Today, you’ll be performing your active recovery workout. Again, this is not a rest day—you’ll take tomorrow off. Today, you’ll perform 20 minutes of cardio and the abs moves that will best support your physique. I have recommended hanging leg raises and kneeling cable crunches for today’s abs training, but you can make changes to this based on your needs.
In fact you can: 1) Change up the moves; 2) Increase sets and reps; 3) Add more moves to your abs training; or, 4) Skip abs training altogether if that’s a strength of your physique and you want to give these muscles a break today. Regardless, I do want you to perform 20 minutes of moderate-paced cardio to help you recover for next week’s training.
When it comes to abs training, I want to offer my thoughts: I keep my abs training moderate in volume. I generally include two moves, and I train my abs at the end of my weight-training work throughout the week. I perform abs work 5 days a week. For my 8-Week Fat-loss Figure Trainer, I have left abs off your Wednesday (Day 3) training in favor of adding it to your Saturday (Day 6) Active Rest workout.
Then, when it comes to individual moves, I choose two exercises that work the abs in different ways. I like to use one that works the abs from the top of the six-pack. Good examples include floor crunches, ball crunches, and kneeling cable crunches. I also like to include one that activates the lower portion of your abs. Good examples of this include bench leg raises, bench knee-ins, and hanging leg raises.
I’ve also included a few twisting moves on my program to help bring in your obliques—the muscles just to the sides of your six-pack. You can emphasize more or less twisting elements in your abs training based on how your obliques look.
Some exercises, such V-sit-ups work both the lower and upper abs at the same time. You can include these if you want to hit your rectus abdominis (six-pack) from the top and the bottom at the same time. I haven’t added this move to my recommendations, but feel to include it you need more core work than I’ve recommended.
EXERCISE |
SETS |
REPS |
Hanging leg raises |
3 |
15 |
Kneeling cable crunches |
3 |
15 |
Cardio |
1 |
20 minutes |
CYDNEY SAYS: Don’t forget the importance of stretching, rolling and even massage as part of your active recovery. I strongly recommend getting a massage if you can afford it. It’s well worth the cost if you know a quality masseuse. And your Active Rest days are a great time to get a massage as this will help work out stuff in your muscles and prepare you for your workout on your next weight-training day.