Taylor Lautner's beginner's six-pack workout
Swiss ball pikes
Muscles worked abs, pecs
Reps 3-4 sets of 8-12
1 To create mountains of mid-section muscle, turn to the Swiss. Drop into a press-up position. Rest your shins on a Swiss ball so your body is straight from head to ankles. “You can’t slack in this position as your abs have to flex to hold you in place,” says Brendan Chaplin.
2 Roll the Swiss ball toward you by raising your hips. Pause, then return the ball to the start by lowering your hips and rolling the ball backward. “This works your abs through a wider range of motion because it’s hitting more muscles,” says Chaplin. As a bonus you’ll feel your chest and shoulders working, too. After all, what’s a killer set of abs without a good supporting cast?
Muscles worked abs, pecs
Reps 3-4 sets of 8-12
1 To create mountains of mid-section muscle, turn to the Swiss. Drop into a press-up position. Rest your shins on a Swiss ball so your body is straight from head to ankles. “You can’t slack in this position as your abs have to flex to hold you in place,” says Brendan Chaplin.
2 Roll the Swiss ball toward you by raising your hips. Pause, then return the ball to the start by lowering your hips and rolling the ball backward. “This works your abs through a wider range of motion because it’s hitting more muscles,” says Chaplin. As a bonus you’ll feel your chest and shoulders working, too. After all, what’s a killer set of abs without a good supporting cast?
Reverse crunches
Muscles worked obliques
Reps 3 sets of 15
1 Hours of crunches failing to cough up the goods? It’s time to try the opposite action. Lie face up on the floor with your palms facing down. Bend your hips and knees 90 degrees – and be amazed by how much tougher this is than the standard crunch.
2 Raise your hips off the floor and crunch them inward. Pause, then lower your legs until your heels nearly touch the floor. If you value your back you’ll swap normal crunches for this variety, because a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found they place huge strain on your lower back, but only work your abs a little. Don’t get too comfy down there, you’ve got plenty of work to do yet.
Muscles worked obliques
Reps 3 sets of 15
1 Hours of crunches failing to cough up the goods? It’s time to try the opposite action. Lie face up on the floor with your palms facing down. Bend your hips and knees 90 degrees – and be amazed by how much tougher this is than the standard crunch.
2 Raise your hips off the floor and crunch them inward. Pause, then lower your legs until your heels nearly touch the floor. If you value your back you’ll swap normal crunches for this variety, because a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found they place huge strain on your lower back, but only work your abs a little. Don’t get too comfy down there, you’ve got plenty of work to do yet.
Hanging leg raises
Muscles worked abs, quads
Reps 3-4 sets of 8-12
1 For abs that’ll make all Homo sapiens stand up, you need to take a step back to your evolutionary past and make like you’re hanging from the trees. Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip (or use elbow supports, if available), and hang from the bar with your knees slightly bent and feet together. San Diego State University found that this is one of the best exercises you can do for your abs. But you can make it even better by holding a dumbbell between your feet.
2 Simultaneously bend your knees, raise your hips, and curl your lower back underneath you as you lift your thighs toward your chest. Pause, then lower your legs back to the start. A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found this move places a minimal load on your lower back while still pummelling your abs with muscle-building tension. Just what the Ab Doctor ordered.
Muscles worked abs, quads
Reps 3-4 sets of 8-12
1 For abs that’ll make all Homo sapiens stand up, you need to take a step back to your evolutionary past and make like you’re hanging from the trees. Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip (or use elbow supports, if available), and hang from the bar with your knees slightly bent and feet together. San Diego State University found that this is one of the best exercises you can do for your abs. But you can make it even better by holding a dumbbell between your feet.
2 Simultaneously bend your knees, raise your hips, and curl your lower back underneath you as you lift your thighs toward your chest. Pause, then lower your legs back to the start. A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found this move places a minimal load on your lower back while still pummelling your abs with muscle-building tension. Just what the Ab Doctor ordered.
