The Ab Workout “Master Tip” (EVERY ABS EXERCISE!) – ATHLEAN-X™

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If I could give you one tip for your ab workouts that would improve the results you see on every ab exercise you do, this would be it. I’m calling this one the ab workout “master tip” for good reason. In this video, you will see how you can instantly fix one thing about every abs exercise you do that will increase the results you see from doing the exercises and your chances of getting a visible six pack.

It starts with a quick test. Lie on your side and perform a side crunch. Make sure that you are not pulling on your neck when you do this abs and obliques exercise. After cranking out ten or so reps, look down at your body and see if you might be doing what I’m about to point out. Are you ever actually releasing the reps and letting your body elongate fully or are you crunching repeatedly from a half rep or shortened range of motion?

Likely, you are not ever going through a full concentric and eccentric contraction. You are instead, isometrically contracting your abs and obliques and just half repping your side crunches for the entire set. Now, it’s important to understand that while you are always going to be stronger in the isometric contraction of a muscle group than the concentric, that doesn’t mean that you want to train that way. Here, the isometric hold is just giving your abs a chance to be let off the hook while the rest of your body does the majority of the moving.

This is not ideal if you want to fully develop a muscle. Instead, the master tip for ab workouts requires that you take each and every ab exercise repetition through its full range of motion. It sounds like a simple concept until you start to apply it to other ab exercises and realize just how much you have not been doing this. If you ever struggle to feel the contraction in the abs, obliques or serratus when you are doing a core exercise this is likely your problem. If you stay in a contracted state you will never feel the excursion of a full rep as you take it through the concentric and eccentric contractions.

To fix this, start becoming aware of the elongation of the rectus abdominis or obliques during your ab exercises. Don’t just get into a semi-shortened muscle contraction and crank away with all kinds of movement occurring in ever area of your body but your abs. Instead, let the abs themselves do all of the work. You might find that this drastically limits the number of reps that you can do in your ab workouts and that is fine. Over time, it is going to be the accumulation of quality reps that is going to give you the results that you are seeking and the six pack abs that you’ve been wanting.

This can be applied to every single abs exercise you do, which again is why this is called the master tip. While performing a hanging abs exercise for example, you want to fully extend your body and let the abs undergo a stretch. Think of it as trying to elongate your entire spine. From here, crunch with the abs and curl your pelvis up until your butt is showing in front of you. This is a quality ab contraction and exactly what you should strive for on every rep.

For more results from every abs workout you do, head to and get the ATHLEAN-X Training System. Start training like an athlete and overlook nothing in your training. Take your gains to the next level.

For more ab workout videos and exercises for six pack abs be sure to subscribe to my channel here on youtube at

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44 comments

ATHLEAN-X™ December 21, 2018 - 6:33 pm

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Laimayum Gautam Sharma August 2, 2019 - 1:19 pm

Jeff, master tip of leg exercise!

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Zetsuke4 August 9, 2019 - 5:39 pm

Great tips

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Marcelo Meirelles August 9, 2019 - 11:48 pm

Like this for calves master tip

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serafim abdula August 10, 2019 - 4:10 pm

What about Bruce Lee Abs Training seems a bit different but hes Abs was a very good.

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Ricardo Padayachee August 27, 2019 - 12:52 pm

Jeff so jacked even his armpit hair is buffed

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40Duce Trey November 18, 2019 - 6:41 am

I started using some furniture moving pads for abs and chest exercises. Those moves with the moving pads follow Jeff's lengthening and shortening master tip. The pump you get is crazy.

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Ahmad Hanifi December 24, 2019 - 3:50 pm

I’m confused, should I lengthen the muscle and let it rest or keep the tension going?

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Irfan Dilawar February 21, 2020 - 7:03 am

master tip for legs ? all body parts you covered sir , but io didnt find legs part

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Melted_Ice_Cream 101 March 7, 2020 - 12:04 am

what about sciccor kicks? how do you breath and hold your abs in

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Aliyaness II May 12, 2020 - 6:40 am

Lengthen, in, Lengthen in.

OK sir, got it. (I'll try to engage with my core)

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Anita Verma May 19, 2020 - 4:36 pm

Sir
I know Many people like me are waiting for master tip legs
So please make a video on master tip legs

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Ethan Byrne June 4, 2020 - 11:58 am

If it were me, I'd be struggling to even talk during hanging knee raises like he's doing on 3:43 lol

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Nicolas_3012._ June 24, 2020 - 12:04 pm

Great video!!!
Thank you 🙂

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zahra dvs July 20, 2020 - 5:35 am

hello jeff My name is Mostafa im 14years old . Im from turky Can you say legendres ABS work out at home

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zahra dvs July 20, 2020 - 5:36 am

without bar or evry thing

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zahra dvs July 20, 2020 - 5:36 am

tank you so much

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bjredc August 13, 2020 - 11:45 am

Great, Jeff. The fine tuning form points make all the difference. Please keep em coming!

