7 Minute Abs? 8 Minute Abs? What About 6 Minute Abs?

I like that you put your own routine into this posting. Way to lead by example!

Planks are a great workout and I have incorporated them into my ab routine for a while now and it's amazing the amount of abdominal strength I have. If only I could get rid of the fat that is on top of them which hides my abs too well. I end up also doing other ab exercises because I have to be able to do 55 situps in under a minute for my PT test each year. So I try and stay up to par with doing regular situps also. I just wanted to let you know I completely agree with your plank routine and it sucks when first starting out but you can get great results.

One more thing, there are a few guys in my gym I have seen who put 45 pound plates on their back when doing the plank. Maybe something you want to try when 2 minutes gets to be too easy.

Amen to you Rusty. You could also combine stomach vacuums and Bruce Lee's dragon breath for the ultimate effect.

I tried this once and could barely last 30 seconds! Proof enough for me that it works, I've suggested this to a couple people too, of course theres skeptisim….until they try it.

I love planks, i've learned them from you Rusty, before starting to visit your site i had never heard of them, and now planks are my only ab exercise and they are the best. I never liked to do low rep abdominal exercises because they make your abs grow and have a round look, like the steroid bodybuilders big gut, so i've always done high reps for my abs, unlike many people say, i think high reps for abs can work well, much better than low reps using weights, but the planks are even better, i get better definition and tone on the abs with planks. It´s a fantastic exercise, but i still haven´t tried the side planks, i never did any direct work for the obliques because i want a thin waist, i was always afraid that the obliques would grow and make my waist thick. Are you sure that side planks won't make my obliques bigger? Thanks Rusty

I know how hard planks are because I do them…so you're ab workout is crazy! I will try it out, but I will probably follow your advise and cut the time in half, working in one minute intervals. My tummy is looking really good these days. I can't actually see a lot of definition, but it is really flat and firm (without having a six-pack). I think the plank is really working for this, and the only other ab exercise I sometimes do is the decline leg raises, because it really works the lower abs, which is supposed to result in a flat stomach (rather than developing the "six-pack" muscle, which I guess is more the upper part of the abs).

This guy must be the most well-defined, symmetric and ripped toned guy I've seen in a long time. He's an MMA fighter. Something like that is what I'm striving for. What do you think Rusty? Is that too much muscle mass in your eyes?

http://www.fighttimes.com/…2.jpg
http://www.mmaweekly.com/a…C54.jpg

That ain't even close to too much muscle. That dude looks awesome. You're clearly thinkin' gouda when it's brea time baby

mark,
you would forsure have to take steroids to look like that.that guy probably took alot of whinstral v or stanazal.both cutting steroids.you cannot have that size and be cut like that without them.

That guy is James Irvin. And when he fights, yes, he is super ripped when fighting. Check out his training methods on his profile.

http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=fighter.Detail&pid=349

Great advice and routine…as usual! Was wondering how many times a week to build a well defined mid-section? Thank you in advance. I understand we can over work this area.

I did your HIIT training last night for the first time (and again this morning). I must say it was a great feeling. Last night I only did about 10 minutes total just to get a feel for it, (this was after I had run 1.5 miles) I skipped the 5 minutes of walking beforehand, and only walked for about 3. This morning I did 25 minutes of it with my total goal being about 30 minutes. I started with the walking pace of 3.5 for 5 minutes like you said. I only got up to a speed of 9.0 on the treadmill this morning though, I felt if I went any faster I would go flying off the back of the treadmill, with a concrete wall there it would be bad. So I alternated 8.5 and 9.0 each minute and hit the 9.0 speed a total of 3 times before walking for 5 minutes to cooldown at the end. It was a great feeling, thanks for suggesting it.

Ron,

Yeah…I "walk the walk"…I always have been disappointed when I read a bunch of articles from a fitness author and then finally see a picture and he's out-of-shape. I hate that. It actually happens quite often. I wouldn't be comfortable giving advice unless I kept in great shape.

