FITNESS (/FITNESS) | ABS (/TAGS/ABS)

Six Moves to a Six-Pack

These are the best core exercises you've never done, and
they'll reveal the abs you never knew you had
BY MICHAEL EASTER (/AUTHOR/MICHAEL-EASTER) August 6, 2013

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your extremities and loads your trunk,
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PLANK CABLE ROW
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pulley of a cable station and face it in a
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forearms. Grab the handle in your right
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WHY IT WORKS: "Pulling weight toward
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obliques," says Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., a
 trainer at Cressey Performance in
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KETTLEBELL RACK CARRY
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best HOW TO DO IT: Grab two kettlebells and

never
"rack" them, holding the kettlebells in front
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of your chest with your elbows tucked, your
ore% palms facing in, and the bottom of each bell
one%
resting between your biceps and forearms.
2C% Walk 50 to 75 feet. That's 1 set. Do 3 to 4,
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resting 30 to 45 seconds between them.
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WHY IT WORKS: "When you walk with
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weight in the racked position, your core has
they to work extra hard to keep you steady," says
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Zach Even-Esh, founder of Underground
 Strength Gym in Edison, New Jersey. "That
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forced stabilization is one of the most
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strong abs and a healthy back."
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HALF-KNEELING VERTICAL PALLOF
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HOW TO DO IT: Attach a triceps rope to a
%20y cable machine and turn away from it while
holding the ends of the rope in your hands
ou%2
on either side of your head. Drop into the
0nev bottom position of a lunge, with your front
knee bent 90 degrees and your rear knee
er%2 touching the floor. Brace your core and
press the ends of the rope overhead until
0kne your arms are fully extended. Pause, and

lower them. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.

w%2
 WHY IT WORKS: "This move forces your
0you
abs to battle against the backward pull of
%20h the weight stack," says Gentilcore. "That's a
new stimulus for most guys, making it a
ad) good core builder that also smokes your
shoulders."
BAND-RESISTED JACKKNIFE

HOW TO DO IT: Secure a looped resistance

band to a pullup bar and suspend your
ankles in the end as you assume a pushup
position. Without rounding your back, bend
your knees and pull them toward your
torso. Pause, and return to the starting
position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.

WHY IT WORKS: "This exercise forces you

to move your hips and thighs against
resistance while keeping your core stable,"
says Mike Robertson, C.S.C.S., co-owner of
Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training.
"It's a jackknife on steroids, and it builds
the type of core strength you need to
maintain stability during big lower-body
exercises, like squats and deadlifts."
DIAGONAL WHEEL ROLLOUTS

HOW TO DO IT: Kneel and grasp the

handles of an ab wheel, holding them
directly beneath your shoulders. Without
moving your knees, brace your core and
roll the wheel forward and to the right as
far as you can without letting your hips sag.
Pause, and return to the starting position.
Do 3 sets of 10 reps per side.

WHY IT WORKS: The rollout starts with the

stretching of your abs and obliques and
ends with their forceful contraction. "That
leads to a good muscle-damage response,"
says Craig Ballantyne, C.T.T., creator of
Turbulence Training. "Your body then
repairs the damage by packing on muscle,
making you stronger."

Get super fit in little time with the brand-

new Men's Health DVD workout 10-Minute
Torchers
 (http://www.10minutorchers.com/10minuto
rchers/index?keycode=234853).

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