank variations, recommending a long-lever posterior pelvic tilt plank for its high core activation, and suggests a training frequency of 3 to 6 sessions per week with a focus on both ab and lower back exercises for a balanced approach.

10:01

🎥 Video Sponsorship and Additional Resources

In the final paragraph, Christian returns to his home in British Columbia, Canada, and provides a shoutout to the sponsor, Squarespace, an all-in-one website platform that he has personally used for his online coaching business and store. He encourages viewers to use Squarespace for their own websites, offering a discount code for first-time purchases. Additionally, he mentions a footnote with more details on the safety of crunches, providing a link for viewers to access further information. The video ends with a call to action for viewers to like, subscribe, and look forward to the next video.

Keywords

💡Abs

The term 'abs' refers to the abdominal muscles, specifically the rectus abdominis, which is commonly known as the 'six-pack.' In the context of the video, abs are the primary focus as the host discusses strategies for developing a 'ripped six-pack shredded look.' The video emphasizes that while diet is crucial for revealing abs, targeted training is necessary for their development.

💡Diet

Diet is mentioned as a key factor in achieving visible abs. The phrase 'abs are made in the kitchen' underscores the importance of a lean diet to reveal the abdominal muscles. The video suggests that no matter how much one trains, if the diet is not managed properly, the abs will not show due to excess body fat covering them.

💡Anatomy

Understanding the anatomy of the abdominal region is crucial for effective training. The video mentions the four main muscles: external oblique, internal oblique, transverse abdominis (TVA), and rectus abdominis. This knowledge is essential for designing exercises that target each muscle group to achieve a well-rounded and aesthetic midsection.

💡Compound Movements

Compound movements like squats and deadlifts are exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. The video discusses a debate among trainers about whether these movements are effective for ab development. It concludes that, contrary to some beliefs, compound movements do not significantly activate the abs, thus should not be relied upon solely for developing a 'six-pack.'

💡EMG Data

Electromyography (EMG) data measures muscle activity during exercise. The video cites EMG studies to argue that squats and deadlifts do not effectively activate the abs. This data is used to support the claim that isolation exercises are more effective for targeting the abdominal muscles.

💡Isolation Exercises

Isolation exercises are those that target a specific muscle group, in this case, the abs. The video suggests that crunches, sit-ups, and leg raises are effective isolation exercises for developing the abdominal muscles. These exercises are designed to flex the spine and compress the abdominal contents, directly engaging the abs.

💡Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is a training principle that involves gradually increasing the stress placed upon the body during exercise to induce muscle growth. The video mentions that weighted crunches and other ab exercises can be loaded with additional weight to apply progressive overload, which is essential for continuous muscle development.

💡Stability and Core Training

The video discusses the role of core stability in ab training, highlighting exercises like planks that engage the entire core. It mentions a study that found modifying the plank into a 'long lever posterior pelvic tilt plank' significantly increased core muscle activation, illustrating the importance of stability exercises in ab development.

💡Training Frequency and Volume

The video addresses the frequency and volume of ab training, suggesting that abs can be trained more frequently than other muscle groups due to their relatively smaller muscle mass. It recommends a training regimen of 3 to 6 sessions per week with varying exercises and sets to optimize development without overtraining.

💡Lower Back Training

While the focus is on ab development, the video also emphasizes the importance of lower back training for overall core strength and postural health. It suggests incorporating exercises like Supermans and lower back extensions to balance the ab training and prevent muscle imbalances.

Highlights

Diet is the number one factor in getting abs to pop.

Abs are made visible through being lean, but they must be developed through training.

There are four main muscles in the midsection: external oblique, internal oblique, transverse abdominis, and rectus abdominis.

Compound movements like squats and deadlifts do not effectively activate the rectus abdominis.

EMG data supports that squats and deadlifts have low activation for the abs.

Isolation exercises like crunches and sit-ups are effective for targeting the rectus abdominis.