Tee,

I was timing a friend and he thought I was lying when I said he had 60 seconds to go. Time does go by slowly, but this works well. If you can work your way up to the whole 8-10 minutes and you have a reasonably low level of body fat, you will have an amazing six pack!

Helder,

Side planks won't build your obliques. It is next to impossible to build mass with isometrics, that is why I like planks so much. Nothing but tightening in the abdominals.

Jennifer,

Your stomach sounds ideal. I don't think women necessarily should aim for a ripped six pack. I like it when women have a flat stomach and more like a "hint" of tone. Planks are probably ideal for this look.

Mark,

I'll post one of the pictures to the links you put here.

[Shown here doing a jumping knee into this poor guys head!]

I don't think he's too massive. He has the same stats as Matthew Mcconaughey. I saw a bunch of other pictures where his physique looked toned, but not as defined (but still in amazing shape). In this picture it looks like he had to drop weight and as a result he looks super ripped…plus this is an action shot taken in mid air, so his muscles are tensed up big time. He doesn't look too big to me and is in amazing shape.

Downsouth,

"You're clearly thinkin' gouda when it's brea time baby"…I love it! Great line from the clip!

shane#1,

I think you have to other photos of this guy. He looks extremely ripped here because his muscles are tensed and ready to throw a lethal blow. There are quite a few middleweight boxers who are extremely ripped. Fighting is the ultimate HIIT workout that boosts HGH, and consequently burns off body fat like crazy. I really think that is is possible for someone to get to his level of conditioning with seriously hard work.

UrbanWarrior,

Thanks for the link. I wouldn't want to mess with this guy! This shows James in his off season condition (shane#1, if you are reading this check out this link).

David,

Since this is an isometric exercise that doesn't tear down the muscle, there isn't a need for as much recuperation. You could do this 5-6 times a week and get great results, but 3-4 will serve you well.

AFDerrick,

HIIT will give you great results. After a while you will be able to run at level 12 blindfolded. I feel like a circus freak on a treadmill. I have been doing it so long that I believe I could sprint while juggling knives (not really). Over time you will be WAY more comfortable with running fast on a treadmill.

I tried out the planks exercise this morning. I think it is very effective exercise compared to crunches and other ab exercises. Nine hours have passed since I tried out the technique and my abs are still sore.

lizette,

This is great for guys, but even more effective for women. The last thing you want as a woman is a blocky muscular waist. Guys can get away with this, although it isn't ideal for guys either.

You think they are great now. Your abs will look outstanding after a few months of doing these!

Rusty

rusty thats true but i did look it up and he was suspended last yr along with 5 others for steroids.shawn shersheq and also even stephen bonner as well.

I think this is a good tummy for girls. It's flat but it's not blocky with just enough softness and definition.

Like Nicole Scherzinger on the cover of Men's Fitness:

http://img108.imagevenue.com/….439_122_932lo.jpg

Sure, this image could be a product of photoshop but I've seen her videos, this image doesn't seem too far off from what she actually looks like.

shane #1,

That is unfortunate. I still think someone can get this lean without steroids. I dislike it when guys do this, because there will because people who get lean naturally get accused of using steroids as a result.

KK,

She is flat out amazing! I must do a post on this woman. All I can say is WOW! Great picture!

Rusty

i agree totally,
you look that lean in your pic rusty.i wish i could get to that as well:)

shane#1,

I'm not as lean as he is…but pretty close. Of course in my picture I was a few days into partying and put on a bit of weight by the time the picture was taken. You can get this lean…just remember that you won't get there without taking a "couple steps back" every now and then. It may take a couple of years to learn what keeps your body ultra-lean…we discuss tons of strategies here and at some point you will find the perfect combo for you.

You will get there buddy!

Rusty

umm this is off topic…but i need help with one last question, you know the circuit routine you gave me, that doesnt include any chest exercises, what should i do about that?…and also i want to aim for strength and density mainly, what do you think would be the best option for strength and fat loss..

