DIG YOUR ABS

CHISEL YOUR MIDSECTION WITH A MOVE WE BET YOU’VE NEVER TRIED
Have you ever shovelled snow or gravel, or  dug a big hole? Where were you sore the  next day? Your abs work hard to rotate your torso—and prevent it from rotating too much—and  when you make them work  How to Do It Grasp the bar as you would a shovel. The closer together you place your hands, the harder the move will be. Push your hips back and bend forwards until you’re in the position of a man about to shovel. Explosively extend your hips and raise your arms as if you were shovelling dirt over one shoulder. You can perform  the gravedigger as a strength exercise with, say, three sets of 8–10 reps, or use the macebell for conditioning, with a light weight and higher reps. Each set, switch the hand that’s on top and the side you shovel over. An equally great gravedigger variant  is to make a lateral shovelling motion. Set up the same way, but place your bottom hand on the butt end of the bar. Wind up to one side, then rotate to the other without pivoting either foot (like bailing water). with a lopsided load, such  as a shovel with its scoop full,  you’re activating just about every muscle fibre the core  has to offer. The macebell gravedigger simulates this exactly—but you’ve probably never had a chance to try it, because  your gym doesn’t carry a macebell, a bar with a round  ball fixed on one end.  You can rig one up  yourself  with a barbell, a weight  plate, and a sturdy collar  or clamp