OUTSTANDING ABS (M&F)

OUTSTANDING ABS

Stan McQuay is not a gambling man. Well, at least not since he bet his way into his first contest in 1997, the ABA California Natural Championships. After finding a flyer for what they assumed to be some local "best body" contest, the 24-year-old Stan and his buddies placed a wager between them as to who did, in fact, have the best physique in the group. Once they realized the ad was for a bodybuilding contest, his buddies kept their distance. Stan, however, kept the bet, and we suppose he won the wager because we know he won the show. Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS


ENTER THE DRAGON

Born at the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, Japan, Stan has always been an athlete, pushing himself to high personal achievement in every endeavor during his formative years. "My parents brought me to the United States when I was 1, and as soon as I could walk they had me in sports - baseball, basketball, football, you name it," he says. Stan made good on his God-given abilities, excelling in football and track and, later, earning black-belt status in tae kwon do, kung fu and jiu jitsu. "Through martial arts, I've not only mastered certain disciplines but connected my mind and body to do things I never thought I could do," he remarks.

When asked how martial arts training has helped his bodybuilding career, Stan says: "They actually complement each other. I don't think I would be the kind of bodybuilder I am today without martial arts, nor would I do so well in the dojo without my power, strength and muscle endurance. My passions are now inseparable and help define who I am."

Such discipline comes in handy while he's dieting for a contest. "It's during those tough days that the inner man takes control and leads the outer man down the path of victory - not the other way around," Stan notes. He adds that the flip side is just as easy to identify.

"When I'm being tested in the dojo, I can easily bring to mind last week's leg workout and everything comes into perspective; it's at that point I realize that I can handle what's coming." Stan also brings what he has learned from bodybuilding and the martial arts into his personal-training business based out of Powerhouse Gym in Chatsworth, California. "My clients work hard from the inside out and, hopefully, they're learning lessons that will reach far beyond the gym walls."

STUNT MY GROWTH

After winning the light-heavyweight division of the 2006 NPC Nationals contest last November and turning pro, Stan is charging hard toward bigger and better. "The stunt world is my next stage," he says. "I've been learning from two of the best stuntmen in the industry, Tanoai Reed and Troy Robinson, as well as working on such projects as the motion picture Southland Tales and a new martial arts reality-TV show called MMA Hardcore. So things are going full steam in that direction. I really believe I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. It just has to be the right move."

Although Stan has his eye on Hollywood, bodybuilding enthusiasts still have their eye on him, evident in the daily bombardment of questions he receives about his future in the sport. "My next step onstage will probably be sometime in 2008, more than likely a West Coast show, although I'm considering doing the Europa Super Show in 2007." Stan plans to gain 10-15 pounds over this next year but vows to keep his clean lines and aesthetic look. "I'll never play the mass game," he says.

"I want to bring back the golden era of the likes of Lee Labrada and Francis Benfatto. Those guys had the look that I always liked and the kind of physique I hope to motivate others to achieve."

So with his new pro card, thriving personal training business and stunt career in clear view, Stan appears to have the world by the tail. But to quantify just how gifted he is within the confines of this article would be like fighting a lion with a toothpick - futile. But Stan knows he wouldn't be on this journey without the help of family and friends. And if he continues to train himself mentally, physically and spiritually, the road will have to rise to meet him on his way to the top. That's a bet he's willing to take. M&F

SNAPSHOT
Birthdate: July 12, 1973
Birthplace: Yokosuka, Japan
Current residence: Canoga Park, California
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 195 pounds contest, 210 pounds off-season
Career highlights: 2006: NPC National Championships, 1st, light-heavyweight. 2004: NPC Nationals, middleweight, 2nd. 2003: NPC Nationals, middleweight, 2nd. 2002: USA Championships, 1st
To contact: stanmcquay.com TRAINING SPLIT

Day Bodyparts Trained
1 Chest, abs
2 Back, traps, abs
3 Legs, calves, abs
4 Shoulders, traps, abs
5 Arms, abs
6-7 Off


THE ROUTINE
Exercise                                               Sets                Reps
Hanging Leg Raise                                  4                    20
Decline Crunch                                       4                    20
Decline Weighted Twist (each side)          4                    20
Cross-Body Crunch (each side)                8                     20


