This
is one
of THE
best
overall
abdominal/core
strength
and
stability
exercises
I've
EVER
used.
If
you
want
a stronger
core,
THIS
is the
exercise
to focus
on.
It's
tough
but
VERY
effective.
To
do this
exercise,
all
you
really
need
is a
barbell,
but
a squat
rack
will
help
a lot.
It'll
make
the
exercise
better
for
getting
into
position
with.
(And
it's
also
one
of the
few
times
I'll
recommend
you
do a
curl
exercise
in the
rack!...)
Set
the
squat
rack
up so
that
the
racking
hooks
are
one
notch
below
where
you
would
normally
set
them
for
squats.
The
reason
you
want
to set
it one
below
is that
by the
time
you're
done
with
the
exercise,
it may
be very
hard
to get
it up
to the
height
where
you
would
normally
rack
the
bar!
With
the
racks
a little
lower,
you'll
have
an easier
time
getting
the
bar
back
onto
them.
Set
the
safety
rails
just
above
where
you
normally
set
them
for
regular
squats
the
first
time
you
try
this.
When
you
develop
a better
feel
for
how
it's
done,
you
can
lower
them
a little
to get
a fuller
range
of motion.
Step
in front
of the
bar
and
hold
it in
the
top
position
of the
barbell
curl.
Now
stand
up,
unracking
the
bar.
Don't
allow
your
elbows
to brace
against
your
midsection.
This
will
take
away
from
the
supporting
tension
on the
abs.
Take
a step
back
and
get
your
feet
set
fairly
wide
apart
for
balance
and
optimal
stability.
Now,
holding
the
bar
in that
top
curl
position,
squat
down
as far
as you
can
then
come
back
up.
Important
note...you
don't
actually
curl
the
bar
while
doing
the
squat,
you
just
hold
it in
the
top
curl
position.
Hold
your
breath
during
the
majority
of this
movement
to keep
greater
stability
in your
core.
Start
holding
as you
start
to go
below
the
halfway
point
and
continue
to hold
it until
you're
about
halfway
back
up.
If you
don't
want
to or
are
unable
to hold
your
breath,
exhale
through
pursed
lips
(as
though
you're
blowing
up a
balloon).
Keeping
the
breath
held
will
maximize
core
stability
and
allow
your
abs
to function
more
effectively
during
the
movement.
Since
this
exercise
uses
relatively
light
weight
compared
to a
regular
squat,
holding
your
breath
is not
nearly
as potentially
dangerous.
If you
do feel
lightheaded,
rack
the
bar
and
rest.
Holding
the
resistance
in front
of your
body,
as you
do in
the
exercise,
takes
away
the
shoulder
support
that
you
would
normally
get
with
a front
squat
(which
has
a similar
effect
on the
core).
All
this
requirement
for
supporting
tension
goes
directly
onto
the
muscles
of the
core,
all
of which
will
have
to contract
hard
throughout
the
entire
movement
in order
to keep
the
barbell
from
falling
forward.
This
exercise
also
helps
you
to get
a feel
for
using
the
abs
during
a squat,
which
is extremely
important
for
maximizing
your
squat
strength.
Using
the
abs
while
squatting
is something
that
does
not
come
naturally
and
is very
rarely
taught
or explained
to trainers.
It also
helps
to greatly
strengthen
the
abs
for
that
specific
purpose,
making
this
a very
powerful
core
and
overall
strength
building
exercise.
When
doing
the
exercise
for
the
first
time,
start
with
just
the
bar,
no matter
how
strong
you
are.
This
will
help
you
get
a feel
for
how
the
movement
feels,
where
to set
the
safety
rails
and
how
far
down
you
can
comfortably
go.
When
you're
comfortable,
work
your
way
up slowly
from
there
as fatigue
will
come
quickly.
It's
a movement
your
body
will
be totally
unused
to,
no matter
how
many
abdominal
exercises
you've
done
in your
training
career
before
this.
The
muscles
of the
core
will
tire
before
your
legs
do.
Be sure
to keep
your
lower
back
arched
and
tight
while
performing
this
movement.
If
you're
able
to,
go all
the
way
down
until
your
elbows
touch
your
knees.
This
will
give
you
the
fullest
range
of motion.
Tense
the
abs
hard,
especially
at the
bottom
as you're
coming
back
up.
For
extra
resistance,
pause
at the
bottom
for
a few
seconds.
This
will
give
you
the
best
feel
for
how
the
abs
should
be used
when
squatting.
With
this
exercise,
holding
the
resistance
in front
of the
body
(like
in a
front
squat)
allows
you
to keep
a more
vertical
body
position.
The
tension
will
go onto
the
abs,
but
be aware
that
there
will
also
be some
tension
going
to the
lower
back.
Because
you're
holding
the
weight
out
in front
of you,
the
lower
back
must
also
contract
to help
stabilize
the
spine.
As you
keep
up with
the
exercise,
your
lower
back
will
get
stronger.
Another
great
benefit
to this
exercise
is that
your
breathing
muscles
(the
intercostals)
never
get
a chance
to relax
during
this
movement.
