19-07-2025
The Old-School Ab Routine That Built Classic Physiques Without Crunches
Flip through any health and fitness magazine from the last few decades and you'll find no shortage of ab exercises promising that coveted six-pack—crunches, sit-ups, planks, you name it. And while those moves all have their place in a solid core routine, they might not cut it if you're chasing the kind of definition seen on old-school bodybuilders.
Hanging leg raises and Roman chair sit-ups, on the other hand, were staples in golden-era routines for a reason. These exercises demand a greater range of motion and target far more than just the upper abs. Unlike crunches, which primarily hit the top of the rectus abdominis, these moves engage the lower abs, hip flexors, obliques, and deep stabilizing muscles. That makes them more effective not just for aesthetics, but also for building serious, functional core strength.
"These two moves train the core differently compared to modern ab exercises like crunches or cable crunches because they allow a greater range of motion," said NYC-based Life Time Trainer Joseph David. "A deeper stretch and contraction will lead to amazing results."Roman Chair Situps
How to Do It
On a roman chair or glute-ham developer, sit facing the foot support with your lower legs secured under the leg pads and your butt against the larger padded support.
Lean back, keeping your core engaged and your back straight, and then return to the starting position by flexing your hips.
Avoid arching your back excessively or using momentum—it's all about control.
Hanging Leg Raises
How to Do It
Hang from a pullup bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder width and palms facing forward, to start.
Set your lats (pull your shoulder blades down your back) and engage your core to raise your knees to your chest.
Lower with control to the hanging position.
That's 1 to Add Resistance in Core Training
As with any exercise, building muscle requires progressive overload—that means gradually increasing the challenge by adding resistance, upping your reps, using more weight, or shortening your rest periods.
"Progressive resistance can also help eliminate plateaus by preventing your body from adapting to a certain resistance," David says. "Keep your core guessing."
What Old-School Lifters Got Right About Core Training
Old-school lifters didn't rely on endless crunches, yet they still built rock-solid abs. So, how did they sculpt those classic six-packs? According to David, it starts with intention—you can turn almost every movement into a core workout if you engage the right muscles.
"Keeping your core engaged in any lift or workout sequence will protect your spine, improve your posture, and overall fitness," David says. "There's more to core than having a sculpted physique. A strong core is injury prevention!"
The Old-School Ab Routine That Built Classic Physiques Without Crunches first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 18, 2025
