Countdown To Abs

Doing hundreds of crunches won't give you the abs you want, but a well-thought-out workout program performed over a sustained period will. Get a quick feel of what you will see if you get the magazine.

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By: Mitzi Dulan & Jimmy Peña

The following is an excerpt from the May/June 2007 issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers:

Countdown To Abs

Doing hundreds of crunches won't give you the abs you want, but a well-thought-out workout program performed over a sustained period combined with a diet structured with fat loss in mind will. To attain the holy grail of a lean, tight midsection, you must progressively make your abs stronger, burn the flab hiding them and dial in your diet. This program will help you do that.

The training regimen is broken down into three four-week phases. In Phase 1, you create the basic foundation that lets you proceed to more advanced routines in Phases 2 and 3. And as you progressively work your abdominals harder, you'll refine your diet each week to prepare for the unveiling of those fabulous abs come summertime.

The guidelines listed here help you ease into and fine-tune your existing diet, but to really rev up the fat-burning furnace, use this routine in tandem with "The No-Brainer Diet" on page 80.

This program is designed to fit into your current workout schedule; just do your regular training and cardio routines as prescribed and swap out your usual ab work for these targeted routines three days a week, resting at least 48 hours between sessions. Now pull out your calendar, mark your unveiling day and start the countdown to fab abs.

Month 1:
Creating The Foundation

This month is about adapting to the exercises that form the foundation of this program. Perform your regular weight-training routine while using the workout below to train your abs three times a week, resting at least 48 hours between sessions. Do cardio at a moderate to high intensity 4-5 days a week for 30 minutes.

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Exercise-Ball Crunch	2-3	10-15
V-Twist	2-3	10-15 (to each side)
Reverse Crunch	2-3	10-15
Straight-Leg Raise	2-3	10-15
Plank	3	25-30 sec.

Click To Enlarge.
Plank.
Video: MPEG - Windows Media

Click Here For A Printable Log Of This Workout.

For the entire Countdown to Abs program, pick up the May/June 2007 issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers, available everywhere April 16, 2007!