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5 Drop Sets for Abs and Obliques
Want abs? Then increase the resistance, lengthen the TUT, and add proven bodybuilding techniques to your workout. Try these exercises!
At some point, you’ll need to increase the resistance of your abs workout in order to develop a real six-pack. If you’re like most (slightly masochistic) lifters, you also love that burning sensation that comes after a lot of reps. No abs workout will be satisfying without a strong mind-muscle connection.
Abs drop sets can help you achieve both of these goals. You’ll start with heavier weights or percentages of your body weight, then drop to lighter weights and continue until you’re close to technical failure.
Here are five geeky drop groups to get the blood flowing:
1. Garhammer Explosion
| exercise | set | represent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1. | Drop Bench Garhammer Crunch | 3 | 8-15 |
| A2. | Flat plus hammer improves | 3 | AMGRAP |
What does AMGRAP mean? As many good reps as possible. Don’t keep trying in bad shape.
This is a superset, so your “rest” time is the time you need to move into the second exercise. Do three rounds of this combination.
The Garhammer Elevation Variation is great for working the lower rectus abdominis, working it hard through its range of motion (via posterior pelvic tilt). They were invented by exercise scientist Dr. John Garhammer and popularized by Charles Poliquin.
Using them as drop-sets is a great way to combine more challenging, higher-loaded variations with easier versions. That means you’ll hit your golden rep range for abs, hold tension longer, and fatigue more motor units.
If these are too easy, straighten your knees more. You can also change the slope of the bench (more slope = harder). Be sure to keep your toes pointed inward and focus on working your range of motion at the top—think “ass off the floor.”
2. Sports Ribs
| exercise | set | represent | rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1. | Cable chop (left) | 3 | 8-12 | |
| A2. | Cable Tight Cut (Left) | 3 | AMGRAP | 30 seconds. |
| A3. | Cable chop (right) | 3 | 8-12 | |
| A4. | Cable Tight Cut (Right) | 3 | AMGRAP | as required |
Only rest between A2 and A3. Go straight from one set to the next. Then rest as needed before starting the whole thing again. Do three rounds.
cable chopper Variations are some of the most effective exercises for working your abs and will make your abs as strong and powerful as they look. Ribs help create efficient power transfer between your lower and upper body, which means they’re great for athletes.Add to turn around If you want a good oblique set, your training is a must.
Start with a standard cable cut setup. Keeping your elbows straight all the time, slide the cable horizontally. Engage your core and glutes for a powerful transfer of motion (think the whip of a baseball swing).
Once you’ve completed your set on one side, continue the set by “dropping” into a stronger chopping position. A “tight” chop simply means that your elbows will be tight against your ribs. By bending your elbows and bringing the cables in, you’ll be able to lift more weight, or in this case, more reps. Complete drop sets on one side before switching to the other.
3. Horizontal Plank
| exercise | set | represent | rest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1. | Iso row plank (left) | 3 | 10-30 seconds. | |
| A2. | Three point plank (left) | 3 | 10-30 seconds. | 30 seconds. |
| A3. | Iso row plank (right) | 3 | 10-30 seconds. | |
| A4. | Three point plank (right) | 3 | 10-30 seconds. | as required |
Rest 30 seconds between A2 and A3, but go straight from one set to the next to complete everything else. Then after A4, take breaks as needed before starting the whole thing again. Do three rounds.
Are you still breaking traditional planks? Well, hovering on all fours inches off the ground probably won’t get you where you want to go.
Of course, the plank is one of the most basic core exercises for developing muscular endurance. While there’s plenty of evidence that this can help you with lower back pain and improve your posture, most of life isn’t quietly anchored to your toes and elbows.
Try increasing the strength of the plank by adding loads and adding anti-rotation components. Resistance to stretch and rotation will be better applied to almost everything from walking to landing a right uppercut.
It also has a greater impact on the obliques and quadratus lumborum. With iso plank rowing, a wider stance allows you to use more weight, but feel free to go narrower if you’re after more instability.
Start with a weight, drop it, and keep holding it. It’s that simple.
4. Advanced Ab Workout
| exercise | set | represent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1. | Ribbon Ab Deployment | 3 | 6-10 |
| A2. | Ab launched | 3 | AMGRAP |
Do three rounds and use a band you trust!
hard to beat belly wheel roll out. It’s crazy how what seemed to belong on the late-night shopping channel is now a staple of many strength and conditioning programs.
Rollout requires a strong off-center “braking” action during the descent to eliminate facial vegetation. It then requires a joint contraction of your abs, obliques, transverse abs, and lats to fully execute.
The only downside is the loss of tension and lower difficulty at the top of the rollout compared to the bottom. It’s much harder on the bottom. While you can technically do drop sets from a weighted vest or even from your toes, using a resistance band can help with the easier sections at the top.
To engage the rectus abdominis hard, try doing some spinal flexion at the top. The band will make this even more intense.
This drop-set will start with you using the band (attached to something) and continue without the band. This one is only for those who have mastered the technique of rolling from head to toe.
5. Super crunches
| exercise | set | represent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1. | Drop eccentric cable crunch | 3 | 6-10 |
| A2. | recession austerity | 3 | AMGRAP |
Eccentric training is an excellent way to utilize those neglected fast-twitch fibers. As with any rope crunch, keep the rope away from your shoulders (overhead) to increase the load with a longer lever arm. To lighten the load, bring your arms closer together so your shoulders shorten the lever arm.
By changing the rope position during the rope crunch (further from the torso during the descent) we can increase the eccentric or negative load.
However, some cable crunch variants are better suited for this technique. This is where descending eccentric cable crunches come in. Start your descent sets with these, then lower the rope and continue.
Your spine should “peel” when you stand up, and expand when you come down (almost a sit-up/sit-up hybrid). If you’re not used to this type of training, your entire midsection will be on for days. You’re welcome.
programming
As much as you want to build your abs and try every one of them, you might want to reconsider. Drop sets can be more taxing than you think.
Consider the lowest effective dose and use only one of three sets at the beginning or end of your workout. If you really want to make it a priority, start exercising with them. High frequency methods are also effective.
Here’s an example to inspire some ideas on how to add this to your training program:
-
the first week
on Monday: Reduced Ab Explosion
Wednesday: new austerity
Friday: exercise obliques - Week 2: Add an extra rep to each set.
- Week 3: Add an extra rep to each set if possible.
- Week 4: Vary your practice. Try variations of rollout and plank.
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