Great Abs with the Clubbell Flag Press

We've been trained to think of the abs primarily as flexors that "crunch" the ribs towards the pelvis.  But this has led to neglect of a much more functional role played by the abdominal musculature.  In life, and in sport, the abs often act more as a stabilizer or "anti-extender" than as a flexor.  Exercises like the plank take advantage of this role.

Another side-effect of concentrating on the flexing action of the abs is the danger of overcompensation.  Because training the core in this way causes us to constantly pull the rib cage down towards the pelvis, significant imbalances and postural deviations can occur.

Although planks are a great way to develop abs which are both aesthetically pleasing and functional, there are other ways to spice things up.  Handling weight at a distance from your body incites the abdominal musculature to work as a harmonized unit to stabilize the core and transfer force up from the legs or down from the arms.

The Clubbell Flag Press is one such exercise.  Take a look for yourself.

Clubbells work best for this exercise, but if you don't have any there are many alternatives that you could use.  You are limited only by your imagination.