Weighted crunches can be a good way to stimulate the rectus abdominis and apply progressive overload.

The ab slide exercise produced the greatest EMG activity for the rectus abdominis.

The double leg thrust is effective for all muscles and can be a good overall ab builder.

Exercises that bring the pelvis towards the chest target the lower abs better.

The reverse crunch is a good movement for targeting the lower abs when loaded.

The arms extended crunch is best for targeting the upper abs.

Side bends are effective for training the obliques.

Including both crunch and leg raise type movements in a routine can fully activate the six-pack.

Planks can be modified to activate the core more effectively.

Unstable surfaces do not increase core muscle activity compared to stable ground.

A combination of high and low reps is optimal for ab development.

Abs can be trained more frequently than other muscle groups if intensity and volume are managed.

Training the antagonist to the abs, such as the spinal erectors, is important for postural health.

Transcripts

so I'm here with physique competitor and

YouTuber Christian guzma Christian

you've had a lot of success with getting

that ripped six-pack shredded look I was

wondering if you were to offer your

number one factor in terms of getting

abs that really pop what would you say

it is 1 th sips I'm just kidding diet

one word diet um most of us have heard

this before abs are made in the kitchen

and while it's certainly true that you

need to be sufficiently lean in order

for your abs to show visibly through the

skin if they're not developed to begin

with they just aren't going to pop no

matter how lean you are and you build

your abs with training and then you

reveal them with diet but before we can

understand how to best train the ABS for

growth we need to quickly cover their

basic anatomy first there are four main

muscles that make up the midsection

starting on the outside you have the

external oblique which functions to flex

the spine like in a crunch and compress

the abdominal wall or increase

intraabdominal pressure like when

bracing your core they also Aid the back

muscles in rotating the trunk and

flexing laterally inside the external

oblique you have the internal oblique

which primarily assists in rotation of

the trunk and flexing laterally inside

that you have the transverse abdominis

or TVA which compresses the abdominal

contents and AIDS in core stability

which is why it's so active in so many

different exercises and can be trained

effectively by doing vacuums and finally

the main muscle will be focusing on is

the six-pack itself properly referred to

as the rectus abdominis which flexes the

lumbar spine like in a crunch and also

contributes to trunk rotation and while

we're going to cover training methods

that Target the entire core musculature

we're going to focus on the rectus abdom

ominous since it contributes most

significantly to developing that ripped

six-pack look most people are after so

there's a camp of trainers who claim

that as long as you include squats

deadlifts and other compound movements

in your training then there's no need to

train the ABS directly because squats

and deadlifts are the bee's knees for ab

development and by extension there's

another Camp of trainers who insists

that doing these heavy compound

movements will make your midsection grow

too much leading to a less tapered more

bulky appearance and if you want an

aesthetic midsection you should avoid

them altogether well it turns out

they're both wrong because Squad SPS and

deadlifts actually don't activate the

ABS very well which should be fairly

obvious based on biomechanics alone the

lumbar spine shouldn't be flexing or

rotating when squatting or deadlifting

but for safe measure EMG data is in

strong agreement as well a 2014 study on

Rugby players by Aspen colleagues found

that the back squat was ineffective at

activating the rectus abdominis and

external obliques netting less than 20%

activation relative to momentary

voluntary contraction and the simple

situp had more than twice the activation

Willards and atal found the same basic

thing except even less in favor of the

ABS am easly 10% for the overhead press

and less than 5% for the squat and

deadlift and these were pretty heavy 75%

one rep max loads so the idea that

squats and deadlifts are good exercises

for the ABS is completely unfounded and

by extension the idea that they make the

waist blocky is unfounded since they

don't activate the obliques much to

begin with in fact Dr Brett Conta

suggests that if a woman is concerned

with obtaining a blocky appearance I'd

recommend ditching the targeted

abdominal and oblique exercises rather

than avoiding squats and deadlifts

presumably because I is olation

exercises actually Target the abs and

obliques meaning if your goal is to grow

these muscles then you should be doing

ab isolation exercises and if you don't

