Even as seven-time Figure Olympia champion Cydney Gillon prepares for the 2024 Mr. Olympia, where she intends to secure her eighth victory, she still makes time for her fans. In a recent YouTube video, Gillon walks her followers through a beginner’s ‘how-to’ guide for ab exercises.
“It’s seven-time Figure Olympia champion Cydney Gillon here and I’m here to run you through an ab how-to. How to get those abs popping. How to have little chicklets popping out for the ladies and for the gents.”
Cydney Gillon’s unrelenting determination has earned her a place in the sport’s history books as the most successful Figure bodybuilder in the IFBB Pro League. It shouldn’t be surprising, considering she boasts a symmetrical and impeccably aesthetic physique.
While Gillon maintains a busy schedule filled with relentless training, she still sets aside time to interact with her followers. Through social media, Cydney Gillon provides her audience with tried-and-true training tips and guidance to reach their fitness goals.
Cydney Gillon Walks Fans Through Beginner Ab Workout
Whether her followers are seasoned gym pros or barely getting started, she has curated numerous workout routines to fit anyone’s needs. In one of her latest ventures, Cydney Gillon broke down an ab ‘how-to’ for beginners who are looking to make their midsections pop.
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Gillon’s Ab Exercises For Beginners
- Bosu Ball Crunch
- Crunch Variation with Foam Roller
- Bosu Ball Leg Lift/ V-Up Version
- Flutter Kicks
- Knee Dips
Before jumping into the exercises, Cydney Gillon explains that this workout will rely solely on body weight.
“They are all body weight. You can choose to add weight if you’d like. Weight is not needed, especially for when I start showing y’all the leg lift variations.”
Bosu Ball Crunch
Gillon begins with bosu ball crunches, emphasizing the importance of supporting the neck to properly work the abs.
“We’re going to start with a bosu ball crunch. I’m leaving back getting that full chest opener. From here, I’m going to support my head because I don’t want to be jerking my head down here and doing neck crunches. The head just rests. You can even keep your thumbs down the sides of your neck muscles so that way you’re just keeping those nice and relaxed and sits in the cradle of your hand.”
“From there, I’m breathing in getting that full stretch, I’m going to crunch up and release,” adds Gillon.
Crunch Variation with Foam Roller
Next, she moves into a crunch variation that uses a foam roller, which she explains is her favorite.
“Your foam roller crunches, which are my favorite, especially for more flexion in your thoracic spine, that means being this roller behind in the upper spine. If I’m doing this version, I’m going to rock down to right where it’s behind my thoracic spine, feet are level abs are tight.”
“Keep my ribs lifted, I’m going to get that flexion going through the top of the back and crunch it up.”
Bosu Ball Leg Lift / V-Up Version
As Cydney Gillon prepares for the next exercise, she reveals that the bosu ball requires more stabilization, which might not be ideal for individuals with a thicker waist.
“Now, we are going into low abs. We can also do that on here with some, you can do v-ups, or you can just do leg lifts, knee lifts. What this looks like, when you’re on the bosu ball, it is gonna require you to stabilize a little bit more. So those have a little bit of a thicker of a waist, you may not want to start stabilizing more because the stabilizing muscles are the ones that are on the outsides that’ll make your waist bigger. So just be careful of that.”
Getting into the bosu ball leg lift, Gillon provides two versions of the exercise starting with just holding the legs up while stabilizing the core.
“The key thing is getting your breathing right. So if I want to do this bosu ball one, I’m turning my hands facing my butt, I’m gonna rock back. From here, I’m going to brace my core, lift my legs up, keep those feet kinda in a boat pose for yoga. I’m already stabilizing here. You could even just hold it here. That’s one version, you can hold.”
The second option is v-ups, which involves pulling the knees in and then releasing again. Gillon shares that while you can do any number of reps, she usually doesn’t do less than 20 and tries to always superset them.
“If you don’t want to hold it here, pull in, release. Pull in, release. Pull in, release. You can do any number. Some people do 15. I don’t really do anything less than 20 when it comes to abs and I pretty much superset all those too. So that’s a v-up version.”
Flutter Kicks
While still on the bosu ball, Cydney Gillon goes straight into flutter kicks.
“You can lean it back, extend those legs, flutter kicks. You can do the same flutter kicks on the ground, on a bench, doesn’t matter.”
Knee Dips
For the final exercise, Gillon reveals that most people neglect knee dips but they are her favorite.
“One that people really sleep on, which I love. I’m not really a plank person but knee dips are some of my favorites for activation in the low abs. If I pop up here, I’m going to keep my core tight. Everything is braced. I’m just going to drop my knees, pick them back up.”
She favors this exercise for its lower ab ‘activation.’
“That simple. Depending on the number, depending on your core, you’ll feel it kick on sooner than later but that’s when I like to keep in for my lower ab activation. So key thing is keeping those ribs up, drop those knees, pick them back up.”
If you are looking for more beginner-style workout routines, Cydney Gillon has you covered. Previously, she shared a back workout, perfect for those less experienced in the gym. Gillon provided four exercises that are simple to perform and explained exactly how to execute them to get the proper results.
Having years of experience as one of the most successful IFBB Pros, Cydney Gillon’s training tips are worth their weight in gold. Even as she gets closer to taking the Mr. Olympia stage, Gillon continues to give back to the bodybuilding community and her fans as well.
To watch the full video, click the link below:
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