The No-BS, Scientifically Proven, Real-World Tested, 4-Phased System For Getting Six Pack Abs… From Men’s Health Fitness Model And San Francisco Magazine’s “Best Trainer For Abs” Jackson Bloore
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain
Do you show your abs the respect they deserve?
If you are like most people, you disrespect the hell out of your abs. No wonder they aren’t showing up to party with you at the pool…
Think about it… you could be turning heads and getting more attention than a dog in heat.
Instead, you’re anxiously awaiting the awkward moment when you have to uncomfortably take your shirt off. You know, because it’s weird to go in the pool with a t-shirt on — unless you’re like twelve.
The sad thing is, it could all be so different…
You could be walking around the pool like a celebrity, wielding a superpower that only ONE in 25,000 people have. A power so incredibly intoxicating that men and women alike will worship your body. Of course, I’m talking about the undeniable power of six pack abs.
The reason having six pack abs is so powerful, is because you will have achieved what 99.9% of people can only dream about. You see, it’s easier to become a millionaire – by a lot – than it is to get six pack abs. It’s not close…
Which is why having six pack abs is so freakin’ powerful. From internal confidence to more sex and even a higher social status… six pack abs offer it all.
So, if you’re with me… let me help you strengthen your core, shred your abs, and chisel those deep cuts so you can finally achieve the impossible six pack. If not, that’s fine — enjoy being part of the 99%. And here we go…
When it comes to ab training, everyone does it the same way. Very Dave Matthews-ish wouldn’t you say? Or to be more pompous, less polarizing, and sound smarter I can quote Mark Twain like I did above. But I’m a Dave fan so, here goes:
“And all the little ants are marching red and black antennas waving, they all do it the same, they all do it the same way.” – Dave Matthews
Just take a look around the gym and see how the majority of gym-goers treat their abs. Almost always, abs get prioritized last in the workout therefore:
- Abs often get skipped. “I got no time, got a Tinder date.”
- Abs get very little focused attention. “I got 5-min for abs, let’s do it.”
- Abs get lazy and poor execution. “I’m exhausted so I’ll just knock out 100 quick crunches.” Yeah, that’ll definitely get you six pack abs. I’m sure Zac Efron had the same approach for Baywatch.
Even worse, a lot of people skip abs all together citing the popular notion that “abs are made in the kitchen.”
Excuse me while I vomit… or maybe I should eat a cupcake because abs are most definitely not made in the kitchen. This is one of the biggest ab myths out there and it makes me cringe. More on that later…
It’s time you show your abs some respect. If you do, they’ll show you some by making an appearance next time you take your shirt off at the pool.
If you want a set of six pack abs you absolutely MUST:
- Prioritize your abs just as you would your biceps or any other body part you really want to develop. That means not always doing them last with the final 5-min of your workout.
- Develop your abs using progressive overload and time-under-tension techniques just as you would any other muscle.
Want the Exact Advanced Ab Shred Workout I use before shoots with Men’s Health?
It’s the same workout I’ve given to my best clients like Michael who lost 25 lb., cut 11% body fat, and went from no-pack to six pack in only 10-weeks 👇👇
Prioritize Your Abs
So, where did this idea of training abs at the end of your workout come from?
This idea first gained popularity due to the belief that if you fatigue your core, then you’re more likely injure yourself doing compound movements like squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, etc.
Without a doubt, this is true. And I wouldn’t recommend anyone train abs or core before attempting a max lift on squat or deadlift. But today’s gym goers take this idea too far and simply accept it as if it were religious dogma without even questioning it, or trying something different.
Not to mention, your average Joe Gymgoer — who wants a six pack — isn’t doing a whole lot of super heavy squats and deadlifts.
One thing is for sure, with this “abs last” approach your ab workout and therefore your abs will suffer. Ultimately, they will lag behind your other body parts, and they won’t develop into the sexy six pack you so badly desire.
Think about it: if you’re running short on time, you’ll either rush — doing half-assed reps or you’ll simply skip abs altogether. Neither option is ideal if you really want six pack abs.
