And rightly so. Even if you're not a fan of shirtless selfies or rocking a six pack, you need to pay attention to your abs.
When it comes to the muscles you want to show off, abs are right at the top of the list.
And rightly so. Even if you're not a fan of shirtless selfies or rocking a six pack, you need to pay attention to your abs.
A strong core is the, well, core that you build the rest of your body around. You depend on it for balance, stability, and power in a wide range of activities, so don't think that only guys aiming for Instagram likes should double down on extra core work to round out a workout.
That doesn't mean, however, that you should waste your time flailing away at situps and planks with no direction. You need to focus your core routine with as much intensity and order as you would during a workout focused on your arms or legs.
Bobby Maximus, author of Men's Health book Maximus Body, isn't the type of trainer who skips steps or takes it easy on his charges.
His go-to ab workout is as unforgiving as it is effective-and it typically gets his clients to shut up about their abs.
"Whenever someone asks me for an ab workout, I give them one called 'Don't Ever Ask Me About Abs Again,'" he said. The high-intensity workouts are designed to get you ripped fast, but there's a price you'll pay. Like the name suggests, Maximus claimed, "it usually hurts them so bad, they never ask to do abs again."
Don't Ever Ask Me About Abs Again Workout
Here's the workout that will shut you up for good and make you feel the burn for days.
Directions: Perform the exercises below in the order listed for 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds between exercises. During each rest period, perform five pushups.
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Situps
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Pushup position hold
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V-sit kickout
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V-sit hold
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Leg raise
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Leg raise hold
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Feet to hands (sub in knees to elbows if too difficult)
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Pushup position hold
That's one round. Perform this circuit a total of three rounds.
Not only will this give your core a great workout, but you'll feel it in the rest of your body, too. The best part? All you need is a pullup bar, so you can do the workout just about anywhere. Now get to sweating, and get ready to never ask about your core again.