want to grow these muscles then don't do

these exercises so what are the best

isolation exercises for targeting the

ABS well Crunch and situp variations are

generally very good which makes sense

given that the primary function of the

rectus abdominis is to flex the spine

and variations of the Crunch and situp

have been shown in the literature to

elicit very high levels of abdominal

activity a 2009 study by Morrison

colleagues published in the Journal of

physical therapy and Sport found a trend

for increasing activation with

increasing load lending support to the

idea that weighted crunches are a good

way to stimulate the rectus abdominis

and apply Progressive overload however

there's been a negative stigma around

crunches for some time and whether

they're safe or not remains a

controversial Topic in personal training

and physical therapy I've covered the

arguments in detail in a footnote to

this video but for here I'll defer to

the experts in a 2011 article Dr Brad

shenfeld and Dr Brett contras say that

there's no convincing evidence that

performing crunches as a part of a total

body resistance training routine will

have any negative effects on posture

also touting potential benefits of

crunches such as increased fluid flow to

discs Mobility improvements and

performance enhancement however despite

High activation levels and field tested

results with the crunch there may be

even better exercises a 2008 paper from

udis atal compared EMG activity of the

main ab muscles in four different

exercises the crunch the ab slide which

is similar to an AB wheel the supine

double leg thrust and side Bridge the ab

slide exercise produced the greatest EMG

activity for the rectus abdominis also

fairing very well for the obliques the

double leg thrust also did really well

for all muscles generally performing

both the traditional Crunch and side

Bridge it's worth noting though that a

potential limitation is that the

exercises weren't loaded relative to a

one rep max meaning that it could be the

case that the ABS slide and double leg

thrust had the subjects training harder

which may have influenced the results in

their favor data from bohack barens and

bukies is also enlightening as it

compared EMG activity in 12 different ab

exercises showing that it's possible to

Target upper and lower regions of the

ABS distinctly seder back and Nal

corroborated this basic idea by showing

differing activation levels between the

upper and lower abs in the bosu ball

crunch but their main finding was that

the upper and lower abs were both about

20% more active when placing a bosu BAL

under the lower back to create an

unstable surface for the upper body when

using 10 rep max loads so according to

bohack barens and busky's data the lower

abs were most active with the hanging

leg raise a finding supported by

biomechanically sound reasoning that

exercises that bring the pelvis towards

the chest should Target the lower region

better granted this exercise isn't

without limitation grip strength could

limit its Effectiveness if grip gives

out before the ABS do and similarly

since the hip flexors are highly

involved weak hip flexors could present

an obstacle to taking the ABS

sufficiently close to muscular failure

of course plausible solutions to these

issues include using straps

strengthening your hip flexors and

establishing a mind muscle connection

with the lower abs an approach supported

by some related data showing that

specific coaching instructions to

recruit and not recruit certain ab

muscles can change activation levels I

was surprised that the reverse crunch

didn't fa as well in this data given

that udis 2008 data showed the very

similar double leg thrust to be highly

effective and this could be because it's

easier to perform especially when done

as a body weight movement however I

think that if you load the exercise by

placing a weight between your ankles

it's one of the best movements for

targeting the lower abs that you can do

somewhat unsurprisingly the arms

extended crunch was best at targeting

the upper abs with the hanging leg raise

coming in second further supporting this

movement as a great overall AB Builder

they also measured activity for the

obliques and found the side Bend to come

out on top which makes sense given the

lateral Flex function of this muscle and

while it does present a viable way to

apply Progressive overload through the

use of progressively heavier dumbbells

I'm not a big fan of this movement for

the obliques personally I prefer to

train the obliques through a more

dynamic range of motion that trains

lateral flexion and trunk rotation such

as by doing half kneeling cable chops

with a rope despite aity of data on the

movement so to fully activate the entire

six-pack I recommend including at least

one crunch type movement and one leg

raise type movement in your routine my

personal favorite for the former is the

partner assisted decline medicine ball