If time isn’t an issue, being too mentally and physically exhausted is. Not many people have the energy, effort, and focus required to dominate an ab workout after lifting weights for 45 – 60 minutes. That is, unless you are on some insane and illegal pre-workout that I’d like to know about. Wink, wink. Please email me (just kidding… but seriously, email me).
To put this into perspective, I’m going to scare the daylights out of you… can you imagine always doing chest last every single time you worked out?
OMG! NO!
As you can imagine, this would suck. For example, you wouldn’t get to savor your insane chest pump in the mirror for the entire workout. As a result, your gym-selfie game on Instagram will begin to suffer tremendously. Even worse, your chest will start shrinking and lagging behind other body parts.
Awful, I know. But before you freak out…
I’m not telling you to start each workout with abs and prioritize them over everything else. That would be a mistake too. However, you need to increase their priority or at least get smarter about the way you train them. Try a few of these easily actionable tips:
1. Train abs for the first 10-min of your workout.
Arnold finally developed big calves after he prioritized them and did them first. Apply the same idea to your abs by taking the first 8 – 10 minutes of your workout to perform an ab routine with peak energy and focus. Plus, it will be a good warm-up.
2. Incorporate abs into your regular workout.
Perform an ab exercise in place of your normal rest period. For example, if you are scheduled to do 4×12 on Incline Dumbbell Chest Press try doing Reverse Crunches on the incline bench instead of resting for 60s. I call these Abdominal Difference Supersets.
Pro Tip: If you’re doing fat loss circuits like Metabolic Resistance Training, you should be including ab and core exercises into each circuit anyway.
3. Train your abs on your HIIT cardio day.
Once a week, I’ll do 10 – 20 minutes of HIIT cardio. After I finish up my HIIT, I’ll take a 5-min break and then do a more comprehensive and targeted 20 – 25 minute ab workout.
4. Train your abs during their own session.
You can do this at home without equipment, or at the gym if you work/live close. The point is to ensure you have time, focus, and energy for your abs.
5. Cut your regular workout down by 10-min.
This will provide some focused time and attention for your ab workout. You’ll still be a bit tired, but at least you won’t be rushed. Make it easy on yourself and set the timer on your iPhone to notify you when it’s time to train abs. That way, you won’t go over on time by mistake.
Develop Your Abs
In order to get six pack abs that “pop” like you see in the magazines, you don’t need Photoshop like some “Insta-fit model.” Once you prioritize your abs, all you need to do is train and develop them using progressive overload and time-under-tension.
Some people will argue the merit of time-under-tension (TUT) training and others will argue specific training styles based on muscle fiber types…
I don’t get into all that. Instead, I use the best of everything approach. It’s how I’ve managed to build my cover model six pack abs. And it’s how I’ve managed to help dozens of men and women get their very own six pack abs.
To ensure a strong core and properly develop all aspects of your abs (rectus abdominis, external obliques, and transversus abdominis) so they are visually appealing, I recommend the 4-headed monster approach. Not to be confused with the one-eyed monster…
The 4-headed monster is a 4-phased ab system that includes a mix of core stabilization, bodyweight, and weighted ab exercises. The last, weighted ab exercises, being the most critical component for highly visible eye-popping abs.
Additionally, I recommend working in ALL rep ranges: low, moderate, and high. You can do this by following along with my 4-phased systematic approach to abdominal training:
- Core Strengthening & Stabilization
- Abdominal Activation & Advance
- Abdominal Amplify
- Mix-of-Methods
The progression looks like this:
- Phase #1: Core Strength
- Phase #2: Activate Abs & Light Resistance
- Phase #3: Heavy Resistance
- Phase #4: Mix-of-Methods from Phases #1 – 3
After a client graduates from Phase-3, I’ll have them do a mix-of-methods. This is just a combination of all phases to ensure they never develop any weaknesses. It will also keep them engaged, interested, and able to make continuous progress in each area of abdominal development.
Instead of arguing about one specific training style, muscle fiber types, or the merits of one exercise over another — I’ve found this “best of everything” approach seems to be most effective. It makes sure you target all the muscles of the core especially the “six pack” muscles. And it uses everything from heavy weights and low reps to high reps for endurance and even isometric training.
