4 Exercises for Strong, Lean, Summer Abs

Registration is now OPEN. Challenge begins MAY 1st, 2014!

Those of you who know me, know that I am in no way a part-time cosmetic trainer. We love to be strong because we know that strength is our foundation. Well, I am trying out a new program that is changing the paradigm a little bit. The month of May will kick off our 30-Day Challenge known as TheFORGE. The main objective: Destroy fat, build muscle, and nutritional guidance. We will shift from strength to more conditioning based drills, increasing metabolic exercises, and increasing energy expenditure. It is going to be hot, there pressure will be high, and TheFORGE will not be easy. It is four weeks, of five classes per week in a variety of areas including: Kettlebell, Sprints, Hardstyle Abs, Primal Move, Mobility and Flexibility. We are very excited to run this program and see the results, but it is not for the couch to 5k'r out there. This is for the serious, committed, hardworking person who is dedicated to put 110% effort for four weeks. I am not talking fitness level, I am talking commitment level.


It has already created some buzz in the community and exciting quite a few people. So I decided to write a little bit today about getting us something that we all desire: Enter 6 Minute Abs. Okay, I'm kidding. This is not a 6-minute program. What this is is a list of four very simple and effective movements you can perform before, after, or even layered during your workouts.

***DISCLAIMER*** YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THESE EXERCISES DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT GUARANTEE A SIX-PACK. YOU MUST WORK HARD, EAT RIGHT, AND BE CONSISTENT TO SEE THE CHANGES YOU WANT.

So if you are not a big sissy and think you can handle some self control, continue reading.

4 Exercises for Strong, Lean, Summer Abs

1. Kettlebell Halo (5 sets of 5 clockwise/5 counter-clockwise reps)

Grab a kettlebell and hold it upside down, aka bottoms up. From a standing position you will tuck your hips under, eliminating any forward hip tilt (anterior pelvic tilt). Pull your shoulders away from your ears and brace your abdominals. Be sure to breathe. For some reason when you teach someone something new, they forget to breathe. Slowly take the kettlebell over your shoulder, traveling around your head and over the other shoulder return it to its starting position in front of you. This will create a "halo" path around your body.

This drill is great for a variety of reasons, most of them being very nerdy corrective exercise reasons. For you and your thinking, understand this takes a great amount of control to do correctly. These can be done from a standing or half kneeling position. If half kneeling just make sure your head, shoulders, hips, and bottom knee are in line to eliminate forward lean. Still tuck those hips, squeeze the butt, and brace your abs.

Check this video out for more details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaobmOmQsnU

2. Hardstyle Plank (5 sets of 15-20 second high tension holds)

This is not your average plank. Though it may appear as so, it takes a lot more work than meets the eye. Assume your normal elbow plank position with your shoulders above your elbows and hands apart. From here bring your feet together, again tuck and eliminate any lower back swaying, aka forward hip tilt. Squeeze both fists and start to brace your abdominals. Don't forget to breathe. For the next 15-20 seconds you are going to make it feel as if you are trying to pull your elbows to your toes and your toes towards your elbows while squeezing your legs together and your fists. This will create a large amount of tension. Don't relax and let your back sway and don't allow your shoulders to drift over your hands. Stay in control, breathe and squeeze for 5 sets of 15-20 seconds.

Check this video out for more details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TKktamzq4o

3. The "Dead Bug" Drill (5 sets of 5-10 on each side)

Not only is this great for your core and abdominals, it activates and refines your crucial cross pattern neurological pathways. This is a must do for everyone. Its difficulty lies within its simplicity. Start by laying down on your back. Take your arms and point them into the air, fingers to the ceiling. Bring your legs up pointing your toes to the ceiling as well. You want to start by lowering a single arm back towards the ground and lowering the opposite leg down towards the floor as well. Control this movement, lowering the opposite arm and leg as close to the ground as you can before returning to your starting position. After you return to your starting position, alternate to the other opposite arm and leg. You want to make sure there is no flexion in your lumbar spine and that lower back stays pressed flat to the ground.

