Strong abdominal muscles comprise a coveted six-pack, support good posture, safeguard the spine, enhance mobility, and improve lifting ability. In late April 2024, “Hypertrophy Coach” Joe Bennett uploaded a Q&A session video to his YouTube channel, delving into the best exercises for abs and offering advice on reducing fat while preserving muscle mass. Below is a summary of Bennett’s critical points:

[Related: Dorian Yates Says Hormone Doctor Turned Him Away in the ‘90s: “You Know More Than I Do”]

The Best Ab Exercise

Bennett endorses weighted crunches as the premier exercise for abdominal strengthening. He demonstrates this by showcasing his technique on an ab mat. The straightforward routine focuses on core development. Here’s how to do a weighted crunch:

Hold a weight plate on your chest while lying on an ab mat.

Keep both knees at 90 degrees and feet firmly planted.

Keep hips and feet on the floor, and raise the upper body to meet the knees till the forearms touch the thighs. 

Hold for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position to complete the rep.

*Note: Bennett advises against purchasing a squishy ab mat as it hinders the ability to stretch the abs.

Why Weighted Crunches

Weighted crunches are Bennett’s favorite ab exercise for three reasons:

Low Barrier of Entry

Mechanics

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[Related: The 9 Best Exercises for Weight Loss]

Low Barrier of Entry

To effectively engage the abs through this exercise, one should position an ab mat slightly below the spine. Bennett notes that the equipment is affordable and readily available. Additionally, weight plates for loading can be easily found at any gym. Alternative weights can be used for improvisation.

Mechanics

Bennett explains that using an ab mat facilitates efficient six-pack engagement. Weighted crunches enhance muscle growth by overloading the mid-range length, suggests Bennett. Performing crunches with an ab mat trains abs through their full range of motion, optimizing muscle growth.

Loading Options

Bennett appreciates the advantage of utilizing weighted crunches on an ab mat for overloading. An ab mat eliminates the constraints on the weight an athlete can employ. However, a potential concern is athletes with smaller legs may encounter stability problems when overloading. The solution lies in effectively anchoring the legs to maintain balance.

“It’s a perfect exercise on paper. It overloads the lengthen through the mid-range. As you come closer to the top, those plates move closer to the axis, which is all those points on your spine,” said Bennett. “It technically gets less joint torque in the muscle and is lighter. [It only requires] a cheap piece of equipment. Pretty much every gym in the world has weight plates.”

Bennett’s Thoughts on the Inverted Press

Using an illustration featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger performing the inverted leg press, Bennett critiques the exercise, labeling it a “poopy leg press turned on its side” due to its sideways orientation and limited versatility compared to traditional leg presses. According to Bennett, the exercise’s mechanics — flexion and extension across three joints at a 90-degree angle — don’t offer much variation or effectiveness.

Bennett suggests that the inverted leg press could appeal to those seeking full hip flexion and increased glute length. He recommends using an adjustable back pad to enhance muscle activity in the quads. This adjustment can amplify the legs’ range of motion and knee flexion, offering more targeted stimulus.

Bennett on Aggressively Cutting Without Losing Muscle

Bennett addresses a final question on aggressive cutting while preserving muscle mass, explaining that the two goals are contradictory and that achieving both simultaneously isn’t entirely feasible.

“That’s like learning to be a millionaire, only working four hours a week,” Bennett says. “Anybody selling you a way to aggressively cut while putting on muscle, especially [while] not losing muscle, it’s just BS because those things are opposite.”

Bennett recommends avoiding an aggressive calorie deficit, advising instead for thoughtful planning. He advocates for a slight to moderate caloric deficit (250-300 calories) over an extended period to prevent significant muscle loss. Additionally, Bennett reduces the use of intensifiers in his training regimen, including drop sets, supersets, and mechanical drop sets to decrease overall volume while maintaining peak load.

Bennett reduces training to failure as competition nears. He decreases weight to prevent mistakes that might cause injury. “Just plan better, be more patient, and do a small to moderate deficit. It’ll work out much better for you in the long run.”

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Featured image: @hypertrophycoach on Instagram

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