Hassan,

For strength and density, just chose 2 to 3 exercises by body part. Do 10 total sets per body part. Aim for 3-5 reps per set. Do this while dieting and then hit cardio hard.

Basically just get stronger using low reps while losing body fat.

Rusty

Rusty,

First off, great site man. I've just recently gotten back into working out regularly and love your site. Lots of great tips and I'm always checking for updates.

Onto my other point, I'm a huge fan of MMA and actually a huge James Irvin fan and would just like to let shane #1, and everybody else, to know James Irvin was never suspended for steroids. I'm not sure where shane got his info but posting accusation as fact and saying you just looked it up is not cool man, steroids are a big problem and I wouldn't want anybody accusing me of taking them and saying I was suspended because of them if thats completely false. That could ruin somebodys reputation.

Anyways, sorry for the long post Rusty. I just wanted to clear that up. Again, love the site. Keep up the good work.

hey rusty i have a quick question. during my planks my shoulders give out before my abs do. the burn in my shoulders i feel is pretty intense for whatever reason, especially during the oblique planks. will this subside as my shoulders get stronger? or i am performing these with the incorrect form? doing the workout you perform and suggest, i am able to go 1 min 30 secs on each side plank, 2 mins for a regular plank, rest 30 secs, then go 1 min 30 sec for my last set of regular planks. i love this workout and am hoping for my abs to be the thing failing me here in a few weeks instead of my shoulders. thanks a bunch as always rusty!

i know that rusty i meant, do i do the circuit routine and the strength training at the same time or choose between the 2?

Hassan,

Why don't you alternate between circuits and strength training for a while? At some point back down a bit on circuit training.

Chris,

Good to hear. I like it when people get ripped by hard work. He is in amazing condition.

Benjie,

Part of the brilliance of planks is that they work your entire torso. They will help your entire body tighten up, not just your abs. You will notice that your shoulders, lats, obliques, and abs will sharpen up dramatically over time. You are doing REALLY well by the way. Keep this up and you will get outstanding abs. Does your whole body shake on that last set of planks…I know mine does!

Keep up the great work!

Rusty

ok thanks rusty…sorry bout all the bother and all the questions, but you have helped soo much, thank you very much, appreciate all your help

Hassan,

No problem at all. I love helping everyone here who has questions. I want you to get ripped, because if you do the right things it isn't that hard at all…it is just a matter of time!

Rusty

thanks…gotta admit yo have some of the best information going..you should think bout making your own book with all your ideas lol…i think it be a great hit

thanks as always for the reply rusty. haha yeah during the last 2 minute plank i am definately shaking for probably the final 45 seconds of it. they are brutal but i absolutely love doing them. they are by far my favorite ab exercise to do. they are the only ab exercise i perform, and i do them about 5 or 6 times a week. this week i have finally reached the level where i can do all 4 sets of planks for the full 2 minutes. i am going to do this for another 2 weeks then move onto some of the harder versions for my last 2 minute plank-like lifting one of my arms or legs in the air and seeing how long i can hold it. just wanted to say thanks again for sharing this exercise and all the rest of your knowledge with us here on this site for free. i find myself looking around on this blog for about 2 hours everynight before i go to bed. i try to absorb all the fitness and nutrition information i can, and this site is refreshing as it's different from all the mainstream things i read. and most importantly is that it works! thanks again rusty and keep up the good work

benjie,

If you do planks for 5-6 times per week and continue to do these and get your bodyfat low you will have amazing abs within months. If you continue to do these over the years, you may develop some of the sharpest abs you have ever seen. Less than 1 in 10,000 people actually ever stick with something this effective for a period of a few years. Keep at it!

