2. When you need abdominal
muscles that show and go,
try these monsters
ofthemidsection
BY ADAM CAMPBELL, C.S.C.S.
PHOTOGRAPHS BYSYE WILLIAMS
Abs are money.
We speak from personal experience, having
Speed Shift used the cover of this magazine to sell more
six-packs than Anheuser-Busch.
The man: Johnnie Morton, wide receiver, Detroit Lions
The move: standing abdominal twist
But there's evidence everywhere. A molded
S way while catching a footballgoes the other. Toyour upper body one
ometimes
your lower body
involves moving
pull it off, Morton
midsection is pure cash flow for anyone who
needs balance and superhuman control of his midsection muscles— has to remove his shirt in his line of work. Would
qualities that will help in any sport that requires quick changes in di-
the name quot;Pittquot; be anything more than a signal
rection, like baseball, basketball, tennis, soccer, or hockey.
to roll on some deodorant, save for an ab-flexing
How you do it: Hold a medicine ball or weight plate with both hands out in front of your chest,
your arms slightly bent. Without moving your legs, rotate your torso 90 degrees to the right.
scene in Thelma and Louise?
(Don't go any farther-that would be too tough on your lower back.) Pause, then rotate back
The bankability reaches beyond aesthetics.
180 degrees so you're facing left. Pause and rotate right to the starting position. That's one
repetition. Work up to three sets of 20 or more repetitions, beginning and ending each set If you're an athlete, abs are your body's big-play
with the weight in the middle. 'This gives me a good burn and helps me develop stamina as
well as strength,quot; Morton says.
muscles. Your legs and arms may do the grunt
work, but it's your abdominals that put you on
SportsCenter.
So we asked professional athletes and actors
to show us the abdominal exercises that help
them earn a living.
You already know this stuff works. You've
seen the results on ESPN and in the local
cineplex. Now it's time to see how a set of pro
abs will look on you. »
Illustrations by John Hull www.menshealth.com i MAY 2001 1O3 MEN'S HEALTH
3. FITNESS ALL-STAR ABS
Extend Yourself
The man: Dain Blanton, Olympic gold
medalist in beach volleyball
The move: cross-legged crunch
Aknows where the next serve or
beach volleyball player never BEACH BLANTON
BINGO: Constant
spike is going to take him. But he variety makes a
knows his abs have to get him there. greater Dain.
He uses them to bend, twist, and
extend his body into position for a
return. So Blanton tries to shift his
legs and torso into different posi-
tions each workout, in an effort to
give the midsection muscles new
and different challenges.
How you do it: Lie on your back on the floor,
your lower legs crossed on the floor. Hold your
hands behind your ears and pull your elbows
back as far as possible. Now crunch your head
and shoulders up off the floor and hold the
contraction; then slowly lower yourself. Do three
sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
Make 'em Last
The man: Tiki Barber, running back, New
How you do it: Lie on your back and bend your knees and
hips 90 degrees so your feet are in the air. Place your finger-
tips behind your ears and perform an abdominal crunch by
York Giants lifting your head and shoulders off the floor. At the same time,
The move: cycling crunch lift your right leg to your chest. Lower your torso to the floor as
A running back, like an obstetrician, has to you straighten your right leg, keeping it a few inches off the
spend a lot of time in a crouch. But unlike floor. Crunch again, this time lifting your left leg to your chest.
the OB, a running back has to spend every Do three sets of 20 repetitions.
second on the field prepared to hit as well as
be hit. This requires not only midsection
strength but also stamina, which is why Bar-
ber does cycling crunches. These force him to
contract his abdominals—as he would if he
knew Ray Lewis had him in his sights—while
keeping his legs moving. Any athlete who
needs a low center of gravity—for guarding in
basketball, working the baseline in tennis,
scooping up throws at first base—will benefit
from cycling crunches.