Ab exercise
 

There is an exercise for abs that I read about a long time ago. Something made me remember the idea...but I couldn't remember the exact exercise. I asked a guy at the gym and he told me how to do it.

What you do is hang from a pull-up bar and raise your legs to a horizontal position, straight out in front of you. And then do a pull-up while holding this position. Your palms are facing you. (I forgot what the grip is called also)

What is this exercise called...and what are your thoughts? I'm sure it's posted on here somewhere, so if I could just get a name for the exercise then I could probably search here or google it. I'm going to try to start doing this on Wednesdays with my DFT 5X5 routine. If this isn't the best ab building exercise, then what is the most intense single exercise that hits the abs the best? (aside from squats or deadlifts)

There isn't one. You'd be much better off with a variety of movements including flexion, torsion (twisting), and side flexion (there's a name for that I never remember).

I do the pullup thing all the time. I don't know if there is a name for it. That's a supinated (chin-up) grip. But you don't have to just do that with a chin-up grip. That does change slightly the effect of the exercise on the back, I think.

I would avoid in general this search for single best exercises. It gets you into a habit of not utilysing enough variety which can get you into a habit of injuring yourself.

Thanks.

Oh, I know...I'm not looking for just one exercise to do. I just like to do the hardest compound exercises first, and then add in the other more specific exercises ("flexion, torsion (twisting), and side flexion"). I get tired of doing simple ab stuff in the gym. There are no machines at my gym that are designed specifically for abs. I've been looking for stuff to spice up the workout...a little variation.

Well here is something you might like, Ross:

Do this at the end of a workout. Try either a front plate squat or a goblet squat. It is light so it won't be like doing a whole nother squat...

Superset those with a flexion thing like pulldown abs or hanging knee/leg raises. If you want to be really hardcore tri-set it with russian twists or something like that.

The squats will really work the abs though a strong isometric contraction plus be a very good exercise to train the squat in general and core activation. Then the other exercises won't have to be done for as many reps/sets.

Sounds like what I've been looking for.

You're the man...just in case anyone hasn't told you lately. :biglaugh:

Thank you, no they haven't :biglaugh:

Don't overdo that though. The amount you'll be squatting and pulling you really want to start conservative on the "ab" stuff. Even if you only do one go-through the fist time...

In general I will superset things like abs, arms work if I can. Anything that comes at the end and just in the interest of time, mostly.