Phase #1 – Core Strengthening & Stabilization
The initial phase is all about strengthening and stabilizing your core. Keep in mind, your “core” isn’t just your abs — but also includes your hip flexors, glutes, erector spinae, and internal/external obliques. There are others and everyone’s definition of “core” varies a bit, but you should get the point.
There are 3 reasons I like to start off by focusing on core strength:
1. Beginners lack core strength.
Most people sit at a desk all day with terrible posture — shoulders slumped forward and their back rounded. This significantly weakens your core (especially your glutes) and puts a tremendous amount of stress on your lower back.
2. Advanced trainees often ignore their core.
Many avid gym-goers often think they are “too advanced” to train core. Instead of planks and anti-rotation movements, they opt for crunches and more advanced movements. This was me 5-years ago before I hurt my lower back and came down with a terrible case of sciatica. The truth is, nobody is too advanced to work on their core.
3. Abdominal exercises put stress on the lower back.
Crunches and reverse crunches require you to round your back — it’s a necessary evil. Sure, it puts some stress on the lower back, but it’s the only way to effectively shorten and contract the muscles. Bending at the hips, without rounding your back, is far less effective because it doesn’t shorten or contract your abdominals.
This is one of the few times it’s okay, even recommended, that you round your back during an exercise. If your core is too weak to handle this level of stress, these exercises can lead to back problems. Research shows repetitive spinal flexion can cause low back pain, a disc bulge, or even a disc herniation. But a strong core will protect your lower back during these exercises ensuring you stay safe.
Here’s an example of what type of exercises should be included in Phase #1:
Now, let’s pull back to the 10,000-foot view and look at an example schedule for phase #1. Keep in mind, this is just an example and other factors would go into my decision on how long to do each phase.
A client with a high body fat level around 25% would do Phase #1 along with Metabolic Resistance Training and HIIT Cardio for a much longer period of time until their body fat reduced significantly.
Another example, a client with lower back pain would perform Phase #1 until their core was much stronger and pain was significantly reduced or eliminated. This study showed that core stabilization programs have been shown to significantly reduce chronic low back pain by 39%–76.8%.
Lastly, the schedule below is only for abdominal training. And a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule is not mandatory. You can work Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday if you’re on a 4x per week program or even Monday and Thursday if on a 2x per week program. There is nothing dogmatic about the scheduling except:
- Train core at least 2x per week.
- Don’t train core every single day. Let me repeat, don’t train abs or core everyday. If training with appropriate intensity, this will be overkill for any mortal man that isn’t on gear.
- Use a 2-on, 1-off schedule meaning for every 2-days on take 1-day off.
Phase #2 – Abdominal Activation & Advance
During this phase you’ll learn how to properly activate your abdominals… and you’ll begin to develop them with some light resistance. Also, this phase will prepare your abs for the heavier loads you’ll be using during Phase #3.
The first step during this phase is learning to properly activate your abdominals…
This is important because most people don’t have a strong mind-muscle connection with their abs. They’ve spent a lifetime doing quick, sloppy, and half-assed crunches. As a result, they don’t know what it feels like to “activate” them.
Also, it’s very easy for your hip flexors to dominate any “crunch” movement. By learning how to activate your abs and developing a mind-muscle connection with them, you can avoid this common pitfall.
“Whoa, look at those awesome hip flexors! Can I touch them and take a picture with you?” – Said No Women Ever
Here’s the deal, you might “feel the burn” when doing abs, but trust me — once you learn to isolate and activate your abs the workouts will induce pain like you’ve never experienced before. Glorious, six pack sculpting pain 😄
Don’t feel bad, it’s not your fault…
There isn’t an Ab Training 101 class in college. Unless you’ve worked with an awesome trainer or studied the topic extensively — how are you supposed to know any better?
By the way, I was one of those nerdy Teacher’s Assistants in college for Econ 101. A class everybody hated but had to take. Ab Training 101 would have been a much better fit and a hell of lot cooler, right? Just imagine the ladies in that class… yowza.
