Building a strong, powerful core is essential for overall, total-body strength.
However, many ab-focused exercises like crunches and sit-ups don't target the full range of function of the core muscles.
This four exercise workout, with each exercise targeting a different aspect of core strength and function in addition to the largest muscles groups in the body, gives you a DEADLY total-body strength and conditioning circuit that will hammer your midsection.
How To Do The Core Annihilator Circuit Workout
You will need a power rack, a barbell, a bench and a couple of dumbbells for this circuit.
Aside from the ACTUAL training benefits, the other big benefits of this circuit is that it takes up very little space, doesn't use much equipment and everything can be done in the same area (all good things for crowded gyms or home gyms).
The first three exercises actually use pretty much the same setup.
Set the barbell on the safety rails to about hip/waistband height. I suggest playing around with the height with no weight on the bar until you get the setup right for this first exercise...the other 2 will just follow the lead.
Load some weight on the bar...you'll need it for the third exercise, which is going to be a Bottom-Start Zercher Squat from sitting on the bench. I've got 225 lbs on the bar. Start lighter than this if you've never done Zercher Squats before (I'll tell you more about them below).
I've also got a barbell pad on the bar, which is better for the Zercher squats so as not to shred the inside of your elbows. It's not really necessary, though...you can also go "bare bar" or right before you do the Zerchers, throw a towel over it.
Exercise #1 - Back-Off Bench Press - 6-8 reps
This exercise is going to target the Rectus Abdominis (the 6-pack abs) isometrically, as well as involving the deep core muscles for support (you'll see).
Set the bench so that the bar is right about over the mid-point of the bench. The bar should be loaded and braced up against the uprights of the rack.
What you're going to do is sit on the bench with your knees braced against the bar with your upper back hanging off the end of the bench. You'll get NO support under your upper back while you're pressing...the only support you get is what your isometric abdominal contraction gives you.
Yeah, seriously. This one is awesome.
So first, grab your dumbbells. They should be weights you can handle very easily for presses for 20-30+ reps. I'm using 65 lb dumbbells here. Your core strength will limit you more than your pressing strength, so DO NOT go too heavy at first...you can always increase later if it's too light.
Stand up and hold them on end on your thighs. This is CRITICAL in terms of getting yourself onto the bench with the weight in a useful position. It's the only way I've found to do it effectively when you're using decent weight.
Walk forward until the dumbbells contact the bar then sit on the bench. Shuffle yourself forward a bit more.
Now brace your knees against the bar and lie back.
Your entire upper back should be hanging off the end of the bench. The bench end should be just below your shoulder blades. You will ALREADY feel your abs contracting HARD just to hold you there.
Now press those dumbbells, just like you normally would.
Aim for 6-8 reps but basically do reps until you feel your core starting to fail on keeping your body position solid on the bench.
From there, set the dumbbells on your lower thighs, so you can use their weight to leverage yourself back up to a seated position.
Stand up and set the dumbbells on the bench and immediately go to the next exercise.
Exercise #2 - Bar-in-Stomach Dumbbell Rows - 6-8 reps
Yes, I'm not kidding...that's the name of the exercise because that's what you're going to be doing.
Go around to the other side of the bar, kneel on the bench and push your thighs/hips up against the bar. The height should still be about right on the bar.
This exercise is targeting abdominal bracing strength, in addition to the back.
Grab your dumbbells (same ones).
Now move them off the bench and let them hang down. In order to keep your balance, your arms will be angled a little backwards.
The key during this exercise is to brace your abs HARD against the bar. The load of your upper body and the dumbbells will be pulling you down onto it.
As well, your lower back will be activating strongly to hold the load (and yep, the lower back is a BIG part of your core, so we're hitting that here, too).
Now row the dumbbells up and back towards your hips, contracting your lats HARD. Hold for a second at the top as this is where you're really putting load on the core.
Do as many reps as you can with good form - we're looking for 6-8 reps here.
A little upper body "dip" is ok. It's hard to maintain a solid position when you're holding a position like this...some movement is natural.
Come back up to vertical, set the dumbbells on the floor, then it's time for the next exercise.
Exercise #3 - Bottom-Start Zercher Squats - 3-5 reps
This is a MONSTER exercise for developing "supporting" core strength. It's going to teach you how to maintain solid intra-abdominal pressure in your core...because if you don't, your torso collapses forward and you fail the lift.
For this one, your bar is already set up and ready to go. Roll the bar back a little ways so it doesn't hit the uprights as you're lifting it.
Set your forearms under the bar, a little inside shoulder width and right up into your inner elbow. The bar should be as close to your body as you can get it...the closer it is, the less torque you'll get on your lower back.
Your palms should be facing up (i.e. forearms fully supinated). I find this to be the best way to hold the hands as it puts the two bones in your forearms (the radius and ulna) in the optimal horizontal position to support the weight. If your forearms are angled at all, the entire load is placed just onto the radius of each arm.
Now brace your core HARD and stand up.
Set the weight back down on the rails, take a breath, reset your bracing and go again. We're aiming for lower reps with this one because it's a "pressure-intensive" exercise that does require holding your breath for abdominal stability. If you go for many more reps than this, you'll start to get light-headed, especially at this point in the circuit.
When you've finished your reps (don't go to failure), set the bar down and move to the last exercise.
Exercise 4 - Pass-Under Bulgarian Split Squats - 4-6 reps on each leg
This exercise targets dynamic core stability under load and abdominal bracing strength...and it does it in a very unique way.
The exercise is done like a standard Bulgarian Split Squat with one major difference...at the bottom of every rep, you're going to pass the dumbbell through to the OTHER hand, then stand up.
It's this pass-under that targets dynamic core stability.
Start with your left leg forward and a single dumbbell in your right hand, right leg set on the bench (I'm using the end of the bench, but you can slide the bench out and use it perpendicularly, too...that'll be easier to balance on).
Come down into the bottom position.
To get the dumbbell under your leg, you will have to lean forward a bit more than you normally would with the exercise. That's no problem as long as you don't horribly round over your lower back.
During the switch, the way I do it is to hold my fingers open on the receiving hand and just roll it over into that hand with the other hand. Easy.
Once you've completed the switch, stand up.
Then come back down and switch again and stand up.
When you've completed 4-6 total reps on that side, switch legs and do the same thing again.
Switch at the bottom.
Then stand up.
When you've hit 4-6 reps on that leg, you're done!
Set the weight down and try not to hit the ground too hard.
This combination of 4 NON-abdominal exercises will hit your core EXTREMELY hard, while giving you an excellent total body workout.
I recommend doing 3-5 total rounds through this circuit, taking 3 minutes rest in between rounds.
Your core will be hammered HARD from a variety of angles using a variety of different loading patterns.
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