Swiss ball leg curl
Muscles worked abs
Reps 3-4 sets of 10-12
1 Lie on the floor with your calves on a Swiss ball and your arms at your sides.
2 Squeeze your glutes to raise your hips, so your body is in a straight line from shoulder to ankle. “This strengthens your lower back and keep your abs drawn in,” says Chaplin. So your gut will look leaner.
3 Pause, then bend your legs to roll the ball back towards you. Straighten your legs to roll it back out and then lower your body to the floor. For a extra calf workout, point your feet out. Researchers at the University of West Florida found this roped in more of your calf muscles.
Muscles worked abs
Reps 3-4 sets of 10-12
1 Lie on the floor with your calves on a Swiss ball and your arms at your sides.
2 Squeeze your glutes to raise your hips, so your body is in a straight line from shoulder to ankle. “This strengthens your lower back and keep your abs drawn in,” says Chaplin. So your gut will look leaner.
3 Pause, then bend your legs to roll the ball back towards you. Straighten your legs to roll it back out and then lower your body to the floor. For a extra calf workout, point your feet out. Researchers at the University of West Florida found this roped in more of your calf muscles.
Prone cobra
Muscles worked abs, backs
Reps 3 sets of 60 seconds
1 Great abs don’t work alone, they’re supported by a solid lower back, which this move goes some way to giving you. Lie face down on the floor with your legs straight and arms next to your sides. Contract your glutes and lower back muscles, and raise your head, chest, arms, and legs off the floor. Research in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies found this move is one the best for rehabilitating lower back problems – and warding them off – especially for those stuck in front of a screen all day.
2 Rotate your arms so that your thumbs are pointing towards the ceiling. Your hips should be the only parts of your body touching the floor.
Muscles worked abs, backs
Reps 3 sets of 60 seconds
1 Great abs don’t work alone, they’re supported by a solid lower back, which this move goes some way to giving you. Lie face down on the floor with your legs straight and arms next to your sides. Contract your glutes and lower back muscles, and raise your head, chest, arms, and legs off the floor. Research in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies found this move is one the best for rehabilitating lower back problems – and warding them off – especially for those stuck in front of a screen all day.
2 Rotate your arms so that your thumbs are pointing towards the ceiling. Your hips should be the only parts of your body touching the floor.
V-up
Muscles worked abs, hips
Reps 3-4 sets of 8-12
1 Lie with your legs straight and arms extended behind your head. This works more muscles in your core than the crunch, according to research in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. It’s the best of a good bunch.
2 Raise your arms and legs so they’re 45 degrees to the floor in a “V”. Return to the start. That’s it, you’re on track for a solid set of abs in 6-8 weeks. But make sure they’re hair-free: the “werewolf” look only works on the big screen.
Muscles worked abs, hips
Reps 3-4 sets of 8-12
1 Lie with your legs straight and arms extended behind your head. This works more muscles in your core than the crunch, according to research in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. It’s the best of a good bunch.
2 Raise your arms and legs so they’re 45 degrees to the floor in a “V”. Return to the start. That’s it, you’re on track for a solid set of abs in 6-8 weeks. But make sure they’re hair-free: the “werewolf” look only works on the big screen.
Taylor Lautner's six-pack tips
This year Twilight star Taylor Lautner will do more than just flex his new muscles when he appears alongside Sigourney Weaver, Alfred Molina and Jason Isaacs in the thriller Abduction. But right now he’s still best known for his performance as werewolf Jacob Black, as well as the shape he got himself into for the role. Lautner isn’t naturally big, but his career depended on him building brawn. Between the first two Twilight films, his character had to grow more powerful and the producers wanted to cast a new, bigger actor, with the requisite washboard stomach. His job was on the line and he needed to gain size – and a six-pack – fast. He succeeded, showing that even ‘hard gainers’ who build muscle slowly can reach their goals. Here’s how...
Celebrate your inexperience – it’s your advantage
Lautner used to be a 178cm (5ft 10in), 63kg (10st) lightweight before his incredible physical transformation. But getting stacked isn’t just about your genes – it’s about application and determination, too. He didn’t achieve his new physique all by himself: he was trained by Jordan Yuam, a 20-year fitness industry veteran with an A-list clientele to match. “Inexperience works to your advantage,” says Yuam. “The less muscle you have to start with, the easier it is to gain mass quickly.”
