Want Six-Pack Abs? Here's How To Build a Solid Core
- Ryan G.
- Jun 17
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Many weightlifters skip dedicated ab work, assuming compound lifts — like squats and deadlifts — provide enough core engagement. And while they do activate the trunk musculature (Schoenfeld, 2010), they’re not enough if you want visibly defined abs or improved core control. That’s where structured core training comes in.
Bodybuilders chasing defined abdominal “peaks” don’t rely on squats alone. And neither should you.
My approach is straightforward: train your abs like you train your other muscle groups — with focused intensity and progressive overload. But with one caveat: your core supports almost every movement you do. So I train abs heavy just once per week and use bodyweight-focused training for my second (and sometimes third) weekly session to allow for recovery. Keep reading for a heavy hypertrophy-focused routine. For those light days I mentioned, check out any of these videos by Maddie Lymburner.
The Core: More Than Just Your Six-Pack
Your core is a complex system of deep stabilizers and large movers:
Local stabilizers: Deep muscles like the transverse abdominis and multifidus that stabilize your spine.
Global movers: Larger muscles like the rectus abdominis and obliques responsible for movement and load transfer (Bergmark, 1989; McGill, 2010).
This article focuses on hypertrophy training for the rectus abdominis and obliques—the muscles most responsible for core aesthetics and function.
Isometric vs. Isotonic Core Training
Isometric exercises involve muscle contraction without movement—great for stability and posture (e.g., planks).
Isotonic exercises involve movement and tension through a range of motion—crucial for hypertrophy and strength.
A smart ab routine includes both.
👉 Russian twists, for example, involve both: your core holds isometrically while you rotate through an isotonic range.
Ab Training Structure: My Weekly Blueprint
Each workout hits:
Upper rectus abdominis
Lower rectus abdominis
Obliques
Each region gets:
2 isotonic exercises
1 isometric finisher
Sample Heavy Core
Routine: Strength and Hypertrophy
1. Hanging Leg Raise With Posterior Pelvic Tilt
sets x 20 reps
🔹 Tip: Use hanging straps if your grip fatigues before your abs do.
🔹 Why PPT matters: To train the lower abs, you must rotate your pelvis into a posterior pelvic tilt. Standard leg raises target the hip flexors more than the abs. Posterior pelvic tilt directly activates the lower rectus abdominis (Escamilla et al., 2006).
2. Cable Crunches
3 sets x 8–12 reps
🔹 Keep hips stable, focus on spinal flexion, and use a full range of motion.
3. Cable Twists (Obliques)
3 sets x 8–12 reps per side
🔹 Resist using your arms — let your obliques do the work.
4. Supine Leg Raise With Posterior Pelvic Tilt
3 sets x 8–15 reps
🔹 Emphasize curling your hips off the bench (or floor) at the top of the rep.
5. Weighted Ball Crunch
3 sets x 15–30 reps
🔹 Use a plate, dumbbell or medicine ball. Pause and squeeze at peak contraction.
6. Plank Dumbbell Drag (Feet Elevated)
3 sets x 16–24 reps (alternating sides)
🔹 Keep hips level. Don’t twist—resist rotation to engage obliques and stabilizers.
7. Plank Hold (Isometric)
1 minute
8. Side Plank Hold (Isometric)
1 minute (30s each side)
9. Russian Twists (Weighted)
1 minute
🔹 Combines isometric bracing and isotonic rotation for full-core activation.
Train for Growth: Use Progressive Overload
Want visible abs? You need to grow the muscle and lower your body fat. Abs respond to progressive overload like any other muscle group.
I like to use the double progression model:
Start at the low end of your rep range.
Increase reps week by week.
Once you reach the top of the rep range, increase weight and drop back down.
This simple system ensures continuous progress while managing fatigue.
What About Nutrition?
“Abs are made in the kitchen.” True — but incomplete. Abs are built in the gym and revealed through diet. You need to reduce body fat through caloric control and consistency.
References
Bergmark, A. (1989). Stability of the lumbar spine. Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica Supplementum, 230, 1–54.
McGill, S. M. (2010). Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance. Backfitpro Inc.
Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). Squatting kinematics and their application to performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(12), 3497–3506.
Escamilla, R. F., et al. (2006). An EMG analysis of abdominal activity during trunk curls. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20(3), 471–478.
Wakahara, T., et al. (2012). Nonuniform muscle hypertrophy: relation to muscle activation. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 44(11), 2158–2165.
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