Anton Antipov
Resides: Brooklyn, New York
Age: 21
Height: 5ft 11″
Weight: 170 pounds
Favorite Bodypart: Abs!
Waist Size: 30″
Body Fat Percentage: 5%
Abdominal muscles I would say are probably my strongest body part, and the most visible. I work out my abs 2-3 days a week, it’s important that you don’t over-train them, it’s like we all know “muscles grow outside of the gym” so the important factor is to let the muscle tissue in your midsection rest after a workout. We work our abdominal muscles throughout the day without even knowing it, basic movements like sitting up, bending down, turning to the side, reaching up to grab something, always keep the abs working. For your abs to really show you must build up the muscles in your midsection and then strip the layers of fat covering them, this way everyone will see your hard work.
For ab exercises I do Crunches (my favorite), but at a slower pace than normal, it seems to work best for me. What you do is perform a regular crunch (should take you 2 sec to lift your back off the floor) and the contract the abs for 2-3 sec, and then back for 2 sec. I do 3 sets of 12-14 repetitions per set. If you’re a beginner you should stay in the 8-10 rep a set. Rest about 45-60 sec between sets. This exercise should really work your upper abs and give you a good burn in that midsection. P.S. You can also do Crunches on the Swiss Ball.
For lower abs I do hanging knee raises, again at a slower pace than regulars. It’s the quality, not the quantity. Make sure when you do each exercise you keep proper form throughput the movement, otherwise it’s cheating and your results will be sloppy. Hanging knee raises is self explanatory, you grab a bar, bring your knees up almost to your chest, hold for a few seconds and then back.
Exercises aside, the next big step is diet and cardio. In order to shred a few layers of fat surrounding the midsection you need to get your diet in check. Clean diet is so important to stay healthy and look better. Drop the junk foods and sugar packed goodies, make sure you get enough protein in your system each day (I get 1 gram per pound of my bodyweight), my basic diet consists of oatmeal, lots of dairy products (milk, cottage cheese, eggs, etc.), salads, chicken, turkey, steak, tuna, potatoes and peanut butter. I also have a protein shake in the morning and right after working out. As for cardio, make sure to slip in a couple of laps into your busy weekly schedule, 2-3 days a week should be enough. Also if you have time engage in physical activities like sports, go to a local park, shoot some hoops, go to the beach, swim around (one of the best full-body exercises). Supplement wise, I take a multi-vitamin daily and also drink Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein shakes.
Photos of Anton Antipov
My Top Five Ab Training Tips:
Stick to one exercise routine for about a month or so, and then switch it up.
Keep proper form while performing exercises.
Set a goal (a bodybuilder or somebody with a good physique you look up to, and imagine yourself having their body) / keep a journal in which you can track your progress.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep your diet in check.
Engage in physical activities as often as possible and keep burning those calories off with cardio.
Hope this helps and good luck to you all,
Anton