Your strategy “If a beginner and an advanced weightlifter were to start training on the same programme, at the same time, the novice would gain almost twice as much muscle as the veteran lifter in the same time period,” says sports scientist and strength coach Brendan Chaplin. This is because your body tends to adapt and respond well to a completely new stimulus. And, the more your muscles are forced to adapt to a new routine, the more they’ll grow. “Eat right and follow a smart, strategic workout regimen,” says Yuam. “This will maximise your genetic potential so there’s no reason you can’t gain 15kg of muscle within a year.” It really is that easy.
Cut down on cardio
“I was exercising so hard that I began to lose weight,” says Lautner. For some this might sound like an ideal outcome, but not if you have trouble building muscle mass. When combined with weight training, cardio can sap strength and limit muscle growth, especially if you do your cardio for longer than 20 minutes before or after lifting, according to researchers at Stephen F Austin State University in Texas. Spending hours pounding the treadmill will force your body to use muscle as fuel, undoing all the great work you’ve just done in the weights room. Take a look at the slimline physique of your average marathon runner if you’re not convinced.
Your strategy Be careful not to overdo it. “If you’re trying to gain lean muscle mass, focus on weightlifting with the proper technique,” Yuam says. If you want to maintain your cardio quota then stick to high-intensity interval training, rather than long slogs on the treadmill. A study in the Journal of Exercise Physiology found doing 10 weeks of sprints boosts your lower body-strength by up to 10%. After your weights session, alternate between sprinting for 6 seconds and walking for 10 seconds. Do this for 10-15 minutes and you’ll be complementing your lifting, not undoing your hard work.
Celebrate your inexperience – it’s your advantage
Lautner used to be a 178cm (5ft 10in), 63kg (10st) lightweight before his incredible physical transformation. But getting stacked isn’t just about your genes – it’s about application and determination, too. He didn’t achieve his new physique all by himself: he was trained by Jordan Yuam, a 20-year fitness industry veteran with an A-list clientele to match. “Inexperience works to your advantage,” says Yuam. “The less muscle you have to start with, the easier it is to gain mass quickly.”
Your strategy “If a beginner and an advanced weightlifter were to start training on the same programme, at the same time, the novice would gain almost twice as much muscle as the veteran lifter in the same time period,” says sports scientist and strength coach Brendan Chaplin. This is because your body tends to adapt and respond well to a completely new stimulus. And, the more your muscles are forced to adapt to a new routine, the more they’ll grow. “Eat right and follow a smart, strategic workout regimen,” says Yuam. “This will maximise your genetic potential so there’s no reason you can’t gain 15kg of muscle within a year.” It really is that easy.
Cut down on cardio
“I was exercising so hard that I began to lose weight,” says Lautner. For some this might sound like an ideal outcome, but not if you have trouble building muscle mass. When combined with weight training, cardio can sap strength and limit muscle growth, especially if you do your cardio for longer than 20 minutes before or after lifting, according to researchers at Stephen F Austin State University in Texas. Spending hours pounding the treadmill will force your body to use muscle as fuel, undoing all the great work you’ve just done in the weights room. Take a look at the slimline physique of your average marathon runner if you’re not convinced.
Your strategy Be careful not to overdo it. “If you’re trying to gain lean muscle mass, focus on weightlifting with the proper technique,” Yuam says. If you want to maintain your cardio quota then stick to high-intensity interval training, rather than long slogs on the treadmill. A study in the Journal of Exercise Physiology found doing 10 weeks of sprints boosts your lower body-strength by up to 10%. After your weights session, alternate between sprinting for 6 seconds and walking for 10 seconds. Do this for 10-15 minutes and you’ll be complementing your lifting, not undoing your hard work.
