When it was released in 2007 movie ‘300’, This was totally disruptive for many reasons, among others, a revolutionary visual aesthetic and incredible characters like the King Leonidas. The fierce Spartan played by the British Gerard Butler surprised the entire audience with his abs marked like a rock.
The one born in Paisley, Scotland, said at that time that in order to show off the physical appearance that was seen in the film directed by Zack Snyderhad to undergo extreme preparation of his body. It put him to the limit of his resistance and recovery capacity.
Now an expert promises that to show off those abs it is not necessary to push your body to that limit, and he named four tricks that are essential to have highlighted abs like that one. Leonidas.
The lifestyle and health specialist, Ebenezer Samuel details a new fitness program he called «Epic Abs«. It is based on four exercises that strengthen and tone the abdomen.
Abs are the most hated exercises because they are so difficult to achieve.six pack«, as the abdominal muscles that are strongly developed and covered by little adipose tissue are colloquially called.
According to the coach, the Epic Abs is mounted on intense basic training that They are not based on abdominal exercises as we know them. They are movements that involve the abdominals, but also the entire core to stabilize the body.
Hollow hold, the first exercise to strengthen the core
The first exercise is hollow hold Lie face up with arms and perineum extended, where muscle tension is the key.
The first thing, he indicates, is that when the movement is done correctly with the entire lower abdomen pressed firmly against the floor, the legs extended and the arms extended above the head, «you are teaching your spine not to arch«Samuel highlights the definition of anti-extension.
Hollow hold with rotation
In the same position as the first exercise but with shoulder rotation movements from one side to the other, like swinging a baseball bat or a golf club, but slowly. According to the expert, while we do this, the core stabilizes the pelvis and spine.
Another variant, for those who dare, is to do «Russian turns», or more aggressive turns of the shoulders from side to side. The key is always keep your hips supported on the ground and stable.
Hollow hold with anti-rotation and extension
The hollow hold with anti-rotation and extension, recommended by Ebenezer Samuelis an exercise designed to train core stability before actively working on turns. The central idea is to first learn to prevent the body from rotating, in order to later be able to better control rotary movements.
The exercise starts from the classic position of hollow hold: face up, with the lumbar area supported against the floor, the abdomen well contracted, the legs elevated and extended, and the chest slightly raised. From there, the anti-rotation stimulus is added since one of the arms extends to the side, pushing or generating tension as if it wanted to rotate the body, while the other arm remains extended upward.
This lateral push attempts to destabilize the posture, and the job of the exercise is for the core to resist this involuntary rotation. The deep abdominals must be activated to keep the hips and shoulders aligned, without the body tilting or rotating. The spine remains firm and stable throughout.
This type of exercise helps develop a more functional core, capable of stabilizing the torso in real or sports situations, where rotational forces constantly appear. By mastering spin control and resistance first, the body will be better prepared to produce rotations safely and efficiently later.
Spinal flexion or V-Up
The V-Up is a full core exercise performed lying on your back. Start with your legs stretched out together, and your arms extended behind your head. From that position, the legs and torso are raised at the same time, flexing the hips and contracting the abdomen, while the arms are brought to the front to try to touch the toes. The body forms a “V” at the highest point of the movement.
The key is to keep your arms and legs as straight as possible and do the movement in a controlled manner, without propelling yourself. After reaching the top, slowly return to the starting position without completely supporting the body, to maintain abdominal tension. This exercise is more demanding than traditional sit-ups because it activates several muscles at once, making it more effective in strengthening the core.