THE EXERCISES

HANGING LEG RAISE

Targets: Lower abs
Start: Hang from a high bar with your arms fully extended, using a wide, pronated (overhand) grip. Keep your head straight and eyes focused forward. Your legs should hang directly below you. Keep your lower back slightly arched throughout the exercise.
Execution: Without swinging, contract your abs to raise your legs out in front of you until they're roughly parallel to the floor. Pause momentarily, then slowly lower back down to the starting position and repeat.
Stan's Tip: "I keep my knees and hips bent just slightly at the start, which helps take the pressure off my low back." Advanced Technique: To add intensity, hold a dumbbell or medicine ball between your feet and perform reps. When that becomes too difficult, drop the weight and continue repping out using just your bodyweight.

DECLINE CRUNCH

Targets: Upper abs
Start: Lie faceup on the decline bench with your feet securely under the rollers. Your knees should be bent roughly 90 degrees. Place your hands lightly behind your head.
Execution: Contract your abs and slowly raise your upper body off the bench. Squeeze your abs at the top, and then slowly lower back down to the starting position.
Stan's Tip: "I don't come all the way up to where my upper body is perpendicular to the floor; rather, I pause at about a 45-degree angle to the bench, where I really feel my abs burning."
Advanced Technique: For a boost in intensity without adding weight, make the angle of the bench steeper. Between sets, sit or stand up so blood doesn't pool in your head and cause dizziness.

DECLINE WEIGHTED TWIST

Targets: Upper abs, obliques
Start: Sit faceup on a decline bench with your feet securely under the rollers. Have a partner hand you a weight plate, dumbbell or medicine ball.
Execution: Holding the weight close to your chest, lean back until your upper body is at roughly a 45-degree angle to the bench. Gently twist your torso to one side, pausing and squeezing briefly before twisting to the other side.
Stan's Tip: "It doesn't take a lot of weight to make this exercise work. Start light and work your way up. For anything heavier than 25 pounds, I suggest using a dumbbell - it's easier to control during the twist than a large weight plate." Advanced Technique: With the weight in both hands, extend your arms straight out in front of you and slowly twist from side to side. This transforms the exercise into the more difficult Russian twist.

CROSS-BODY CRUNCH

Targets: Upper abs, obliques
Start: Lie faceup on the floor or a flat bench and bend your knees. Place one hand lightly behind your head and put the other hand down at your side. Cross one leg over the other.
Execution: Without pulling on your head and neck, contract your abs to raise your torso as you turn your shoulders to point your raised elbow toward the opposite raised knee. Pause and squeeze at the top, then slowly return to the start and repeat for reps. When you complete all reps to one knee, repeat on the other side.
Stan's Tip: "I like to do these on a bench to keep me from being sloppy and using bad form; this way, I stay slow and controlled without wasted movement. I don't want to end up on the floor!"
Advanced Technique: Lie faceup in front of a cable station, head near the stack. Grasp a stirrup handle attached to the low cable behind your head, performing all reps to one knee before switching sides.

STAN AND DELIVER
By Stan McQuay

1 I hit my abs often, and I hit them hard! If possible, I start my day with an ab workout. I even like to get to the gym early in the morning, allowing me to knock them out before my clients arrive.

2 I train my major bodyparts at night, and if I didn't hit abs in the morning, I do them at the end of my workout. I suggest you never train abs right before other bodyparts such as back or legs - you need your abs and core to be fresh since you use them for stability during your lifts, especially bent-over moves, squats and deadlifts.

3 I vary my ab workout on a daily basis, although the hanging leg raise always comes first in my routine. I hit my lower abs right away. Since I feel they're much weaker than my upper abs, I give them the attention first.

4 While I typically use just my bodyweight for most of my ab exercises, I think it's important to do weighted moves to help bring them up and get them harder. Especially in my off-season, I add a weighted element to every exercise throughout the week.

5 No matter how many ab exercises you do, you'll never see the fruits of your labor without proper nutrition. In fact, if you're hitting your abs hard and you don't watch what you eat, you run the risk of actually making your waist look bigger, even though you've developed a great set of abs underneath the fat.

6 When I want to really shed the fat and uncover my six-pack, I do plenty of cardio. I prefer using the stationary bike or StepMill first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I do anywhere from 45-60 minutes a day. I especially like the bike because it helps me keep size on my legs as I diet and lean out.