Rusty

Hey Rusty, just thought I'd let you know how my training is going. I started my first 6 week fat loss phase 3 weeks ago. After 3 weeks I've gone from 194 to 187. What a difference 7 pounds makes in my appearance. Also, I've been doing planks and side planks 3-4 times a week for 6 weeks and man I can tell my abs are improving. I rarely do any other ab exercises now, once in a while I do leg raises on the ground for fun but thats pretty much it. Planks do work great.
With 3 weeks left in my first fat loss phase I plan to get down to 182 or 183. I'm making sure to lose the weight nice and slow. Once I get done with these next three weeks I'm going to go into maintenance mode for 7-10 days to fire up my metabolism again. I'm taking your advice in that once I get closer to my target bodyfat and weight, the less time I should be in a deficit.
After my week or so of maintenance calories I will begin another 4-6 week fat loss phase until I get to 175. I will then maintain that weight for a long period of time.
As you can see I've been applying most of you're training principles to my own and I'm loving the results. Thanks for the help, I'll keep you posted. Have a great weekend!

Brad,

You have a great understanding of how to get as lean as you desire now. I can completely tell, that you "get it". You are going to be a complete bad ass by summer time and from that point forward you will just look better and better…for the rest of your life.

Planks are outstanding. I had a personal trainer show a client about 10 different ab exercises and getting into great detail about how each exercise worked different parts of the muscle. I just sat there an did my simple 10 minute plank routine right next to this client and her trainer. The client asked what I did for my abs…and I told her that all she really needed to do was do intense cardio under a calorie deficit and planks. The trainer was a guy and he just gave me a smirk, like I had no clue what I was talking about. Of course this guy had the bulky "world's strongest man" look…and has probably never seen his abs. I'm not trying to brag or anything, but I really do have sharp abs year round…easily better than any of the trainers in my gym. I am so tempted to interrupt these trainers and re-educate a lot of these clients.

Keep me posted. I fully expect your results to be outstanding!

Rusty

I recently visited my neighborhood gym and taught the plank to a girl I met there. It was tough on her lol.

I also taught a girl how to do lunges cause it looked like she would break her knees.

Generally however I tend to try to ignore other people and not point out their blatant mistakes because it just brings too much complications. The only exceptions are maybe when I see the young guys deadlifting by just bending over and picking up the barbell lol.

You're right Rusty, I really do think I finally get it. It is a great feeling too. That makes so much sense that I need to give my body a break from dieting and being in a calorie deficit for too long. A week or two in maintenance will just get the metabolism burning again and then I can go back into a slight deficit. I've learned so much over the years about fitness, fat loss and muscle gain, through trial and error, and through studying, but I've learned more from this site and from you're ezine articles then from anywhere else…..so thankyou for all your help!I've always had the willingness to work hard and eat right, now that I've got the knowledge I feel there is nothing that can stop me from reaching my goals. I love waking up every morning and looking just a bit better then I did the day before. I just can't wait to get to my goal weight of 175 and then maintain that. I can't wait to see how sharp and dense my muscles will look over a long period of time of staying at my new weight and low bodyfat. About planks and other trainers……… that is pretty funny when a guy like that rolls his eyes at someone like yourself even though you are ripped year round. Maybe you can help that girl out sometime and pull her aside and teach her a few things, and save her from spending money on a trainer!Planks are great by the way. I've been getting some goofy looks lately from doing planks so often. Awesome though, they not only work my abs like crazy, but my shoulders, lower back, lats and even my butt gets a workout, lol. Not sure if that is normal but they are a superior exercise and my abs are looking better and better. I did 3 sets of 70 seconds the other day. I know thats nothing to what you're doing but considering I started with 2 sets of 30 seconds just 6 weeks ago, I'm pretty happy with the progress.Good stuff man, love the site, I'll keep you posted, take care!

Yavor,

I see many horrifying versions of the dead-lifts done in my gym. I almost always keep my mouth shut and rarely offer unsolicited advice to people. It is so tough when you know you could give better advice. I do my best through my blog to reach as many people as possible. Luckily this site is rapidly gaining in popularity…so I don't feel as frustrated as I used to.

