New Rules of Lifting for Abs

taziarj

I picked up The New Rules of Lifting for Abs yesterday for $1 at the library book sale. Does anyone have experience with this book? I know that NROL is widely recommended and I haven't seen this book ever referenced.

Stats: 5' 11", 245lbs, 41 years old.

I started reading the book around the pool yesterday afternoon. I am only today 12 weeks in to training using the M&S full body dumbbell routine. I am obviously still trying to cut body fat since it is currently very high but I want to avoid the skinny fat that I had when I was previously down to 192. Many years ago (like back in 1998) I did a Tony Little weight routine and when I got down to 185 at that time, I found my body composition to be much better than I was at 192 more recently. Though it still wasn't what I would call ideal. I realize now that I simply wasn't pushing myself as much as I should have been.

I am not sure how to fit what I find in the new book with my regular routine or if I should just replace my current routine with one from the book? I am only about 40 pages in and will probably read it once cover to cover before switching anything up.

henryjamessimm388

Hi man! I've not had any experience with the book but have been lifting for quite a while, in my opinion (and most others I believe) you should really try and just bolt on the ab exercises to the end of your routine! And besides, adding more onto the routine means more burned calories! Just go for the lower impact exercises first until you get your strength up, no point in risking injury

Packerjohn

henryjamessimm388 wrote: »

Hi man! I've not had any experience with the book but have been lifting for quite a while, in my opinion (and most others I believe) you should really try and just bolt on the ab exercises to the end of your routine! And besides, adding more onto the routine means more burned calories! Just go for the lower impact exercises first until you get your strength up, no point in risking injury

I have not read the book, but have read others in the series. Based on what I have read of Cosgrove's stuff he would not advocate a bunch of ab isolation exercises. The following is from the Amazon description of the book. I'm pretty sure the book will advocate basic movements and maybe a bit more of diet than some of the other books in the series.

"In The New Rules of Lifting for Abs, Schuler and Cosgrove deliver more than the standard bunches-of-crunches approach to abdominal training. Although building those ab muscles is important-no question-Schuler and Cosgrove also help you understand that doing so is useless in isolation. That's why The New Rules of Lifting for Abs offers a full-spectrum conditioning system designed to get you stronger, leaner, more muscular, and more athletic. Within each workout, you'll get: * Dynamic warm-ups to help awaken and activate your muscles * Core training to build balanced stability, endurance, and strength in your abs, lower back, and hips. * Strength training to increase your strength, power, and muscle mass. * Metabolic work to burn fat and improve your overall conditioning. Debunking myths and focusing on the moves and techniques that burn fat, The New Rules of Lifting for Abs will have you shedding fat, building muscle, and showing off your lean, athletic midsection faster than you ever though possible."

HamsterManV2

Short Version : Abs are build in the gym, and revealed in the kitchen.

Medium Version: Priority one is to eat at a deficit. TDEE - 500 calories for 1lbs loss per week. Consistency is king. Priority two is to exercise 3-4 times a week, hitting the abs ~2 times per week, depending on your level. Again, consistency is king. This is a marathon not a sprint. Your habits will determine your success.

rainbowbow

well... what's your current routine?

Here's the deal.... you need to get on SOME kind of consistent routine and reduce your levels of bodyfat through your calorie intake. That's going to be constant.

As far as i'm concerned the particular routine (assuming it balanced, periodized, and progressive) is usually of little consequence.

ndj1979

what are your goals?
Do you have access to a gym, or are you restricted to dumbbells only?

ritzvin

If you are using one of the more common lifting routines, then it likely includes some standing compound lifts that utilize your core to stabilize yourself (so you are already getting some 'free' ab-work in). If you have room next to the squat rack/bench for a mat, you can squeeze some sets of sit-ups/planks/etc during the ~2min rest periods between lifting sets without adding time to the routine.

ndj1979

ritzvin wrote: »

If you are using one of the more common lifting routines, then it likely includes some standing compound lifts that utilize your core to stabilize yourself (so you are already getting some 'free' ab-work in). If you have room next to the squat rack/bench for a mat, you can squeeze some sets of sit-ups/planks/etc during the ~2min rest periods between lifting sets without adding time to the routine.

normally, you would want to maximize rest time between sets. I know when I squat I don't have time or energy to squeeze in sit ups and if I did it would probably impact my next set, negatively.

taziarj

Thanks for all the replies guys and gals!

rainbowbow wrote: »

well... what's your current routine?