crunch throw which is a mouthful but I

like it because it's fun to perform and

you don't have to slow down at the top

which affords an explosive Tempo to the

exercise something potentially

beneficial for size strength and power

also AB training can be boring and in my

experience doing exercises that involve

a training partner are not only more

motivating but just more fun to perform

and as for the lower abs I really like

partner assisted lying leg raises for

similar reasons and the fact that EMG

data from the University of Dortmund in

Germany found that amongst these 12

exercises the vertical Hip Flex or lying

leg raise showed the highest EMG

activity for the rectus abdominis so

what about planks well according to a

2014 paper published in the Journal of

sports biomechanics the traditional

front plank wasn't great at activating

the core however modifying the plank

into what the author's coined as a long

lever posterior pelvic tilt plank

resulted in over 100% activation

relative to MVC for the upper and lower

abs and the obliques which is really

impressive so to make this modification

simply move your elbows forward so that

they're more under the eyes that's the

long lever part and squeeze your glutes

as hard as you can that's the posterior

pelvic tilt part as a word of caution

this exercise is really difficult so if

you're new to Planks I'd suggest

starting with a regular plank first I

also have found doing weighted planks to

be effective from a progressive tension

perspective and again having a training

partner can make this more enjoyable and

while standing on an unstable surface is

often touted as being better for

targeting the core the research

disagrees willardson and colleagues

determined that there was no increase in

core muscle activity when performing the

squat deadlift overhead press and bicep

curl on a bosu ball versus on stable

ground indicating that you shouldn't do

exercises on bosu balls to activate the

core there's also no research to support

ultra high rep AB training the ABS are

roughly an even 55 45% split of type 1

and type 2 fibers meaning that like most

muscles a combination of High Reps and

Low Reps is most likely to optimize

development I recommend using moderate

reps in the 6 to 12 rep range for easily

loaded movements such as weighted crunch

variations and using higher reps reps in

the 15 to 30 rep range for more body

weight and explosive movements such as

the decline medball crunch I think that

because of their relatively smaller

muscle mass the ABS can be hit more

frequently than other muscle groups

provided the intensity and volume per

session are brought down something

between 3 to six sessions per week with

two different exercises per session and

three to four sets per exercise seems

likely to optimize development for most

but of course specific volume and

frequency recommendations will depend on

your level of advancement I'd be remiss

to not mention the importance of

training the ant Anon IST to the ABS

namely the spinal Erectors of the lower

back and I think that balancing out a

well-rounded AB routine with an equal

amount of lower back work is important

so including isolation exercises like

Supermans and lower back extensions

would be wise for postural Health and

Longevity however keep in mind that

while squats and deadlifts are bad ab

exercises they're fantastic lower back

exercises so if you do them they cover a

lot of bases for strengthening the lower

back and so assuming you have a solid

diet in place with sufficient protein

that allows for a lean body composition

applying these training principles will

have your abs popping just like your

favorite fitness

icon all right what is going on everyone

so I've made it back to Colona British

Columbia Canada and I just wanted to

give a super quick shout out to

Christian uh thanks for being a good

sport and doing this video with me if

you guys haven't checked out Christian's

channel uh it's linked down there in the

description and I also wanted to give a

shout out to Squarespace for sponsoring

this video uh in case anyone isn't aware

Squarespace is an all-in-one website

platform that allows you to custom

create your own website they have

beautiful designer templates 24/7

award-winning customer service and I

know this because because I've

personally used Squarespace for the last

2 years from my own online coaching

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started today at squarespace.com Nipper

and if you use the offer code Nipper at

checkout it'll save you 10% off your

first purchase I also made a really

quick footnote to this video going into

a little bit more detail about whether

crunches are safe or not so you guys can

check that out at the link over here

somewhere thank you guys so much for

watching if you like the video please

give me a thumbs up subscribe to the

channel if you're new and I will see you

guys in the next one