Attacking Deadlift Plateau

Bigger Stronger Leaner
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Exercising Batting Order

The greatest benefit for any muscle group or movement is when it is preformed first, when you are fresh on your training day.

That means if you train your abs first, better strength gain. So, you could train them first. However, it would depend on what your focus was on that particular day.

Ab Involvement

They are involved in every movement you make, especially with Squats, Deadllifts, etc. Squat and Deadlift are necessary for providing the lower back with support and ensuring you maintain a more upright position.

Thus, if you work them prior to Squats or Deadlifts, your abs are tired and not able to provide you with optimal support or ensure good technique.

So, you could train them first, providing your following exercises were reliant on them.

With that said, I am more of a proponent of ab training after Squats, Deadlifts, etc. or having an Ab Day; similar to Leg Day, Upper Body or Lower Body Day.

Ab Training

  1. Train them like any other muscle group. Don’t perform them every day

  2. To increase strength, perform low repetition with heavy loads.

  3. If you preform ab work at the end of your exercise program, allow enough recovery time after your final exercise before doing you ab exercises.

I preform them Squat and Deadlift. I rest about 10 minutes before I preform abs.

Here is a good article…

Inside the Muscles: Best Ab Exercises

EMG studies on some of the most effective Ab Exercise…

The Winners

Based on this experiment, here are the top three exercises in terms of mean and peak activity for each muscle part:

Rectus Abdominis
Mean: Chin Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Ab Wheel
Peak: Chin Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Swiss Ball Crunch

Internal Oblique
Mean: Ab Wheel from Feet, Ab Wheel from Knees, Bodysaw
Peak: Ab Wheel from Feet, Bodysaw, Tornado Ball Slam

External Oblique
Mean: Ab Wheel from Feet, Hanging Leg Raise, Bodysaw
Peak: Turkish Get Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Bodysaw

Practical Experience That Adds a Personal Touch To EMG Studies

Vince Gironda was a really good Bodybuilder and a great Bodybuilding Coach.

Here is Vinces “Practical-Real World” Formula for knowing what muscle are worked with an exercise.

  1. Pick an exercise you have not done in a while.

  2. Preform that exercise for 10 Sets to Failure only one day.

  3. Go home.

  4. In 24 to 48 hours, the soreness (DOMs) will let you with every movement you make for a few days, exactly which muscle the exercise worked.

EMG studies are good. However, with Vince’s Method, you never forget.

Kenny Croxdale

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