Here’s an example of a Phase #2 “Activation” exercise that I’d program for one of my clients:
Once you master activation, it’s time to move to the 2nd part of Phase-2 where you’ll add light resistance. This is also where the concept of progressive overload using additional resistance comes into play.
Progressive overload involves continually increasing the demands on the body in order to continuously make improvements in size, strength, and/or endurance.
There are many ways to do this including increasing resistance (weight), reps, sets, or frequency of training. You can also decrease rest periods, just to name a few. In short, to get bigger and stronger you must continue to make your muscles work harder than they’re used to. Pushing outside your comfort zone is what causes growth.
When it comes to abdominal training, I see a lot of people increasing sets, reps, and even decreasing rest periods. What is often overlooked is simply increasing the resistance. This is because very few people do weighted ab training and even fewer do it correctly.
Here’s an example of the type of exercise I’d program for a client in the “Advance” stage of Phase #2:
Let’s pull back to the 10,000-foot view and look at an example schedule for phase #2. The phase starts by focusing on “Activation” then moves into light resistance or “Advance” training. Keep in mind, this is just an example and other factors would go into my decision on how long to do each phase.
For example, a client with a particularly weak core or lower back problems would likely spend a lot more time in this phase.
To be honest, some of my older clients with back problems never advance to Phase #3 using heavy resistance. Their back simply can’t handle the stress. Instead, they will use a combination of Phase #1 – 2 to keep making progress toward their six pack. And many of them still manage to get great abs.
Phase #3 – Abdominal Amplify
Heavy weight training is a concept that most people are familiar with when it comes to training their chest, biceps, or even their legs…
Except at LA Fitness where I workout, nobody trains legs, and curling in the Squat Rack is a regular occurance… and met with silent scorn and rage from me. But this article is on abs and not gym etiquette so let’s get back on track.
For some reason, unbeknownst to me, this concept is completely lost when it comes to abdominal training. Your abdominals are a muscle like any other, and they respond to training just like any other muscle.
In other words, all the celebrity magazines have lied to you… and doing 1,000 crunches a day isn’t going to get you a sculpted six pack unless you add some resistance. I’ll talk more about 1,000 crunches later…
This phase is going to take the concept of progressive overload you learned in Phase-2 to a whole new level of intensity. It will likely be like nothing you’ve ever experienced or done before. As such, it has the potential to dramatically and rapidly change your body — especially your abs — for the better.
Here’s an example of an exercise I’d program for a client in Phase #3:
Pro Tip: You’ll need a set of quality ankle straps for this weighted lower ab exercise. Cheap straps break easily, don’t last very long, and the velcro comes undone mid-set. Heavy duty straps can dig into your ankle making the exercise miserable. These premium ankle straps by Stronger are the Goldilocks of ankle straps and just right in every way.
Let’s pull back to the 10,000-foot view and look at an example schedule for phase #3. This phase is all about maximizing intensity and overloading your abs with as much resistance as possible.
Due to the tremendous amount of stress this type of training puts on your core, I wouldn’t recommend performing this phase for more than 4-weeks. After 4-weeks, move into Phase #4 or cycle back to Phase #1 if you think your core still needs a lot of work.
Phase #4 – Mix-of-Methods
Once you reach this point, you’ve…
- Sufficiently strengthened your core.
- Learned to isolate and activate your abdominals.
- Conditioned your abs handle heavy resistance training.
You can now cycle through the phases again, or as I like to do with clients — perform a mix-of-methods. This ensures you touch on the strengthens of each particular phase. You’ll continuously hit your abs and core from a barrage of different angles and training styles preventing weakness, boredom, or monotony.
Now, let’s crush those pesky ab training myths I’ve hinted at…
Ab Training Myth #1: 1,000 Crunches Per Day
Some celebrities with sub-par six-packs like Usher will tell a tale about doing 1,000 crunches a day… a few magazines run with the story and suddenly that becomes the “standard” for what’s necessary to get a six pack. It’s simply sensationalized bullshit meant to get your attention. #fakenews
What sounds more interesting for a celebrity gossip headline?
