I've been getting lots of questions about ab training lately; everyone wants a six pack, but most of us seem to go about obtaining one in all the wrong ways.

Here are just a few questions I get, along with some answers.

No matter how many crunches I do, I can't seem to get a six pack. Why?

Getting visible abdominal muscles or "abs" depends on reducing the amount of fat covering them. Getting the six pack of your dreams depends on developing the underlying muscles as well...but that doesn't take 300 crunches! Your ab muscles are just like any other muscle group in your body, it will respond when trained with a reasonable number of reps/sets just a couple of times a week. You will never be able to actually see that six pack, however, if there is a heavy layer of fat covering it. To get rid of the fat, your diet and cardio have to be ON-POINT, bringing your bodyfat to single digit percentages.

Will doing lots of situps reduce fat around my midsection?

NO.

There is no such thing as spot reduction, so concentrate your efforts on losing fat all over your body--done only through proper nutrition and a sound training/cardio routine.

What is the best way to train abs?

Any exercise which causes your sternum to move toward your pelvis or your pelvis toward your sternum will do the job. Everyone has his or her favorite ab exercise. Here are some of mine, divided into upper and lower ab movements:

Lower abs:

* lying leg raises
* reverse crunches
* vertical lying leg thrusts
* hanging knee raises
* hanging leg raises

Upper abs:

* ab crunches
* 1/4 crunches
* cross-knee crunches
* pulldown crunches

If you aren't sure how to perform any of the above, feel free to email me & I will point you to a video or an illustration on the web demonstrating the proper form for that particular movement. Do no attempt to "experiment," as improper form may result in serious spine injury.

Does the order in which I perform the exercises matter?

I believe this to be individual just like anything else...though my favorite way to start out ab training is with the lower abs, simply because they're my weak point.

How do I construct an ab routine?

Here are some guidelines:
* Perform sets in the 15-30 rep range, as I find that's what works best for myself as well as my clients.
* Do anywhere from 2 to 4 sets per exercise, but NO MORE.
* Take short breaks between sets, as abs don't take long to recover.
* Perform ab crunches slowly (2 secs/rep), focusing on squeezing the abs for a better contraction.

How often should I train abs?
I personally don't recommend training them more often than 2-3 times weekly. Try utilizing different movements each time.

Should I do side bends to reduce my love handles?

NO.

"Love handles" are made up of the same fat that's covering your abs...and they too can only be lessened by following a clean, sound diet and a good cardio routine. NO SUCH THING AS SPOT REDUCTION.

By the way, working on ANY muscle group will cause it to grow, so unless you'd like to thicken your waist, I recommend discontinuing training your "love handles."

There you have it, some of the most common "How Do I Get a Six Pack" questions I find in my inbox on a daily basis. If you have a question that went unanswered, please feel free to email me.

Now get to it...your washboard abs are waiting to be uncovered. ;o)

Labels: Training Tip

Sooo many of you have asked to see my drawings after reading that I enjoy to draw...well, here ya go!

As you can see, I am by no means a world class artist. Drawing isn't anything I'd ever invested much time in; more of an "I'm bored to death...someone get me out of this class" type of hobby. =-D

Getting messy with charcoal has always been something I'd do for fun. Not much time for it these days, though I sometimes still get the urge to start doodling on a piece of paper.

Labels: Motivation

Just sharing one of my home recipes, just might put some spice to your daily meal plans.

Things I use:

- Pita bread
- Chicken breast
- potatoes
- Lettuce, cabbage tomatoes, spring onions
- Chilli pepper
- Thyme, garlic, Soy sauce, black pepper, salt


I take the chicken breast poke it with a fork and spice it up with the some garlic, black pepper, a pinch of thyme just enough for the taste it. I'll just mix it all up along with the Soy sauce and then wrap it up in a plastic foil then leave it for a few hours in the fridge.. Depending on how hungry I am

I then put it in the oven at 350f degrees to cook.

I like to make my oven fries from scratch, but will skip that process. I take the already prepared and cut potatoes, then bake it in the oven... I don't need more than a quarter of a medium sized potato for this.

while everything is getting ready, I chop up the veggies into very thin slices and get them ready to be laid out.

When the chicken is ready, I then shred it into big pieces for ease of eating.

Then I warm the pita bread for a few seconds in the oven, split the middle and then start loading the potatoes, chicken and the veggies in the canter. I then cut the chillies into bigger chunks so that I can taste it when I take a bite, then just put inside like 3 pieces then look at it for a while hmmmmmmmmm and set it up and I am ready to munch.

To add an extra flavour , you can even add a bit of tuna inside… I know it sounds weird, but it actually goes so well, I couldn’t believe it myself.

Enjoy your pita protein pocket! YUMMY!

Labels: Recipes

I've been getting lots of emails from both guys & ladies asking for tips on shoulder training. I'm not surprised--full, round delts create the illusion of a smaller waist and look fantastic in a tank top...besides, if you're a lady who plans on competing in figure at some point, shoulders that pop are a necessity, not an option.

The following exercises are ones that have helped me build my shoulders. Remember to start with compound movements (the presses) and end with isolation exercises. Focus on working the more developed parts of your delts last, allowing to hit the lagging parts while you still have plenty of strength and energy.

1. Seated Shoulder Presses are a great compound movement that is meant to be performed with a heavy weight, either using dumbbells or a barbell. Presses will put size on your entire shoulder, especially targeting the medial deltoid.

2. Arnold Presses are a variation of dumbbell presses that I personally love due to the fact that I feel them in my anterior deltoid as much as my side delts. I highly recommend starting your workout with this movement if you feel that your front delts are your weak point.

3. Upright Rows are a good way to target the medial head of your shoulders while also working the trapezius muscle. Try varying your grip on the barbell to feel this exercise in slightly different areas of your delts, and don't be afraid to go HEAVY.

4. Lateral Raises are probably a staple in your routine by now...if not, they should be! I like performing this exercise toward the end of my workout, as a finishing movement. Try using cables instead of dumbbells, squeezing on the bottom portion of the exercise to really feel the burn.

5. Rear Flyes will target the rear delts. This movement may be done with dumbbells while bending forward at the waist, with cables (in the same manner), or utilizing the designated machine. It's a good idea to go slightly lighter with this exercise to really target the posterior deltoid, as heavier movements will result in the recruitment of supporting back muscles.

6. Front Raises are a must for those of us with less than perfect anterior deltoids. These are done in the same manner as lateral raises, except to the front. I recommend performing this exercise on an incline bench. You'll find the need to use lighter dumbbells, but will really feel the front of your shoulder doing all the work.


Your set & rep scheme may vary to keep both your mind and your muscles guessing. Remember to go as heavy as possible on your compound movements to build size. And of course, if your diet is less than ideal for building muscle, no exercise will do the trick...so click around the recipe section and be sure to EAT plenty of quality food!! ;o)

Labels: Training Tip