4. Turkish Get-Ups (Layer 1 on each side throughout your workout)

A classic strength movement, and surely an amazing abdominal exercise. You can find fitness guru's all over the place slowly destroying themselves with improper turkish get-ups in which they are using a 20lb kettlebell. The point of the get-up is control, mobility, stability, breathing, and strength. Do not make this a metabolic drill, nor should you try to modify unless a qualified professional does so for you. This is an in depth movement but not impossible for you to learn. I don't care if you are 8 years old or 80 years old, this movement will help you perform, feel, and live a better life. It has so much carry over and if you do it right, with the right amount of weight, you will experience a lovely burn in the mid section.

Refer to this video for details on the form for the TGU: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spqE97GXrA4

So, create an abdominal specific day or be smart and layer all these in everyday in all of your workouts. There is really no downside to focusing on the strength and stability of your abdominals and core. Try to have fun with these and remember nutrition is key.

Good luck, let me know how you do!

If you have questions or comments post, message, tweet, or poke: 

Facebook @MoultonKettlebell

Twitter @MoultonKB

IG @MoultonKettlebell

Check out our website www.MoultonKettlebell.com

4 Keys to Proper "Weight Loss"

It's that time of year. We are thinking about what we did over the holidays to ruin our lovely beach bodies. So we all lace up for runs, boil our broccoli and chicken, and restrict calories. All so we can look good in our bathing suits. First, I want everyone to know there are bigger, deeper issues at hand for your lack of self confidence. Someone who made you feel the way you do about being in a bathing suit and has told you that "Weight Loss" is the issue deserves to be punched in the throat. 

I digress... 

If we are going to focus on aesthetics and create a goal to look and feel a certain way, then we must all agree it has nothing to do with the scale. So, before I get rambling on about teaching you how to retrain your brain to understand inner beauty and strength not vanity and starvation (which will be covered in our upcoming REWIRED book!) here are some keys to looking and feeling better in your swimming suit: 

1. It all starts with Nutrition. So before you hire that trainer or buy a new pair of running shoes, start your food journal first. Start understanding your eating trends and swapping out bad for good. An example is swapping the morning breakfast burrito for a couple eggs, bacon, a wedge of avocado, and cup of black coffee. Running low on time, prepare ahead of time by hard boiling eggs and pre-cooking bacon. 

2. Cardio is not the immediate answer. Yes, conditioning is important but the steady state long boring drawn out 2-hour runs are not going to trim you down. Look at the body of a sprinter and the body of a marathon runner. I'll take the sprinters body any day! So try this: interval between high intensity low intensity on your choice of exercise. Sprints, rowing, or my favorite, Kettlebell swings. Set a time and do 30 seconds of swings with 30 seconds of rest for 10-20 rounds. 20 minutes later you are toast. No need to run for 2 hours. 

Bulletproof Conditioning
Men 24kg/ Women 16kg - 30s work:30s rest for 10-20 rounds

3. Strength is the engine. Do you want to really burn more calories or just be more efficient with your energy use? Our muscles and strength are our engine blocks. Our food, fat, etc is the fuel. The stronger the engine the more demand for fuel. Focus on strength but realize working on strength is not the same as bulk. Try this: 2x per week strength train and 2x per week condition (not cardio) 

4. Fat is your friend. It is more efficient and more usable by your body. If you want your body to burn fat it needs to recognize fat as a fuel source more often. Try some fasted workouts, meaning no meal before. Or make your plate look like this: 50% Vegetables, 40% Meat, 10% Fat + Big Glass of Water

Try these out, give yourself a couple weeks and adjust your program according to your body's response. We are not all the same and do not respond the same. Listen to your body and start to eat and train for your goals... No more dieting and exercising. 

If you have questions or comments post, message, tweet, or poke: 

Facebook @MoultonKettlebell

Twitter @MoultonKB

IG @MoultonKettlebell