Brad,

I really appreciate your kind words. I have spent hundreds of hours writing posts to explain the quickest and most effective ways to get slim and toned. It is really rewarding for me to see people implement this stuff and see positive changes. You have the knowledge to look amazing the rest of your life. I'm excited for you.

Planks are outstanding! In a weird way they work almost every muscle in the body. What you will notice the most is the shoulders, pec and ab tie ins, obliques, abs, lower ab and hip flexor definition (the "v" that people talk about on the lower abs). This makes your entire torso look spectacular. One more benefit…it helps make your spine resistant to injuries.

Thanks for the great comments!

Rusty

Brad,

if you want to progress quickly on planks, you could do the following. Start with one easy set, say 45 seconds. Every day do one set and add 5 more seconds. That's it! Using this method I got to 3 a minute plank.

Wow! A 3 minute plank, thats crazy. That is a good plan, adding 5 seconds a day. I'm going to start that plan today. I'm definitely sold on planks, can't wait to see the improvements in my torso over time. Awesome stuff! Thanks for the encouragement!

Hey Rusty, I just want to say your site is by far the best site to get information about fitness. You not only give great advice, you back it up with experience and knowledge. I am actually looking into becoming a fitness trainer. I am fresh out of highschool and kind of idle in what direction to take. Is there any advice you could give me? Any would help!

Adam,

Work on yourself first. See what it takes to get down to 4% body fat. See what it feels like to diet hard and get ripped. Build your body into perfection. That is by far my biggest tip.

Second tip…observe why so few people make progress. Why do so many people not get results when they workout in the gym. Put yourself in their shoes. What would you do if you were in their condition? I have run through this in my head 1,000's of times as I watch people.

Observe fit people. What do they do? Go to forums…go to blogs like this…absorb this stuff like crazy.

Again…mission number one, get in spectacular shape!

Rusty

As I mentioned in my previous comment, I really like the effect planks have on my abs. However, I really want to get a tiny waist (right now it is really flat, but I still want it to be smaller)! My body is a typical "hourglass", but back when I used to just dance and not do ANY workouts in the traditional sense my tummy seemed to be smaller and tapered in more at the sides. I know bodies change a bit over time, but I'm still pretty young still so I think I should be able to achieve this look again. Do you think resting the ab muscles for a couple of months while still focusing on cardio would bring my waist in a bit to really emphasize my hip-to-waist ratio? My new goal is hopefully a 24 inch waist and right now it measures 25, so I am hoping in a couple of months I could drop the extra inch!

i was wondering if you could do this workout everyday and it still be effective and efficient? i have done this workout for 12 straight days now and can almost do it all at once in 8 straight minutes without any rests. i like doing this everyday and i never wake up with even a hint of soreness in my abs. i was just wondering if there would be any adverse affects or make the move less effective by doing it every day of the week instead of 4 or 5 times a week and taking the other 2 days off? thanks as always rusty you rock man!

Jennifer,

Give it a shot. This strategy works well fot other body parts, so I'm assuming it would work well for abs.

benjie,

If you are not getting sore and you are increasing your ability to do these, those are great signs. Feel free to do these every day. I just do these 3 times a week, but I have already built up a bit of ab density from my years of lifting.

Rusty

First of all let me say thanks rusty for all the advice that has helped me get down to single digit bf%.
I was wondering what your opinion was on fat burners, currently i'm in my off-season of basketball. So I decided to use one to help my workouts so i can come into the upcoming season in amazing shape and blow away the competiton. I already have good defined abs but its just about getting to that next level of defintion for me. I'm only 15 could that be a problem?
Thanks again for all the advice.

Rusty
I just wanted to say I LOVE THE PLANKS. They are sooo hard but so worth it! I will never do a crunch again. I feel like I wasted my time doing them in the past.

Sandy,

I will never do a crunch again either. I think that planks are simply a superior ab exercise in every way.

