ExRx.net

I'm loathed to ask these questions but I fear I must:

I'm 6 foot 2 and 90kg - I have a lot less fat around my waist than when I started training (properly - 16 months ago) and I know i could trim down further to improve the appearance of my waist but that isnt my goal at the moment. What has got me wondering, however, is the fact that my actual stomach protrudes and not just the fat. Is there any postural issue that could cause this?

One thing I have never really done is lots of Ab work - I do mostly compound lifts with accessories (Deadlift, Squat, Bench, Rows - lots of rows forming the backbone; my routine is based on 531 at the moment and is a 4 day split) and never seem to be able to fit them into my routine. I have done planks for several weeks in a row but they always seem to get ditched (I train in my lunch hour at work - my workout is around 50 mins and my walk to/from takes me to about an hour/hour and ten).

I sometimes think that I need to add some focus on my glutes for a few months but we dont have a GHR machine at the gym and I can't think of an exercise to replace this with?

Any ideas would be much appreciated guys/gals!

Yes there is a postural issue that can contribute to a protruding gut. It's called anterior pelvic tilt and it's very common. Jason linked to a Mike Robertson post on the subject. Basically, strong quads and lower back tilt the pelvis forward. Normally this is countered by equally strong abs and glutes. Looking sideways in the mirror, the waistband on your pants short be level with the ground.

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

you don't necessarily need to do ab work in the gym, you can just do a few sets of planks every night when you're at home.

When I hurt my back over the summer, I would do a circuit of planks, bird dogs and hip thrusts every night, only takes ten minutes or so.

When doing planks it's important to lock the knees, squeeze the glutes and focus on the angle of the pelvis.
http://bretcontreras.com/2011/09/the-rkc-plank/

As for programing it, I think you should program it like any other movement (or anti-movement in this case): hard enough to elicit a responce and long enough between exposures to allow recovery. If it's easy enough and you have a reason to do it, you could include it as a warmup exercise. I think mobility exercises are more useful as warmup.

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

Stu, do you have the link you're refering to?

I read the Robertson squat article - which was fantastic by the way! One part I always find interesting is the que to "sit back". I don't know if I do this properly (or if I even fully understand it!) so I'm going to do some box squats to figure it out a little. Could I do these on a flat bench? I figured these would be a touch too high so thought I could stand on a step board to increase the distance. I'd only be using light weights to test it out.

I know 100% my glutes need work - the plank link you posted will help immensly with that goal but I will also add back in my Glute Bridges (the ones where you simulate doing pelvic thrusts from the floor). Any other ideas for some glute activation?

Do you think doing plank variations every day (not just training days) would help? Or is that overkill?

here's that link.
http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/blog/800-pound-abs/

_________________
Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

plank variations every day is not only fine, it's GOOD

What kind of anti rotational work hits the obliques?

I have access to cable machines etc

Well the problem is that the main function of both obliquus internus and externus abdominis is the rotation of your torso. Also for trivia, when the left internus is working, at the same time the right external obliquus is also functioning. And vice versa. It's hard to train something that rotates your torso without rotating. It's not very direct work, thus it will not be very effective. I quess they are supporting the body also, but they do little work when compared to rectus abdominis (six-pack) or transversus abdominis.
Rotational work is what I recommend if you really want to hit the obliquus.

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Prove the impossible!

Obliques work rotational and anti-rotational, along with lateral flexion and anti-flexion.

Here's an article on rotational training.
http://bretcontreras.com/2011/05/rotational-training/
It includes this section on anti-rotational training.


I usually do standing or lying 1 arm presses and 1 arm face pulls, and of course, turkish get ups. I think Jungle Doc posted another good article on this recently.

_________________
Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
_________________
Thanks TimD