- Usher does 1,000 crunches a day to get his six-pack!
- Usher does 3 sets of 25 super-slow and controlled crunches!
Doing 1,000 crunches a day sounds way cool. It gets attention, and it makes you sound like an immortal badass kind of like the Thunder God himself that’s doing monumental things unmatched by the rest of us mere mortals.
It’s also a terrible waste of time and it doesn’t actually produce the extraordinary results you’re after. Doing this insane number of reps leads to poor technique and rushed repetitions without any focus on the contraction of the abdominals. It’s also likely to cause problems with your lower back.
Due to this sensationalized hype, people tend to get obsessed with the number of reps when it comes to abs. Subsequently, they don’t focus enough on the actual muscles being worked.
“Being busy is a form of laziness – lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.” – Tim Ferriss
It sounds like you’re doing a lot, but in reality you’re just being lazy and taking the easy approach…
Doing 3 sets of 25 slow and controlled reps while focusing on your breathing and peak contraction is much harder than haphazardly ripping out 1,000 shitty crunches. It’s not close. It’s like saying Groundhog Day is just another movie or Dave Matthews is just some singer… you’re not even in the same galaxy.
Doing 1,000 crunches per day is kind of like working out of your email inbox. You’ll “feel” productive but in reality you won’t make any progress toward your major objectives.
Would you grab a 3 lb. dumbbell and do 1,000 bicep curls and expect to build shirt busting arm cannons? Of course not, at least — not unless you’re Ron Burgundy.
Instead, do 15 – 25 slow and controlled crunches focusing on the peak contraction of your abdominals…
Fully exhale, squeeze, pull the navel toward the spine, and hold the peak contraction for a good 1 – 2s. That’s one quality rep. Now try to do 1,000 crunches like that and let me know how far you get.
Ab Training Myth #2: Squats & Deadlifts Are All You Need
Spend enough time in gyms and eventually you’ll hear some powerlifting meathead say ab exercises are a waste of time. The reasoning is that Squats and Deadlifts create so much core activation that ab training is a waste of time. Kill me now.
I used to argue this point, but now I just shake my head and move on. What’s funny about this argument is this… it’s usually made by guys that are strong as a bull but look like shit without their shirt on.
This argument isn’t complete bullshit, but when taken to its extreme — it becomes misguided. As a result, following this advice will leave you with poorly developed abs, an unbalanced core, and a body that’s primed for injury. The problem lies with the understanding of what, exactly, the core is.
Just like a coin has two sides, so does your core:
- Posterior core (think backside) which is made up of the muscles that run along your spine, lower back, glutes, hamstrings, etc.
- Anterior core which is made up of the muscles typically thought of as the “core” such as abdominals and obliques.
When it comes to strengthening and developing your posterior core (backside) squats and deadlifts are fantastic. Squats and deadlifts alone can strengthen and develop a ridiculously awesome posterior core.
But when it comes to your anterior core (front-side) squats and deadlifts suck… and last time I checked nobody walks on the beach backwards trying to show off their lower back.
In fact, research (thanks to Nick Tumminello) shows the pushup creates much more abdominal activation than squats and deadlifts. Crazy, I know… but true.
To summarize: squats and deadlifts are fantastic for strengthening and developing your backside core muscles, but if you think they will help you build a set of six pack abs then you’re mistaken.
Ab Training Myth #3: Abs Are Made in The Kitchen
Have you ever heard the expression, “Everyone has abs?”
This idea states that because “everyone has abs” you’ll automatically have a six pack once your body fat gets low enough.
Yes, and everyone has biceps and pecs too but not everyone walks around filling out a t-shirt like The Rock. He lifts a shitload of weight in order to fill out his shirt like that. If you follow him on Instagram like I do, you know what’s up.
Let me be clear: if abs were made in the kitchen, every low body fat granola crunching vegan in Portland and San Francisco would have six pack abs.
Unfortunately, they don’t. They also don’t have asses either, but that’s another topic for another time.
