James Villepigue, CSCS is an International Best Selling Author of over 22 books. Over the last 8 years, he has built one of the most successful fitness book franchises in history. He has been involved in the health and fitness industries for over 17 years. With over one million copies of James’ books sold, he has helped many hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world—of all ages and from all walks of life—achieve extraordinary results to their body’s & their lives.
James is most passionate about sharing his mastery of getting people in their absolute best shape.
James has appeared on and is the Featured Fitness Trainer of “The Regis & Kelly Show" , The Maury Show and many other TV and radio shows. In addition to his books, he has written for national magazines like Fitness, Women's World, Muscle-Mag, Oxygen, Cosmopolitan, Self and Marie Claire.James earned degrees from the New York College of Health Professions and Hofstra University, and is a graduate of the highly acclaimed Institute for Professional Empowerment Life/Business Coaching. He is Nationally Certified as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS©), under The NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association), a certified personal trainer with ACE (American Council on Exercise), ISSA (The International Sports Science Association) and the NBFE (National Board of Fitness Examiners).
ABDOMINALS
Lying Leg Raise and Crunch
Bicycle Crunch
Knee-Ins
Swiss Ball Crunches
Lying Leg Raise and Crunch
PRIMARY TARGET MUSCLES: Lower & upper abdominals
SECONDARY TARGET MUSCLES: Hip adductors
NOTES: Leg raises require more than simply lifting the legs off of the floor. Doing so can hurt the lower back and will do nothing to improve your lower abdominal muscles. You must focus and feel the abdominal muscles actually working while you raise your legs up. Combining the leg raise with a crunch works the entire abdominal region at the same time.
EXECUTION AND FORM
1. Lay flat on the floor with your legs straight out, except for a slight bend in the knees to help prevent lower back injury. Cross your hands over your chest.
2. Tighten your abs and press your lower back to the floor. This is a preventative measure against lower back injury. If you find this difficult to do, contracting your glutes will help you.
3. Begin by lifting your legs about five inches off the ground and holding. Meanwhile, tuck your chin into the collar bone. This is for preparation. Focus in on your abdominal muscles and isometrically contract them before you begin.
4. Now you are going to do two things at the same time:
a. Lift your legs straight up until they are perpendicular to the ground.
b. Crunch your chest to your knees.
Your back and buttocks should both come slightly off the ground. Do not try to do this motion quickly, you will overstress your lower back and possibly injure it. Remember to stay focused on your abdominal contraction and pressing your lower back to the ground.
5. At full contraction, squeeze your abs as tight as you can for two seconds.
6. Slowly return the legs to the bottom position but remember to stop five inches from the floor. From here you will once again lift the legs up. Do not let your lower back come up off the floor.
Lying Leg Raise and Crunch sidebar:
Mind Over Muscle Thoughts:
Don’t forget to always get into the “Zone-Tone”, and envision your abdominal muscles working. Picture the individual muscle fibers being stimulated, while the muscles pull your hips and rib cage towards one another.
Mindfulness
Stay motivated during your workout by remembering your goals. Why are you doing this? What will you be able to do once you have that six-pack of abs you’re working so hard for? Picture it vividly in your mind and know that if you’re going to have it you’ve got to work hard, hard, hard! But you will surely get it soon!
Bicycle Crunch
PRIMARY TARGET MUSCLES: Obliques
SECONDARY TARGET MUSCLES: Upper & lower abs
NOTES: Do not do this exercise with haste. Slow down to get the full range of motion and full contraction. A controlled pace also reduces risk of back injury.
EXECUTION AND FORM
1. Lie on your back with your knees up and bent at 90 degrees, so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your lower legs are parallel to it. Tuck your chin in and place your hands lightly behind your ears. WARNING: Do not pull on your head during this exercise. It can cause neck injuries. If you find it difficult to avoid doing so, you can touch your fingertips to your deltoid muscles instead.
2. Tighten up your abs with an isometric contraction and press your lower back to the floor.
3. Simultaneously squeeze your right shoulder and left knee toward one another. Do not reach with your elbow as this can lessen the contraction of your abs. Your entire torso should twist and your right shoulder blade should come off the floor.
4. Stop when you’ve crunched as far as you can or when your elbow touches your knee. Hold the contraction for two seconds and return to the starting position.
5. Now bring your left shoulder and right knee toward each other in the same way. Return to the starting position to complete one repetition. Again, twist the entire torso.
