How are your abs doing since christmas?

Think you know to effectively train the abs sir?

Well, you DON'T!

At least not...

Until you try the NEW EVERLAST ab wheel! Smooth single-double wheel motion (yes thats a single wheel made up of two wheels!) with an ergonomic grip and aesthitic apearance. You'll be sculpted better than the sphynx!

Seriously though. The little evil wheel is amazing. Buy one from Argos for a fiver.

I need to write this down!

At the beginning of the wonderful Christmas break I set out on a mini-mission in order to learn and experiment.
This mission was simple: don't go to the gym. I thought that if I abstained for a period of time,
then perhaps I would learn something new and be creative. That I have, and a few things need to be written down so I can stop juggling them about in my head:

• Blogging everything I do is pointless.
• The back bridge is the best bodyweight exercise in existance, (thrust the hip high, use the back muscles not the limbs).
• The spine is NOT in compression when we lean backwards.
• Tight hip flexors are fixed by doing the pump stretch followed by the lunge, several times.
• Ross Enamait (the first proper trainer I stumbled across on the internet and author of the first book I bought on the subject) is right in so many ways.
• Steve Ilg is also right in so many ways, his book Total Body Transformation is cheesy as hell and very weird, but hands down the wisest book I own.
• The above two people both believe there must be balance. Balance not meaning all attributes being equal, but merely meaning that when one disciplin is slacking (a weakness), it needs to be addressed.
• Increasing flexibility and range of movement is best achieved by getting really uncomfortable... and staying that way.
• Russian is a difficult language to learn.
• Trying something completely new always works.

New 5/3/1 shakeup

The great debate in my head has been back squats vs front squats for the 5/3/1. I am choosing front squats basically because I am shit at them and one needs to always choose to work on ones weaknesses. Back squats can be used for higher rep assistance work. Straps will be used for top sets of deadlifts.
Since I think big chests are gay and the bench press is ovverated I'll be doing the more useful overhead push press instead.

Training maxs:
Front Squat = 85kg
Push Press = 62.5kg
Deadlift = 170kg
Military press = 57.5kg

• Warmup for each day will be complexes emphasising mobility and flexibility, so things like overhead squats, snatches etc.
• Power cleans, hang cleans, snatches etc to be performed before the front squats and deadlifts. 3-5 sets of 3 reps, keep it snappy.
• Stretching must take place afterwards, emphasis on working the hips.
• Ab work to be taken seriously.