Convict Conditioning - Paul Wade

P.mr II: TmI BIG SIX: PoUR )(OVRS 153
something to grip-an overhead bar, a tree branch, stair railings, etc. Anybody can find
something to hang from if they look hard enough.
b) Hanging leg raises are more functional than sit-ups. Sit-ups train the nervous system to push
the torso forward at the hips; leg raises train the hips to lift up the legs. This second action is
far more natural, and more useful in athletics; the legs must be lifted when kicking, jumping,
running, climbing, etc.
c) Hanging leg raises work more muscles than sit-ups. Forcing the abs to work while the body
is hanging causes many more muscles to come into play than during sit-up training. Hanging
develops the grip, shoulders and lats, and forces the serratus muscles around the ribcage to
work strongly as an intermediary link between the ribs and midsection. To keep the legs
straight, the deeper muscle heads of the quadriceps also work hard during leg raises.
For these reasons, the Convict Conditioning system includes the leg raise as one of The Big Six:
major movements. It really is the greatest single abdominal exercise known to man . It's all you'll
ever need for maximum waist power, flexibility and muscle.
The Leg Raise Series
Most people who work out will be familiar with the hanging leg raise. It's fairly simple in execution-just
grab a high overhead bar and let your feet hang down clear of the ground, before
slowly raising your straight legs-knees locked-until they are parallel with the floor. Pause for a
second before carefully lowering your legs again. Simple.
But just because an exercise is simple, it doesn't follow that it's easy. Despite it's simplicity, this
classic waist exercise is extremely difficult. It requires stomach muscles of steel, extremely powerful,
healthy hips, a strong spine, well-conditioned thighs and very flexible hamstrings and lower
back.
The truth is, the hanging leg raise done slowly and with perfectly straight legs is beyond the ability
of most people, even very agile athletes like martial artists and wrestlers . Don't worry though.
You won't be expected to master this exercise immediately. As with all The Big Six: movements,
you'll be taught how to develop the qualities you need gradually, by mastering a series of progressively
harder exercises first. You'll begin with Step 1, knee tucks, a light exercise perfect for gently
conditioning the abdominal muscles and strengthening the hips. From there, you'll head to the
floor for a further four movements. When you have mastered the floor exercises, you'll graduate
to hanging work. Another four preliminary hanging techniques will lead you to the point where
you'll have a stronger midsection than 99% of athletes, and you'll be ready to tackle the hanging
straight leg raise with confidence.
And you won't need to do a single crunch, blow up a Swiss ball, buy an ab machine, strap electrodes
to your gut, or any of that other pathetic modern garbage.