Maintain the tension
Free weights are better than machines as they engage your core stability muscles while you train. However, some sections of a lift are easier than others – think of them as blind spots for your muscles. That’s why Lautner uses bands to maintain the tension during lifts. A study at Truman University, US, found that athletes who included elastic resistance bench press training in their regimes saw a greater increase in bench-press strength and power compared to those who just did free-weights.
Your strategy “The bands create more tension, making the lift harder and forcing your muscles to peak out at the top of the movement,” says Yuam. As a result, your body recruits more muscle fibres and works them harder, accelerating growth. Bands are available in most gyms but get your own from v-tapershaper.com (£12). Loop them around the weight and under the bench to create extra resistance.
Vary your weights
Heavier isn’t always better. To maximise gains, Lautner regularly changes reps and the amount of weight he lifts. “If you want a balanced body, you have to be varied,” says Yuam.
Your strategy Instead of always doing 3 sets of 8-10 reps, for example, occasionally reduce the weight and attempt 4 sets of 15 reps. A recent study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found men who regularly varied their rep counts increased their bench strength by 28% and their leg-press strength by 43%. The upshot of this is a larger month-on-month muscle gain, as opposed to hitting a plateau and just maintaining what you’ve already got.
Push your limits
In order to grow and gain size your body needs to become increasingly comfortable with heavy loads. “I had Taylor ‘taste’ much heavier weights,” says Yuam. He’d load a bar with about 40% more weight than Lautner could normally lift. It gave the young actor an idea of what he could expect in forthcoming sessions.
Your strategy If you can lift, say, 55kg 10 times, try to lift 80kg. Using a spotter, try performing only the lowering half of your lifts. Arizona State University researchers found that doing just the lowering portion of a bench press leads to greater muscle gains than performing the full range of motion repetition. “It’s critical that your spotter is strong enough to lift the weight back up by himself,” Yuam says. But beware, these sorts of moves are very taxing on your muscles. So, make sure you limit your ‘tasting’ of heavier weights to just 2 or 3 sets of 5 reps every other week to give yourself time to recover.
Free weights are better than machines as they engage your core stability muscles while you train. However, some sections of a lift are easier than others – think of them as blind spots for your muscles. That’s why Lautner uses bands to maintain the tension during lifts. A study at Truman University, US, found that athletes who included elastic resistance bench press training in their regimes saw a greater increase in bench-press strength and power compared to those who just did free-weights.
Your strategy “The bands create more tension, making the lift harder and forcing your muscles to peak out at the top of the movement,” says Yuam. As a result, your body recruits more muscle fibres and works them harder, accelerating growth. Bands are available in most gyms but get your own from v-tapershaper.com (£12). Loop them around the weight and under the bench to create extra resistance.
Vary your weights
Heavier isn’t always better. To maximise gains, Lautner regularly changes reps and the amount of weight he lifts. “If you want a balanced body, you have to be varied,” says Yuam.
Your strategy Instead of always doing 3 sets of 8-10 reps, for example, occasionally reduce the weight and attempt 4 sets of 15 reps. A recent study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found men who regularly varied their rep counts increased their bench strength by 28% and their leg-press strength by 43%. The upshot of this is a larger month-on-month muscle gain, as opposed to hitting a plateau and just maintaining what you’ve already got.
Push your limits
In order to grow and gain size your body needs to become increasingly comfortable with heavy loads. “I had Taylor ‘taste’ much heavier weights,” says Yuam. He’d load a bar with about 40% more weight than Lautner could normally lift. It gave the young actor an idea of what he could expect in forthcoming sessions.
Your strategy If you can lift, say, 55kg 10 times, try to lift 80kg. Using a spotter, try performing only the lowering half of your lifts. Arizona State University researchers found that doing just the lowering portion of a bench press leads to greater muscle gains than performing the full range of motion repetition. “It’s critical that your spotter is strong enough to lift the weight back up by himself,” Yuam says. But beware, these sorts of moves are very taxing on your muscles. So, make sure you limit your ‘tasting’ of heavier weights to just 2 or 3 sets of 5 reps every other week to give yourself time to recover.
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