Q: I’ve noticed that you guys don’t recommend hanging leg raises for abs, but you do include incline leg raises in your routines. Why? Aren’t they pretty much the same exercise?
A: We discuss the difference in the X-traordinary Abs e-book, calling them “kneeups.” The inferiority of hanging has to do with optimal fiber activation…
The point on the stroke at which you can generate the max force and involve the most fibers is the semi-stretch point. That’s where the target muscle is elongated, but not to an extreme length. For example, on bench presses, that’s near the bottom, where the pecs are semi-stretched…
On hanging leg raises, it’s also near the bottom. And guess what? On that hanging version, there’s ZERO resistance at that key max-activation point. Check out the photo above; that’s where resistance starts to kick in—and the abs are already semi-contracted. That’s why we prefer incline kneeups…
On an incline, you get resistance at the bottom of the stroke—as long as you don’t rest your feet on the floor. Another benefit is that it’s much easier to roll your hips up toward your chest on the incline as opposed to the hanging version. That hip roll is important for maximum abdominal involvement…
That being said, we DO use hanging kneeups every so often; however, it’s usually in a 4X sequence with incline kneeups as a Plus-One set. What the heck is that? A bonus tactic, but very effective…
For Plus-One, you do a 3X sequence on hanging kneeups—do 10, rest 35 seconds, do 10 more, rest 35 seconds, do 10 more. After one last 35-second rest, you move to a slant or incline board and do incline kneeups, as many reps as you can do. Go all out, but keep your form strict—one second to raise your legs, three seconds to lower.
That slight angle-of-pull shift can activate new fibers, as can the resistance at the semi-stretch point—and you get faster ab-carving results.
Of course, you can simply do either exercise as a standard 4X sequence, but with Plus-One you get the best of BOTH exercises and unique fiber activation for acid-etched abs…
However, keep in mind that you won’t see your attention-grabbing abs unless your bodyfat is low enough. Try our X-treme Lean diet and meal tips for major muscle and rippedness (it includes rip-it-up training programs too).
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
Build MASS with bodyweight training
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Until recently, MPS was only elevated when trainees would lift 70-90% of their one-rep max…
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It used to be believed that training with your own bodyweight couldn’t get you the same results as training with your 70-90% one rep max… Until NOW.