I’ve worked with countless men that have sub-12% body fat levels, yet they don’t have six-pack abs. I’ve even had a few guys with single digit body fat and no abs. Sure, they have a flat stomach but no cuts. At least, not enough to elicit the magical powers of six pack abs I spoke about at the beginning of this extremely detailed and verbose article.
On the flip side, I’ve worked with many women with sub-20% body fat levels who suffered from the same problem — no cuts. How is this possible?
Just like any other muscle, you must develop your six pack muscles so they “pop” enough that they’re visible and eye-catching. Once that happens, you can start saving money on shirts since you’ll never need to wear one again.
For example, take a look at my client Tyler in the image to the left. Even at 11% body fat his abs weren’t very well defined and visible.
WTF?! Right. Although I helped him lower his body fat by 3% in only 8-weeks, developing his abs made a HUGE difference in his appearance.
The key wasn’t simply lowering his body fat. It was a combination of lowering his body fat while strengthening his core and developing his six pack muscles (rectus abdominis, external obliques, and transversus abdominis). The 4-phased abdominal training approach helped Tyler develop the deep cuts needed to make his abs (especially his lower abs) visually “pop.”
“Abs are made in the gym like every other muscle and accentuated or perfected in the kitchen.” – Jackson Bloore
Pro Tip: The Exception or The Rule
There’s always at least one guy that is a complete exception, a genetically gifted outlier, or just a liar. This guy claims he’s never done a single targeted ab exercise in his life, yet he has a sick set of shredded six pack abdominals.
You just have to ask yourself, “Am I going to be that guy?” Are you going to be the exception to the rule… or would you rather play the odds, put in the work, and guarantee you’ll have a set of six pack chiseled abs?
I’d rather play the percentages and guarantee success.
I’ve spent a lot of time in gyms, at fitness expos, and on the sets of many professional fitness photoshoots. I’ve shot with some of the most recognized fitness brands in the world including Nike, ESPN, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, and Perfect Fitness. And I’ve met some incredible guys with physiques much better than mine including Greg Plitt and Ben Pakulski.
I don’t say that to impress you, but to impress upon you this… in all that time, I’ve never met another top fitness model, physique competitor, or bodybuilder that didn’t do some type of targeted ab/core training. I’m not sayin’… I’m just sayin’.
Tips for Your Success
- Strengthen your core first. It’s tempting to jump to the advanced abdominal exercises, but heed my warning and strengthen your core first. Your lower back with thank you. Plus, strengthening your core should improve performance on many of your major lifts.
- Every single rep counts. Be sure to fully exhale all the air in your lungs and pull your navel toward your spine as you crunch and contract your abs. The more air you exhale, the better the contraction, the more work your abs will get, the better they will eventually look. “Making your dreams a reality rep-by-rep.” – Greg Plitt
- Activate your core during any isometric exercises such as Pallof Press, Forward Plank, and Side Plank. Do this by pulling the navel in toward the spine, exhaling partially, and squeezing your glutes. Yes, your glutes are part of your “core.”
- Slow and controlled over fast and sloppy. Just like good sex, move in a slow and controlled manner. Use a 3-0-2-1 tempo for all non-isometric exercises. That’s 3s on the negative, 2s on the positive, and at least a 1-2s contraction (hold) at the peak of the movement. This is going to maximize time-under-tension and be painfully awesome at the same time.
Action Items for Your Success
- Prioritize your abs. If you want six pack abs start by prioritizing your abs within your training program. Use the tips I provided in this article to ensure you are giving your abs the focused time, energy, and attention they deserve.
- Develop your abs. Once you start prioritizing your abs, begin developing your abs like you would any other muscle. Focus on progressive overload and time-under-tension. The 4-phased program I outlined above would be a perfect place to start.
- Don’t be fooled by common ab training myths. Don’t fall for many of the common ab training myths such as doing 1,000 crunches per day or skipping abs entirely. This will only result in frustration, lack of progress, an unbalanced core, and possibly injury.
- Get the right tools for the job. Get yourself a pair of premium ankle straps for weighted lower ab and oblique exercises. I’ve tried a lot of different brands and these premium ankle straps by Stronger are the best I’ve had in terms of quality, price, and longevity.