Here's the deal.... you need to get on SOME kind of consistent routine and reduce your levels of bodyfat through your calorie intake. That's going to be constant.

As far as i'm concerned the particular routine (assuming it balanced, periodized, and progressive) is usually of little consequence.

I am currently 12 weeks in to the M&S full body dumbbell routine that is referenced in the sticky. I have been doing it consistently three times each week. Though a couple times my rest days got messed up because of traveling or I got to the gym too late and had to leave as they locked the doors. This past week was an example, I got to the gym on Tuesday 20 minutes before they closed and only got two exercises in, I then did the remaining exercises on Wednesday and then switched Thursdays workout to Friday and Saturday to Sunday. I will go back to the Tue, Thu, Sat schedule this week. I don't think this change really has any material effect?

ndj1979 wrote: »

what are your goals?
Do you have access to a gym, or are you restricted to dumbbells only?

My main goal is weight loss. I think I have at least nine to twelve months ahead of me just losing weight before I should even consider a bulk. I had my BF tested during an employer bio-metric screening and it said I was at 35%. Though that was about 15lbs heavier than I am now. It was also with hand held body fat analyzer which I have read are not very accurate. In any case, being 5'11 and 245lbs my body fat is high and I want to get that down to where I can start a bulk. Though I am not looking to get huge. Just want to get some size and lean out.

I only have access to a Condo gym at the moment. They have a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, some weight machine that is missing parts, an ab roller, and a set of 5lb through 50lb dumbbells with a bench. I have my own floor mat that I bought to take with me and have room to spread it out for floor exercises, as long as no one else is doing any. The gym isn't used by many and often I am the only one there. Having access to mainly the dumbbells is the reason I went for the routine that I did.

HamsterManV2 wrote: »

Short Version : Abs are build in the gym, and revealed in the kitchen.

Medium Version: Priority one is to eat at a deficit. TDEE - 500 calories for 1lbs loss per week. Consistency is king. Priority two is to exercise 3-4 times a week, hitting the abs ~2 times per week, depending on your level. Again, consistency is king. This is a marathon not a sprint. Your habits will determine your success.

The two times a week seems to make sense with my current routine. It has me doing sit-ups on Tuesdays and leg raises on Saturdays. I don't mind either exercise much, but it took a couple weeks of doing crunches before I was able to do a single setup. The last set I did I was able to push out 10 setups in my first set but it went down from there for the remaining two sets. This NROL for Abs doesn't have either exercise in it and from what I have read through so for, there is a lot of emphasis on planks. Perhaps I could just replace the current sit-ups and leg raises with the plank exercises. I think I would prefer the goals of pushing myself to hold the plank for longer each time vs just pushing out more reps of sit-ups or leg raises.

ritzvin

ndj1979 wrote: »

ritzvin wrote: »

If you are using one of the more common lifting routines, then it likely includes some standing compound lifts that utilize your core to stabilize yourself (so you are already getting some 'free' ab-work in). If you have room next to the squat rack/bench for a mat, you can squeeze some sets of sit-ups/planks/etc during the ~2min rest periods between lifting sets without adding time to the routine.

normally, you would want to maximize rest time between sets. I know when I squat I don't have time or energy to squeeze in sit ups and if I did it would probably impact my next set, negatively.

I usually do squats first, and throw some extra stretching in at least the first rest period of those rather then abs (I conveniently have a nice high bar right in front of me just sitting there for 2 minutes). I'm not working my core terribly hard during lifts, so I figure no problem doing more work there while the muscles I'm really using get their full rest. I can't stand feeling like I'm wasting time, so I'm somewhat apt to shorten the rest periods if I'm just standing there. I won't do planks between squat sets though, since I am slightly using my leg muscles during those.

sgt1372

If you want visible abs, do compound lifts with an increasing progressive linear approach and reduce your BF to at least 15% and you should BEGIN to develop visible abs.

Drop down to 10% BF and your abs should becone defined and readily apparent at all times.

Absolutely NO ab specific lifts or other isolation exercises are required to achieve this.

How do I know? I know because this is how and and others reportedly have done it.

Good luck!