How To Get Developed Abs?
If you have been doing slow and controlled reps for your abs, it is time to speed things up to see faster results…
The slow and controlled technique has always been the “standard” advice for abs training whilst fast and explosive reps seem impermissible when doing leg crunches or leg exercises.
In my opinion, there is no reason why abs training should be different for the abdominals and obliques are also muscles like lats, quads, and biceps, all known to respond to eruptive reps (when programmed appropriately). This is not just my opinion but also backed by research.
Now, if you have been doing the “slow and controlled” approached, it is time to change the pace. Speed up your routine for better muscle fiber recruitment in the mid-section for a more developed six-pack and enhanced endurance.
Fast Reps for Abs Research
The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research published a study where subjects had to perform crunches or “trunk curl-up” using 4 different rep cadences: 1 rep per 4 seconds, 1 rep per 2 seconds, 1 rep per 1.5 seconds, and 1 rep per 1 second.
The published study shows greater muscle activation in the abdominal and oblique muscles when doing max speed reps compared to the slowest speed rep (3 seconds). But a considerable difference shows in the internal obliques which were stimulated more with max speeds at roughly 5 times more than doing 3-second reps.
How to Add Fast Reps into Your Ab Workout
Are you now curious how to incorporate these findings into your ab workout? The process is not complicated. And I have always been consistent with every workout training that I design that integrates fast training, all for power development.
Fast reps must be performed before doing the heavier sets to enhance and strengthen the muscles as well as muscle size. If you are doing multiple exercises for your abs or for a specific muscle group where one of the routines includes explosive reps, you must do the fast reps first.
However, you have the option to mix fast reps and slow-to-moderate-speed reps in the same set. For example, you can start the set by doing fast reps then slow your reps down to finish off the set to achieve muscle failure.
This set is purposely designed if you are working on your abs and the slow-to-moderate speed rep is only applied when abs and obliques reach fatigue.
My Speed-set training program is an example of my Brandon Welch program that incorporates more than one rep speeds in one set. In this program, I have specified doing sets of 14 reps.
Here, the first 4 sets are done vigorously, then followed by 4 reps at super slow speed, and then finishing off the routine with the last reps in a 2-3 second cadence.
Add Speed-set program to your next ab workout session and see better results. Always start each rep with speedy reps and finish it with slow-to-moderate-speed reps.
Read about how BCCAs can help you recover faster here.
