Carson’s Workout Plan: Abs
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Loading ...Straight-up jacked from our jacked Carleton transfer, stud cutter, stud muffin, stand-up guy and stand-out performer, Carson A. Thomas. I label this “Summer Workout Plan” for posterity, but we all know it’s truly “Carson’s Workout Plan.”
This is a good workout. Left me sore the first time, and a heckuva a lot stronger once I’d recovered. Core strength is so often and easily neglected; being fit does little if you can’t properly coordinate said fitness. Get your core in gear. I shaved seconds off of my track workout times this winter purely on the strength of the core work in the following workout.
Abs: This work uses a combination of holds and exercises. It is not a magic formula. I vary it slightly every time I do it, and more than twice a week is overdoing it. There are many other core exercises that are better for building explosiveness. This workout is great for when you have 10 minutes to spare and you’re not in the gym. It can be done anywhere with floor space. It can also be used to build mental toughness. This is a long version, first part can be shortened with bicycles instead of holds and thrusts/v-sits.
30 sec leg hold (holding feet 4-5 inches off the floor, try to avoid hands beneath butt)
20 leg thrusts (keeping legs in the air, thrust your legs upward using your hips)
30 sec flutter kicks (still haven’t put your legs down)
20 V-sits (bring your knees and chest together, still haven’t put legs down)
30 sec swivel kicks (swivel your legs in the air)
30 crunches
30 crunches with legs up
40 side crunches (each side)
side holds with 20 hip dips and then hold for 40 sec (each side)
50 alternating supermans (on your belly, arms and legs in the air, alternating right arm, left leg and left arm, right leg, raise one arm and leg in conjunction)
30 sec lower back hold (hands on butt)
alternating bridge (holding each position for 15 sec. – right arm out, left arm, right leg up, left leg, left arm and right leg, right arm and left leg, normal)
stretch and recover
so ive been doing this all summer, but some of the parts seem a bit off to me. probably bc im doing them wrong. care to elaborate?
-leg thrusts: you roll up on your back and elbows when thrusting?
-hip dips seems like a pretty unnatural movement, and side holds tire my arms sooner than my core. normal?
-supermans: same, i actually dont really feel anything
-lower back hold: holding yourself up off the ground by your upper back and feet?
-alternating bridge also doesnt tire my core. should it?
Leg thrusts: keep your arms flat against the ground if you can. Your shoulder blades should be the primary contact point when you thrust upwards.
Hip dips should work your obliques. Throwing a frisbee is unnatural; that’s not a reason to not do it. Your arms will definitely tire with enough of side holds, but really lock your core and feel it there too. Make an effort to hold that position, don’t rest in it.
Supermans: raise your arms and legs higher. This is a core workout, so really make an effort to engage your back to generate the lifting motion, instead of letting the arms and legs take care of themselves.
Lower Back Hold: Yeah, pretty sure that’s it. I also call those shoulder bridges. Alternate legs for two sets of the 30 seconds. And when you hold your butt, use that to cue your butt muscles–the glutes–to contract. And as with the holds, make an effort to use your core to hold that position. It shouldn’t take much to feel it at that point in the workout.
Alternating holds–I refer you to my previous comments. Even with a very strong core this will wear you out if you’re focusing on keeping the torso like a plank. Focus all of your efforts on engaging your core–both in initiating any of the movements and in the holds. Don’t rely on momentum from the non-core muscles to fling your body through the motions, take your time and feel it.
Mackey I love you.
In my quest for old ultimate workouts to do this summer I discovered I had deleted them all. And I knew just where to turn. Thank you!!! I can now torture my abs to death!
I hope Japan is fantabulous.
-Mar
What is the alternating bridge? I think its just what I learned as bows and toes or the plank. And is a side hold where you are holding yourself up with one forearm and your feet on the ground, torso facing one side? Thanks.
Yeah, alternating bridge is a plank. And the side hold is as you describe. When you do the holds and the dips for those, really focus on using your core to keep your spine in alignment-ie, a neutral spine position during the hold, and getting back to that position from the dip when you’re dipping.
this is pressuring me to get off the couch