From
top
to bottom
and
back
up (even
while
you're
"resting"
at the
top),
your
breathing
muscles
are
being
challenged
because
of they
weight
they
are
being
forced
to support.
This
can
build
up great
lung
capacity
and
breathing
strength
(excellent
for
athletes
who
need
great
cardio
capacity)
and
carries
directly
over
to your
work
capacity
in the
regular
barbell
squat.
Common
Errors
1.
Doing
this
exercise
after
a bicep
workout
As
you
can
imagine,
performing
this
exercise
is not
going
be as
effective
if you've
just
finished
a bicep
workout.
The
biceps
will
already
be fatigued
and
you'll
limit
the
amount
of weight
you
can
use
and
how
long
you
can
hold
it for.
Use
this
exercise
on non-bicep
training
days,
if possible.
2.
Going
too
fast
Dropping
down
quickly
in the
squat
will
put
extra
stress
on the
biceps
as you
come
up and
reduce
the
tension
on the
abs.
This
exercise
should
be done
very
deliberately
with
no bouncing
or fast
movements.
If you
have
a tendency
to do
this,
pause
at the
bottom
for
a few
seconds
to stop
the
bouncing.
3.
Using
too
much
weight
Since
the
legs
are
so much
stronger,
it's
tempting
to use
too
much
weight
for
this
exercise.
Remember,
our
goal
here
is NOT
to work
the
legs
or the
biceps
but
to work
the
abs.
The
legs
and
the
biceps
are
only
here
to help
push
the
abs.
If your
biceps
fatigue
before
your
abs
get
a good
workout,
you
need
to reduce
the
weight.
4.
Leaning
forward
Try
to keep
your
upper
body
as vertical
as possible
with
this
one.
It's
very
similar
to a
front
squat
- having
the
weight
in front
of you
allows
you
to stay
vertical
more
easily.
Leaning
forward
will
cause
the
barbell
to shift
forward,
which
will
put
more
tension
on the
biceps,
causing
them
to fatigue
prematurely.
As you
start
to fatigue,
you
will
notice
you
have
a tendency
to lean
forward.
This
is because
the
supporting
abs
are
weakening.
Do your
best
to keep
vertical.
Once
you
start
to move
too
far
forward,
end
the
set.
5.
Bar
too
close
to chin
If
the
bar
gets
too
close
to the
collarbones,
you
will
lose
some
of the
tension
in the
abs.
Keep
it at
least
a few
inches
away
to maximize
the
supporting
tension
and
torque
demanded
of the
abs.
If it
comes
too
close,
it may
be tempting
to rest
the
bar
on your
collarbones,
which
will
turn
it into
an uncomfortable
front
squat.
6.
Letting
the
elbows
brace
strongly
against
the
midsection
If
you
let
the
elbows
press
strongly
into
the
midsection,
it will
take
away
some
of the
tension
on the
abs.
A little
contact
is fine,
especially
as you
get
tired,
but
don't
rely
on using
this
technique
or it
will
make
the
exercise
less
effective.
Letting
the
elbows
sink
in like
this
will
also
tend
to hunch
your
back
over,
putting
pressure
on the
lower
back.
This
will
in turn
pull
your
torso
and
center
of balance
forward,
putting
more
tension
on the
biceps,
making
you
dig
the
elbows
in more!
Keep
the
elbows
out
front,
away
from
your
body
and
you'll
keep
a better
body
position
and
do a
more
effective
set.
Tricks
For
Making
the
Exercise
More
Productive
1.
Look
forward
and
slightly
up
When
you
squat,
keeping
looking
forward
and
slightly
up.
This
will
help
you
to keep
an arch
in your
lower
back
and
keep
you
from
leaning
forward.
We want
to avoid
forward
lean
as it
causes
the
biceps
to fatigue
prematurely.
2.
Don't
breathe
too
deeply
in or
out
as you're
coming
down
or pushing
back
up
Breathing
too
much
during
this
exercise
reduces
core
stability
and
can
compromise
your
form.
For
best
core
stabilization,
keep
your
breath
carefully
controlled.
At the
bottom,
you
can
hold
your
breath
for
a few
moments
to get
the
most
solid
stability.
As you
come
up,
you
can
exhale
through
pursed
lips
after
you've
come
about
1/4
to 1/2
of the
way.
This
technique
shouldn't
be used
if you
have
blood
pressure
issues,
however,
as it
does
cause
an increase
in blood
pressure.
Keep
a careful
eye
on how
you
feel
if you
do choose
to do
this
- and
if you
feel
any
dizziness,
end
the
set
and
then
don't
use
this
technique
the
next
set.
3.
Pause
at the
bottom
To
really
maximize
the
tension
on the
abs,
pause
for
a few
seconds
at the
bottom
and
focus
on really
squeezing
and
tightening
your
abs
hard.
As you
start
to come
back
up,
try
to push
with
your
abs
as well.
This
will
help
you
to feel
what
it's
like
to use
the
abs
to help
push
out
of the
bottom
when
doing
regular
barbell
squats.