Want Six Pack Abs? Try These Exercises! (Part 3)

Welcome to the final installment of my abs series!!! I hope you have enjoyed my previous posts focusing on floor work and rings. This post is going to focus on bar work and climbing exercises.

TOE TAP CLIMBING

By far the most fun ab exercise in this group! Find a steep wall, the steeper, the better. Start with the easiest route, or if you’re on a systems board, the biggest jugs. Once on the wall, before going to the next hold with your hand, touch the hold with your foot. When starting out, just touch the hold with one foot and then grab with your hand. Once you are comfortable doing that, progress to touching the hold with both feet one at a time. Once that becomes easier, touch the hold with one foot and place your foot back on the route. Then CUT FEET! Then put your feet back on and touch the hold with the other foot. Cutting feet half-way through each move not only strengthens your core, it helps when you are trying to send a hard route. If your feet cut on your project, you won’t panic because you’ve been practicing cutting feet!! You can also just climb a route with cutting feet after every move without touching the holds first with your feet. When you put your feet back on the wall, try to be as accurate as possible.

TOE HOOK ABS

This is an ab burner and that allows you to also work on your toe hook skills! I prefer to use a low bar in case I unexpectedly fall. Lay on the ground and get the top of your feet on top of the bar. Raise your core and keep your head off the ground. Start at 10 seconds and work your way up to 1 minute!

FRONT LEVER PROGRESSION

The front lever is a great ab exercise and if you can’t do it (YET) don’t worry!—I have a great progression to work up to it. First, after jumping to the bar, lift your legs into a ball position on your chest. If that’s difficult for you, stop here and practice this move. The second step in the progression is to bring one leg straight out at a time and hold it out. Don’t worry if your body falls down when you bring your leg out. It takes some practice to get the hang of it. Just stay with it! Once you master extending one leg, you can start to extend the second leg. Then BAM! You have your front lever!!

TWO HAND TOE TO BAR

This one really tires my arms as well as my abs! Toe to Bar is really simple. Jump up to the bar. After hanging for a second, bring your toes to the bar. Attempt to touch the bar! Try to work your way up to 20 reps!

ONE ARM TOE TO BAR

I didn’t know these were a thing until I tore my tricep (for the first time). I wanted to do leg lifts but I couldn’t use my injured arm. So I tried it with one arm! Make sure to keep your shoulder engaged so that you don’t hurt your rotator cuff! To do this exercise, jump up with two hands, before letting go with one arm. Raise your legs to the bar! Aim for 5 reps!!

Stay tuned for more training and nutrition posts!!