Tom Venuto Ab Exercise Recommendations...

Some folks can't understand how 2 fitness experts (i.e. Tom Venuto and myself) could disagree on the best way to exercise for fat burning.

Well, I'm here to tell you it's not a big deal.

Experts disagree everyday in EVERY industry.

But getting back to burning YOUR belly fat and getting you a 6-pack...

Tom Venuto and I actually agree on a lot of things. In fact, we probably agree on more things than we disagree on.

First example...yesterday I was in the gym and saw a guy doing cablecrossovers while standing on a BOSU ball.

I'm sure if Tom was there, he and I would have exchanged glances and raised our eyebrows and shrugged our shoulders at that exercise. We might even have rolled our eyes...

Here's another example...

I recently stumbled across one of Tom's old ab training articles and it contains almost exactly the same recommendations I would make for Advanced Ab Training.

 

So I figured I'd share a couple of tips from the article...with Tom's blessing, of course.

TWO Lessons Today From Tom...

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Lesson #1 - Cable Crunches Are Better Than Crunches

Cable crunches might be even better. Unfortunately, I don't think I've seen more than one out of fifty people perform the exercise properly.

Cable crunches can be performed seated, standing or kneeling. My favorite is kneeling cable crunch. Performed properly, this is an AB-solutely KILLER exercise.

Lesson #2 - Learn to do Hanging Leg Raises

After you've developed a substantial level of ab strength, learn how to do this advanced killer ab exercise: Hanging leg raises from the chin up bar.

If there's any "secret weapon" in my ab training arsenal - the one exercise I've ALWAYS turned to when I wanted major results is the hanging leg raise, and its "younger brother," the hanging knee up.

These can be performed hanging by your hands from a chin up bar, although it's much easier with "ab slings" because grip strength is no longer the limiting factor.
 
Hanging leg raises are a very advanced and very difficult movement.

Don't expect to do them like a pro on your first try - and don't even try them if you're a beginner.

If you're a beginner, the best way to develop the strength needed to do these properly is to start on the support leg raise. That's the piece of equipment found in almost every gym that has the pad for your forearms and elbows to support your body weight and a back support behind you.

Start with support knee ups, then progress into support leg raises with the legs nearly straight. It's important to use a full range of motion on this exercise and get your knees high up in front of the
chest because the lower portion of the range of motion is largely initiated by the hip flexors.

Once you've mastered the support leg raise, then you can move on to the hanging knee up and ultimately to the hanging straight leg raise.

When you master the hanging leg raise, there's an even higher level:

You can begin to superset from the hanging leg raise (until fatigue) into the hanging knee up.

Once you've reached the point where you can perform three supersets of 15 to 25 reps of hanging leg raises to hanging knee ups with STRICT form, I guarantee you will have amazing abs (provided of course, that your body fat is low enough).   

Stay strong,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

 

PS - Have you seen Tom's Abs?

I have to admit, they are better than mine.

And to be honest, I know that some of you will find his training style might suit you better than mine...it's all a matter of finding the best approach for your personality and interests.

 

Anyways, Tom maintains single-digit fat all year round - as do I, but again, we use different methods. And also like me, Tom has helped over 10,000 people lose fat, gain muscle, and get abs with his Burn the Fat system.

Click HERE to get Tom's Burn the Fat System for Your 6-Pack Abs