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.
While a lot of celebrity workout plans leave a lot to be desired and tend to incorporate the latest fitness fad, you probably won't be surprised to hear that this one sticks to the absolute basics. If you can combine this with the principles of a good muscle building diet, however, you will get very far indeed.
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 today which you'll already be familiar with but those which present a new challenge will be fully explained for you.
* Crunches on the floor or with an exercise ball.
* Oblique crunches.
* Upright knee raise.
* Torso twists.
* The wheel.
We'll start with the first exercise on today's shortlist, which is the crunch. This is probably the most popular abdominal exercise in existence today but many people unwittingly get the technique wrong, causing themselves to lose many of the benefits. Those with back issues can substitute the floor for an exercise ball if they wish, something which Sly himself now does.
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.
By adding a twist to the end of each crunch you'll be able to perform the second exercise in Sly's routine. Again, this can be performed on an exercise ball if you wish. This targets the muscles which you'll notice on the outside of your stomach, called the obliques. To further advance this move when you feel ready, try bicycle crunches.
Upright knee raises are another move which is often performed incorrectly in the gym. Many fitness enthusiasts unknowingly remove the stress from their stomach and place it on the hips by swinging their legs forward. Instead, perform this move with knees bent at 90 degrees and focus on pulling your knees through a contraction of the lower abdominal area, removing momentum from the equation altogether.
Perhaps the most surprising move in today's session is the next exercise, which Sly credits with building his best ever midsection during the mid-to-late 1980's. The torso twist is an often overlooked exercise which targets your obliques. However, by performing this move on a decline bench you will be able to switch the target to your entire core, incorporating every single muscle in your stomach and lower back. This is a great move for building core strength.
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.
This move targets your entire midsection and is one of the 'go to exercises' for people looking to build functional fitness. As you roll the wheel out in front of you, focus on contracting your midsection much in the same way you would during a plank exercise. This really challenges every part of your core due to the lack of balance. As you improve you will notice an increase in your range of motion during each rep you perform.
Despite being over 20 years old, the Sylvester Stallone abs workout remains a great workout session. If you want to know how to build muscle effectively in your midsection, this plan covers all the bases and leaves areas in doubt on your quest to a six pack.
While a lot of celebrity workout plans leave a lot to be desired and tend to incorporate the latest fitness fad, you probably won't be surprised to hear that this one sticks to the absolute basics. If you can combine this with the principles of a good muscle building diet, however, you will get very far indeed.
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 today which you'll already be familiar with but those which present a new challenge will be fully explained for you.
* Crunches on the floor or with an exercise ball.
* Oblique crunches.
* Upright knee raise.
* Torso twists.
* The wheel.
We'll start with the first exercise on today's shortlist, which is the crunch. This is probably the most popular abdominal exercise in existence today but many people unwittingly get the technique wrong, causing themselves to lose many of the benefits. Those with back issues can substitute the floor for an exercise ball if they wish, something which Sly himself now does.
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.
By adding a twist to the end of each crunch you'll be able to perform the second exercise in Sly's routine. Again, this can be performed on an exercise ball if you wish. This targets the muscles which you'll notice on the outside of your stomach, called the obliques. To further advance this move when you feel ready, try bicycle crunches.
Upright knee raises are another move which is often performed incorrectly in the gym. Many fitness enthusiasts unknowingly remove the stress from their stomach and place it on the hips by swinging their legs forward. Instead, perform this move with knees bent at 90 degrees and focus on pulling your knees through a contraction of the lower abdominal area, removing momentum from the equation altogether.
Perhaps the most surprising move in today's session is the next exercise, which Sly credits with building his best ever midsection during the mid-to-late 1980's. The torso twist is an often overlooked exercise which targets your obliques. However, by performing this move on a decline bench you will be able to switch the target to your entire core, incorporating every single muscle in your stomach and lower back. This is a great move for building core strength.
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.
This move targets your entire midsection and is one of the 'go to exercises' for people looking to build functional fitness. As you roll the wheel out in front of you, focus on contracting your midsection much in the same way you would during a plank exercise. This really challenges every part of your core due to the lack of balance. As you improve you will notice an increase in your range of motion during each rep you perform.
Despite being over 20 years old, the Sylvester Stallone abs workout remains a great workout session. If you want to know how to build muscle effectively in your midsection, this plan covers all the bases and leaves areas in doubt on your quest to a six pack.
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Next: Find out how to build muscle with personal trainer Russ Howe PTI's easy guide to the sylvester stallone abs workout next.
