By Bob Myhal
Here’s an ab technique that’s been around for years, but you may not have
heard about. When doing your ab exercises, make a conscious effort to keep your
tongue firmly on the roof of your mouth. That’s right—your tongue on the roof of
your mouth!
Not only does this place the muscles in your neck in a biomechanically
stronger and therefore less vulnerable position, but also there’s some good
magnetic imaging evidence which suggest that this simple technique may enable
your body to recruit more muscle fibers in the abdominal region. And utilizing
more muscle fibers translates into greater development and definition. I know it
sounds odd, but it works and that my friends is what counts.
Try this technique while performing the following super abdominal shaper:
- Lie on the floor in your regular Crunch position, knees bent, hands over
ears (not locked behind head) or in tight to chest.
- Now, crunch up approximately 10 inches, holding the peak contraction for a
count of 4. In this fully contracted position, the key is to really squeeze
your abs together hard. Imagine pushing your upper abs into your lower abs and
vice-versa (like an accordion coming together).
- From this point, you want to return to the floor very slowly. The trick
here is to try to keep your abs tense and contracted during the eccentric or
negative phase of the movement. And you want to return slowly; it should take
a count of 3-4.
- Repeat the motion trying to maintain as much continuous tension on the abs
as possible. This movement is not about "how many" reps you can do . . . it’s
all about how hard you can squeeze your abs and maintain tension.
I like to shoot for a grueling set of 12-20 reps and then finish off by
immediately going into a set of 8-10 regular paced Crunches.
Disclaimer: The views and statements expressed on this web
site represent the opinions of the authors and should not be considered
scientific conclusions. Neither MuscleMaster.net, MuscleMaster.com, Inc. nor the
authors of this article assume any liability for the information contained
herein. Specific medical advice should be obtained from a licensed health care
practitioner. Consult your physician before you begin any nutrition, exercise,
or dietary supplement program. Article Copyright 2001, 2002 by MuscleMaster.com,
Inc. Reprinted with permission, all rights reserved.
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