Rusty

Ive been doing planks, and they have been helping, but are these a way of getting the clearly defined abs, or just tightening them up?

Bryan,

You have to get down to a low body fat to see your abs…that is the most crucial factor in displaying 6 pack abs. Do planks and get below 10% body fat and your abs will be ripped. My abs look better than ever and this is the only ab exercise I have done in 5 years. The nice thing is that my spine feels healthier than ever as a result. Crunches and situps pull the spine out of alignment to a certain extent.

Rusty

Hi there
Rusty
i just want to say i love ur website
i add the planks in my abs exercise i got like month doin the planks
right now i got a 4pack…lol….i cant get last two because of the body fat
but iam goin start doin hiit hope that will help

Intacto,

If you have the 4-pack it means that you are just 5-10 pounds of fat loss to a nice six pack. Kill it on the HIIT and you will have better abs than 99% of the population. Thanks for the compliment about my site.

Rusty

Hi Rusty,

Thank you for recommending the plank, it is such a great exercise! But reading the comments left me completely puzzled: is it really that hard to do a 2 or 3 minute plank? I must be doing something wrong because I'm able to hold it for at least 4 minutes (shaking from head to toe and whining like a baby by the end of the 4th minute), and I'm not that fit as one would think! What do you think I might be doing wrong? I try to keep my body in straight line, abs braced, bum tight. Should I hold my body as low to the floor as possible?

Maria,

You are probably doing it right. Just wait until you get lean…I bet you will have an exceptional set of abs. Also, I would think that it would be harder or easier depending upon torso to leg ratio's. I'm not sure if having long or short legs would make it easier. Keep it up and throw in some side planks as well.

Rusty

Quick Question: I need to get good at traditional ab exercises, primarily situps, for a sheriff academy Ill be attending within 3 to 6 months. My question is how can I combine these with a more traditional ab routine so I can keep my situp numbers where they need to be? Alternate planks and situps daily? Or since planks involve no breaking down of muscle, do them everynight, even on nights where I did situps during the day? Or something else?

Thanks

Brandon,

This is what I would do…do planks before doing situps and just do this workout every other day. This is going to make situps much tougher and will work your abs well. When it comes to taking a fitness test, it will be a breeze because you won't pre-exhaust your abs with planks like you do in your workout…your test will be easy for you. Does that make sense?

Rusty

I think so. On my strength training days (Mon, Wed, Fri) perform planks and then situps, then on my 'cardio' based days (Tue, Thur, Sat) dont do any abs, including planks. Thats how I read it, id that correct?

Brandon,

Yep…and it will work very well!

Rusty

Rusty,

I know your blog is aimed at getting people the ideal body type that isn't bound by excessive fat or MUSCLE. I've read numerous posts where you cite that people should focus on avoiding working certain body parts or exercises (such as flat bench, focusing more on incline…as well as avoiding squats, deadlifts, any exercise that work the traps or even the legs). Curious though that you're suggesting that people work their obliques (using the SIDE planks). Working your obliques would kill the V-taper look because it would make the area by your waist wider, thereby skewing the shoulder to hip ratio in an unfavorable way.

Any thoughts?

RockStar

Rockstar,

The reason I suggest people do side planks is that they are an "isometric exercise". Isometrics don't build the muscle because there isn't muscle breakdown. This is the main reason I recommend doing only planks for the midsection, is because this type of exercise builds density and definition without adding muscle to that area.

Good point though…I don't recommend any side bends with dumbbells or anything like that. Those DO kill that v-taper look.

Rusty

firstly i would just like to congratulate you a brilliantly informative site, i am one of these men who has been in search of that elusive six pack for some years, i think finally with your advice i may be able to acheive that, so thank you!
a little off topic i know but could you possibly suggest a training schedule for me as i am going on vacation in 7 weeks as of today, im 24 years old, 5'11 & 157lbs not fat but have a little around my midriff lol any help/advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated. thanks

Danny,

Thanks a bunch! I have to save the full workouts for a free report. Scan around the site for now and you will definitely find workouts. I'll give you a taste of what I do for a vacation. Can't get too detailed, but.

