Incorporating a lower ab routine is what differentiates good-looking abs from spectacular abs.
6-pack abs are considered the hallmarks of a perfect physique nowadays.
Even though they are a great goal to aim for, It’s at the same time one of the hardest.
Getting your lower abs shredded comes as a combination of a good diet and specific exercises.
In this article we’ll show you the exercises.
Leg raise variations are a little-known movement for getting ripped abs!
There’s no movement that will help you create an amazingly flat stomach like leg raises.
The most common ab exercises are crunches and yet they don’t even come close to leg raises.
It’s strange that leg raises got neglected by fitness enthusiasts when it comes to ab training, however, it needs to be a staple, in your ab workouts.
This is not just the best way to get awesome lower abs.
It’s the best method to get incredibly strong contractions in your midsection, which is the prime indicator that you’re blasting your abs.
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Convict training
Surely you’ve noticed in many reality TV shows or documentaries, that prison convicts possess some of the most shredded physiques which is quite extraordinary given the circumstances they’re in.
There’s this book called “Convict conditioning” by the author Paul Wade which explains that guys in prison do hanging leg raises as their primary ab movement.
Once the prisoner reaches the strength to do 4-5 sets of 15-20 strict reps of this movement with their legs perfectly straight, it’s almost certain they’ll have incredible abs.
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Before planning to do another ab movement, become a master in hanging leg raises
The hanging leg raises are not only one of the best ab movements, they will also target the entire abdominal area.
Considering you’re hanging from a bar, you’ll develop all the tiny muscles of the midsection area as well.
It’s best that you progress with small increments and slowly work your way up.
Do not change the exercise and move to a tougher one until you completely master this one.
It should take you around 4-5 sets done 2 times a week to get to the coveted 8-pack.
1. Lying leg raises 5 sets x 20 reps.
Lay on the floor on your back and lift the legs in a way that your feet are positioned directly above the hips.
Lower the legs slowly so that the feet nearly touch the ground.
Raise them back up to above the hips and then repeat the movement.
Strive for 4 sets of 20 full reps. If that’s too difficult, do the movement with the knees bent at a 90-degree angle first and then work up to performing the movement with straight legs.
The lower abs will be absolutely trashed by the time you get to set 4 or 5, regardless of how strong you get at the movement.
2. Hanging knee-ups: 4 sets x 15 reps.
Hang on a bar and raise the knees slowly until the upper legs go at a 90-degree angle.
Then lower them back down. This might seem hard at first since the hip flexors will be the weak point.
It’s also possible that your grip may be weak too.
Avoid using wrist straps, since you want to strengthen your grip as well and also build strong and muscular forearms.
3. Hanging leg raises 4 sets x 20 reps.
Hang yourself from a bar, keep the legs straight or your knees bent slightly and then start raising them until you reach a 90-degree angle with your torso and legs.
If the hamstrings feel tight, stretch them good before doing the exercise. It is important that you do this movement in a slow and controlled way.
It’s likely that you won’t be able to do a lot of these at first, but don’t worry.
Maybe less than one percent of the people training in the gym posses abs that are strong enough to do them.
If this proves to be too hard for you, you can first try to master the movement by doing it with your legs bent. The straighter the legs are the harder the movement.
When it comes to showing off your abs, all of the above could be in vain if your fat levels are too high.
The abs won’t be visible from the layers of fat. Eat a proper clean diet and get yourself to a low body fat level.