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Azpect. August 22, 2020 - 4:24 pm

I just don’t get it do abs workout work? You said in one of your videos you don’t like ab workouts and then make videos about ab workouts? I dont get it

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fred lacroix September 2, 2020 - 12:49 am

full range of motion thats the key .. and holding tension .. lots of gals & guys in the gym just wasting their time going through the motion

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Danielle & Pat Hill September 6, 2020 - 12:59 pm

How long does it take to start seeing results ?

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Shridhar Sarraf October 12, 2020 - 8:44 am

Jeff the type of guy whose comment section is so creative and hilarious😂

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SylvicAlias December 13, 2020 - 2:33 am

The Tip: Remember to relax (uncontract) your abs (or any muscle you're training really) between reps, and remember to use your full range of motion.

Relax the muscle between reps, remember full range of motion.

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MadNews December 24, 2020 - 3:41 pm

Thank you

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John Bee February 16, 2021 - 10:51 am

Thank god for Athlean x

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Gerry Grabinski February 27, 2021 - 8:24 pm

Hi Jeff…I am a senior and I want to do 2 things: strengthen my core to help my deteriorating back and reduce the size of my waist. I bought an Ab Roller sit-up and a Perfect Ab Carver.

1. When doing sit-ups we are not supposed to use our arms, right…just our core flat which is on the ground, right?
2. When doing oblique sit-ups we also are supposed to keep our opposite oblique on the floor, right?

Thanks for your input.

Gerry

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Aaron Arana March 16, 2021 - 5:07 am

THese tips helped me so much I saw a lot of change

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Mahmud Hasan March 16, 2021 - 10:44 pm

Ahh…full range of motion

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Gediminas Tubutis March 30, 2021 - 1:01 pm

Hello Jeff, what is your opinion about the silicone sweat belts? There is manage or damage for muscular structure?

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C D March 30, 2021 - 8:05 pm

Great tip! Gym teachers should be reaching these master tip skills instead of improper exercises.

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Derek Joseph April 20, 2021 - 5:10 am

Hey Jeff. This is a weird question so I’ll post it on an old video so less people will see. My brother was an Olympic bench press winner and I inherited good genes I suppose. If I work out a muscle once I’ll get stretch marks, if I work it out again, it gets bigger. I lost 70 pounds from a misdiagnosed slipped disc. I was given pain killers to treat the pain but it was instead a gallstone blocking my liver from filtering the pain killers. I was basically dead. My mom cried when I answered a surprise visit with my shirt off even months later. I had jaundice and I could basically grip each rib. I’m back to about 200lbs and I watched your videos as I now have eased back into it.

Is this possible for growth patterns, it’s been years since then but lockdowns made me get a home gym. I used to be 240lbs naturally, I have a regular testosterone level but a single rep of the bar on bench press bar gives me a pump. I know it sounds fantastical but I’ve shown the differences to friends and family. I’d love to train with you to see your responses.

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Abdollah Nazari June 27, 2021 - 9:19 pm

دمت گرم

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Fitfirliaa July 14, 2021 - 2:55 pm

Thank youu for sharing

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andrew sanderson August 16, 2021 - 9:01 pm

@athlean-x what exercises can be done for someone suffering from dual hernia (1 umb and one to side possibly related) and a possible distatis recti to flatten stomach and regain strength ?

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John Doh September 1, 2021 - 9:56 am

3:17 Uh Oh ! Gun Show !

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Denni Perez September 9, 2021 - 12:16 am

Jeff, are you supposed to start breathing at the top or peak of every exercise so you can inhale while lowering and exhale while lifting and the finishing at the top also?

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Denni Perez September 9, 2021 - 12:17 am

I mean for bicep curls or abs, not just for bench press or squats

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Denni Perez September 9, 2021 - 12:19 am

Because some people say to inhale while lowering for a bicep curl but they don’t mention what they do to get to the peak during the first repetition before they start to breathe

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Denni Perez September 9, 2021 - 12:21 am

And also, they would just breathe naturally on the eccentric phase of the last rep

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jaredcoc September 17, 2021 - 5:06 pm

Should a guy work abs out every day even if it’s your off day in the gym?

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Sarah Ashley September 22, 2021 - 5:56 pm

game changer

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Cioaca October 26, 2021 - 11:06 am

Today i learned that i've been doing only isometric ab work for years. I thought the hold was good.

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Kishore Kumar November 2, 2021 - 6:30 pm

Comeon.. im tired of giving like to all comments using my right thumb finger.. may cause a muscle imbalance 😂😂

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Ravinder singh November 12, 2021 - 4:18 pm

This is really master of workout..

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