6. Remember to keep your abs tight throughout the exercise. It’s OK if your thighs extend a bit past perpendicular between crunches, but don’t let your feet touch the floor. And always keep your lower back pressed to the floor to prevent injury.
Bicycle Crunch sidebar
Mind Over Muscle Thoughts:
Use your breath to do more than just deliver oxygen to your muscles. When resting between sets, inhale through your nose and suck in positive energy from the universe. When you go back to work, expend that positive energy with a forceful exhalation. You’ll be surprised how much harder your muscles work when you connect them with that mental breath energy.
Mindfulness
Lifting weights may not just make you stronger and healthier, but it may make you smarter and improve your memory. Several university studies have indicated that exercise can help prevent brain shrinkage that’s associated with memory loss, because poorly regulated blood sugar is a cause of that shrinkage and muscle helps regulate blood sugar. Yet another example of the mind-body connection at work! You will benefit multiple ways when you pump iron.
Knee-Ins
PRIMARY TARGET MUSCLES: Lower abdominals
SECONDARY TARGET MUSCLES: Hip adductors
NOTES: Knee-ins are more convenient than some of the other lower abdominal exercises, but just as effective. This exercise gives you the ability to really squeeze the lower abs when the knees are brought in towards your chest. For a change of pace, vary your speed from one workout to the next. The next time you do this or any of the exercises we recommend, move slowly while exercising. Deliberately squeeze the abdominal muscles at the peak contraction position. Then the next time you train your abdominal muscles again, go a little quicker. Varying the speed of your movements will help to keep your body from hitting a plateau, and keep you motivated by changing the pace of your movements.
EXECUTION AND FORM
1. Sit on the floor or on the edge of a chair or exercise bench, with your legs extended in front of you. Your hands should be holding on to the sides of the bench or pressed to the floor for support.
2. Keep your knees together and tense your abdominals and glutes to get in Zone-Tone. Contract your abs and pull the knees in towards your chest until you can go no farther. Hold the contraction for 2 seconds.
3. Keep tension on your lower abdominal muscles as you return to the start position.
Knee-ins sidebar:
Mind Over Muscle Thoughts:
Don’t rush through this exercise. The goal for each rep is to slowly lower and raise your legs, which are the weight for this exercise, and feel every inch of your abdominals contracting. Don’t let your hip flexors do the work here!
Mindfulness
Did you know that you may be able to change your health simply by concentrating on your body without distraction? Scientists are finding more and more evidence that mind/body techniques actually combat disease and improve health.
Swiss Ball Crunches
PRIMARY TARGET MUSCLES: Upper & lower abdominals
SECONDARY TARGET MUSCLES: Obliques
NOTES: Swiss Ball Crunches require more abdominal contraction than standard crunches on the floor, so you will probably not be able to do as many of these as you might be used to.
EXECUTION AND FORM
1. With your feet flat on the floor and knees at a 90-degree angle, lay back on a Swiss Ball so that the ball supports your back and your butt is nearly hanging off the ball.
2.With your hands crossed over your chest or placed behind the ears, stretch back over the Swiss Ball. Isometrically contract the abs before you begin the crunch and focus your concentration on that contraction.
3. Without pulling on your head or neck, contract the abs and crunch your chest toward your pelvis. Exhale as you come up and raise your shoulder blades clear of the Swiss Ball.
4. At the top position, contract the abs hard and hold for two seconds. Return to the starting position using a controlled descent.
Swiss Ball Crunch sidebar:
Mind Over Muscle Thoughts:
The Full Body Tension technique can give more punch to your crunches. Your abs are the connecting link (core) of all of your body’s musculature. By tensing the other muscles in your body, your abs have to resist their pull as well as the weight of your upper body providing maximum stimulus for the abdominals.
Mindfulness
It’s difficult to concentrate on your exercises and contractions in order to get maximum stimulation if you’re tense or distracted. Before starting a set, try taking 10 deep breaths and with each exhale, let the tension and distraction slip away a little further. Inhale deeply (through your nose) into your diaphragm (stomach), and then into your chest. Take five to ten seconds to complete the inhale. Exhale slowly (out through your mouth). Start by emptying your chest and then your diaphragm, taking equal time or longer to exhale as you did to inhale. As the breath leaves your body, imagine all the anxiety and tension exiting your body through your head and into the atmosphere.