A
flat stomach is something we're ALL interested
in, right? Now, assuming you're at a reasonable
level of bodyfat with no "spare tire,"
abdominal exercise selection is THE single most
critical factor in getting that flat stomach.
If
you're doing a lot of crunches and/or leg raises,
you will never have the flat abs you want...
NEVER.
Those
exercises will work the Rectus Abdominus muscle
(the "six-pack" abs), but they won't
touch the DEEP muscles of the core that form a
natural "corset" around your midsection.
And developing that natural corset is the ONLY
way to really tighten up the waist and get you
the flat stomach you're looking for.
The
Solution: One-Arm Hammer Planks
This
is a unique variation of the Plank exercise that
can help you develop a rock-solid core as well
as tightening up your entire midsection and waist...and
yes, dare I say, flatten your belly...
You're
going to be doing the plank with one arm instead
of two. The arm you're bracing on will be set
perpendicular to your body, which is the reason
I call this one a "hammer" plank (it
mimics the hammer curl and you'll be exerting
force against the ground with your fist, like
a hammer).
And
instead of setting your shoulders in line with
body and tilting so you're doing a side plank,
you will instead be keeping your shoulders parallel
with the ground, using your arm position to brace
the core.
It's
a CHALLENGING position to hold, targeting the
obliques and transverse abdominus (the deep muscles
of the core) strongly by focusing on ANTI-ROTATIONAL
tension.
This
means you'll be exerting force to PREVENT rotation
of the spine. It's a much safer way to target
the "rotational" muscles without actually
rotating the spine.
When
doing this one, you have two options...legs together
or separated (which is a bit easier due to the
wider base of support).
Notice
how my arm is set at a 90 degree angle in front
of me and how my shoulders are kept SQUARE to
the ground. This is the MOST important thing to
note for the exercise...because if your body tilts
up on it's side, it turns it into a Side Plank,
which is a very different exercise. Don't make
it easy on yourself!.
In
order to maintain that shoulders-square position,
you must exert force with your fist against the
ground, which carries through the arm and into
the core. Hold
until your position starts to break then set your
other forearm down and switch arms.
Keep
repeating this side-to-side sequence until you're
unable to hold yourself up (with shoulders square
to the ground) on either side.
The Bottom Line:
You
will feel this one from the moment you start it.
It's going to develop tremendous anti-rotational
core strength and stability. And it's going to
tighten up your entire midsection and waist while
helping you develop that flat stomach you're looking
for!
