AB -SOLUTELY!

Trainer Chris Feather, founder of Russell Crowe’s gym, 98 Riley Street, shares the mistakes made in the search for perfect abs

These days it’s impossible to look at social media without being greeted by a sculpted stomach. “This kind of messaging unfortunately leads many people to train purely for aesthetic reasons,” says Feather. It’s more important to have a performance-related goal when hitting the gym, rather than spending hours doing sit-ups in order to get ‘shredded.’ See Feather’s top six tips for optimal training:

AVOID STRICTLY ISOLATED MOVEMENTS

Compound movements are much more effective as they engage a larger number of muscles and therefore increase overall functional strength.

TRAIN FOR AN OBJECTIVE

Set a measurable goal and work towards it. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it! MIX UP YOUR TRAINING

The ability to train at a high level across many activities will increase your overall general fitness.

PUSH YOURSELF

Working on your weaknesses forces your body out of its comfort zone and makes it work harder.

FUEL AND HYDRATE YOUR BODY

Eat a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, fats, antioxidants and drink adequate water.

PRIORITISE SLEEP

During sleep, the body secretes a growth hormone which aids in muscle growth, lowers cortisol levels and allows the body to heal. For online programs, visit 98gym.com.