Lots of fitness enthusiasts around the world are trying to build a body similar to their favorite celebrity. None more so than Rocky Balboa himself. If your goal is to learn how to build muscle, the Sylvester Stallone abs workout is something you'll undoubtedly be very interested in.
Despite the many celebrity workout plans which are keen to introduce the 'next big thing' or or present a new miracle weight loss formula, the ones which stand the test of time are those which focus on the proven basics. This one does just that and if you can combine it with some of the solid principles to a muscle building diet you will see great results.
Don't let this fool you, however. The workout may stick the the old classic movements but it certainly isn't easy. Naturally, given that you want to train like Rocky you probably weren't looking for something simple.
There are a few exercises in today's workout which you may not have encountered before so we will walk you through each one.
* Crunches on the floor.
* Twisting Crunches
* Hanging Knee Raise.
* Torso twists.
* Abdominal wheel rolls.
The first exercise on today's schedule is the good old crunch. If you are able to perform this on the floor without any equipment then you should do that, however if you want to use an exercise ball to provide comfort for your back then this is a perfectly fine adaptation to make. In fact, Sly made this change himself in the late 1990's after injuring his lower back on a during a stunt on the disaster movie Daylight.
This move is all about tempo and technique. Have you ever met anyone who claims to do 1000 crunches per day? You'll notice that they tend to blast through the reps and don't actually feel any soreness or get any results from their mammoth workouts. Work up to 3 sets of 30 reps on this exercise, focusing on keeping a slow controlled pace and focusing on contracting your upper abs each time you roll forward into the finishing position.
Twisting crunches offer a good variation on the standard method and will target the oblique muscles, which run down the side of the six pack. They have the same principles as a regular crunch, but by aiming your elbow at it's opposing knee you will be able to target the small oblique muscles on each side of your stomach.
The hanging knee raise is an exercise which is performed incorrectly by most gym members. People tend to place too much emphasis on their legs and this results in a good workout for your hip flexor muscles but leave the abs relatively untrained. The golden rule for this particular exercise, which was adopted by Sly himself, is to bend at the knee to eliminate the temptation to swing. Contract the lower abdominal muscles to lift your knees up. Focus on rolling your abs back as you complete the move, making this a very tough exercise.
In the gym, Sly has stated on many occasions that if he could only take one core strength exercise with him to desert island it would be the next one. Rotary oblique twists, also known as broomstick twists, are a fantastic move for toning and strengthening your obliques. By performing this move on a decline bench you'll also be able to strengthen your entire core section, including your lower back.
Your final exercise is as old as the gym itself. The ab wheel was one of the first pieces of core stability equipment to be developed and it's so effective at it's job that the design hasn't changed very much over the last 50 years.
The trick is all in the technique. Get this wrong and you won't feel it where you are supposed to, or you will end up falling flat onto your face! Slowly roll the wheel away from your knees until you reach a point where you cannot roll any further forward without compromising your balance. As you become stronger and more familiar with the move you'll be able to generate a bigger range of movement.
There you have it, folks. The Sylvester Stallone abs workout is a brutal affair but you probably wouldn't want it any other way. After all, if you want to learn how to build muscle the same way The Italian Stallion did you should be prepared for some of the most brutal workouts you have performed in your life.
Despite the many celebrity workout plans which are keen to introduce the 'next big thing' or or present a new miracle weight loss formula, the ones which stand the test of time are those which focus on the proven basics. This one does just that and if you can combine it with some of the solid principles to a muscle building diet you will see great results.
Don't let this fool you, however. The workout may stick the the old classic movements but it certainly isn't easy. Naturally, given that you want to train like Rocky you probably weren't looking for something simple.
There are a few exercises in today's workout which you may not have encountered before so we will walk you through each one.
* Crunches on the floor.
* Twisting Crunches
* Hanging Knee Raise.
* Torso twists.
* Abdominal wheel rolls.
The first exercise on today's schedule is the good old crunch. If you are able to perform this on the floor without any equipment then you should do that, however if you want to use an exercise ball to provide comfort for your back then this is a perfectly fine adaptation to make. In fact, Sly made this change himself in the late 1990's after injuring his lower back on a during a stunt on the disaster movie Daylight.
This move is all about tempo and technique. Have you ever met anyone who claims to do 1000 crunches per day? You'll notice that they tend to blast through the reps and don't actually feel any soreness or get any results from their mammoth workouts. Work up to 3 sets of 30 reps on this exercise, focusing on keeping a slow controlled pace and focusing on contracting your upper abs each time you roll forward into the finishing position.
Twisting crunches offer a good variation on the standard method and will target the oblique muscles, which run down the side of the six pack. They have the same principles as a regular crunch, but by aiming your elbow at it's opposing knee you will be able to target the small oblique muscles on each side of your stomach.
The hanging knee raise is an exercise which is performed incorrectly by most gym members. People tend to place too much emphasis on their legs and this results in a good workout for your hip flexor muscles but leave the abs relatively untrained. The golden rule for this particular exercise, which was adopted by Sly himself, is to bend at the knee to eliminate the temptation to swing. Contract the lower abdominal muscles to lift your knees up. Focus on rolling your abs back as you complete the move, making this a very tough exercise.
In the gym, Sly has stated on many occasions that if he could only take one core strength exercise with him to desert island it would be the next one. Rotary oblique twists, also known as broomstick twists, are a fantastic move for toning and strengthening your obliques. By performing this move on a decline bench you'll also be able to strengthen your entire core section, including your lower back.
Your final exercise is as old as the gym itself. The ab wheel was one of the first pieces of core stability equipment to be developed and it's so effective at it's job that the design hasn't changed very much over the last 50 years.
The trick is all in the technique. Get this wrong and you won't feel it where you are supposed to, or you will end up falling flat onto your face! Slowly roll the wheel away from your knees until you reach a point where you cannot roll any further forward without compromising your balance. As you become stronger and more familiar with the move you'll be able to generate a bigger range of movement.
There you have it, folks. The Sylvester Stallone abs workout is a brutal affair but you probably wouldn't want it any other way. After all, if you want to learn how to build muscle the same way The Italian Stallion did you should be prepared for some of the most brutal workouts you have performed in your life.
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