High Intensity Interval Training in a fasted state 4 times per week for 10-15 minutes, followed by 30 minutes low intensity cardio. I do this at the end of my lifting. I only lift for 30 minutes and do a 2 day split…back and chest on day one…shoulders, biceps, triceps on day two. I don't do legs, because I believe intense cardio and interval training builds the best looking functional legs (that can still fit into normal pants). I do abs 4-5 times per week at night before bed.

Hope that helps!

Rusty

Rusty,

I need your advice. For the past 7 months now I have been dieting. I pretty much stick to a low carb diet/warrior diet almost a combination of the 2. I started in Nov. I've lost 50 pounds so far, and want to lose about 25 more. I had a complete lifestyle change. I went from about 300 pounds to 250. I'm just over 6ft tall. My goal weight is 225 and lower if I can. My workouts consist of mainly running, I alternate 30 minutes cardio at 6.0 speed on M,W,F and Intervals on Tuesday and Saturdays. I also do hanging (chair) leg lifts for lower abs, and crunches for upper and middle. I have dropped 2 waists sizes and look a lot better than I did before.

My question though is this. I really want to lose all of my gut. I want a flat stomach, not necessarily 6 pack abs, but a nice flat and lean stomach would make me happy. What ab routines would work best for my lower abs, that seems to be the area I still need to work on. Also now that you know my workout routine what should I change or add to it? I want to reach my goal weight by August/September. (25 more to go)

Thanks for your help, and thanks for this site! I firmly believe in what on here.

Jay

Chicago, IL

Jay,

Continue to do what you are doing! You are making outstanding progress…as you lose more body fat, your abs will flatten out. Why don't you get back to me when you have 10 more pounds to go…these are going to be the tough ones. I love hearing these amazing results.

Great job buddy!

Rusty

Rusty,

Thank you. I will most definitely get back to you 10 pounds from my goal. I'll keep moving forward! Thanks for the vote of confidence, and again thank you for this site. It has really helped me!

Jay

rusty,
that helps a bunch thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, i have a few more; when you do your 2 day split do you do 2 days on 1 day off? for example monday and tuesday workout, then wednesday off, thursday and friday workout, saturday off? hope i was clear with that question.
Also do you use lighter weights and lower reps, i think ive seen you mention this somewhere on the site before.
sorry if my questions seem a bit vague!

danny

Jay,
You bet buddy…I have no doubt you will get there soon!

Danny,

I like doing a 2 day split ideally with 2 days on and one day off, but life can throw you curveballs and things don't always happen as planned. I only worked out 2 days this week, three days the week before and 2 day the week before that. I alternated workouts each time.

In a perfect world it would be 2 days on and one day off…which ends up being 4 workouts one week and 5 the next. I always lift low reps…soemtimes I use light weight and "pretend" like the weight is heavy. It gives my joints a rest, but still trains the muscles to contract hard…so you still get stronger using this method. Here is that post:

Lift Light Weights for Low Reps to Gain Strength and Muscle Definition

Rusty

Rusty,

I wanted to give you an update on where I'm at. I am still cranking out the cardio, but focusing more on interval training now. I'm burning even more calories. (640 - 700 per 35 minute workout) I now even walk (fast pace) for a hour after my dinner as well. When I last posted, I was 250/2 pounds. I got off the scale today, and now weight 239/240 pounds. I'm 15 pounds from my goal!

Now I am starting to think that my goal may need to be lowered. I've also started doing some planks, and push ups for toning, and can actually see some results. Again, I'll be in touch in about 5 pounds. My 1st goal is still 6'1 225 pounds.

I'll get there! Thanks again for this site!! You have no idea how much it helps!

Jay
Chicago, IL

I held the plank for 6 minutes straight!! I am a 17 year old girl btw.