Ab Training for Girevoy Sport and more

I believe it was Bruce Lee who said: "People who don't practice martial arts, don't know how important biceps are!"Be it Mr. Lee or not, the statement is true not for biceps alone.

Same as, the "Five reps is cardio" bullshit statement, the "I do #squats and #deadlift - that my ab workout" notion must be put to death too.

Allow me to skip further elaboration on a subject, alas you wish me to write a book on the "Methodology of Physical Education", and get right to the point of this post -

All muscles are equal!
(not to be confused with - prioritization and significance. It's programming!)
Abs are muscle too!
(All) Muscles must be practiced to achieve holistic development of the Human Body.

Abs are part of a bigger group, namely the CORE that works together in synergy to provide stabilization for the spine and force transmission to the CURRENTLY PRIORITIZED muscles.

Example: supporting the upper body in a squat - where leg muscles are primer movers or lower body in pull-ups / muscle-ups - where the back and arm muscles are performing the main action.

In CORE we have two main modules:
1. Active CORE strength
2. Reactive CORE strength
While the first, is an INTENTIONAL isolation-activation - crunches, for example, to focus and develop the motor ability and strength (that's what rehabilitative physiotherapy does).
The latter is performance, aka reactive-stabilizing function - as in kettlebell snatch or any ball game, where forces apply from different angles, force, and timing.

In Girevoy Sport, we're talking reactive-stabilizing function.
The CORE must fire on prior to locking up overhead (as airbags in a car), and hold the protective spasm when bells travel in between phases.
One of the best, and most efficient ways to train both functions is the good and old superset approach.

Here are a couple of protocols I use and prescribe:
1. Crunch + Plank 6 x 10-20+30-45'' / 30-45'' rest

2. T2B (toes to bar) + Plank 5 x 5-10+30-45'' / 30-45'' rest

3. Crawling + Hollow 4 x 10-20 (steps) + 30-45'' / 45''-1' rest

(put a tennis ball on your lower back and keep it there while you crawl)

4. Tabata: Plank / Hollow or Hollow rocks (scale up and down as needed)

5. Wheelbarrow walk (group class) + Hollow / Hollow rocks 5 x 10-20 (steps) + 30-45'' / 45''-1' rest

Enjoy!