Update: My Abs/Pushups Program

So the first week of my new abs/pushup program was for working out the kinks. So here's a bit of a revision. I didn't feel like I was doing enough pushups, and I wasn't feeling my abs much either after the 2 sets. So I'm revising it a little bit, adding some planks to hit the abs even more. And because the back to back exercises are different muscle groups, you don't need a rest in between (but you can take one if you want).

Some tips:

Bicycle crunches - make sure your shoulder comes up off the ground as you're bringing your elbow towards your opposite knee. It's better to do a couple full crunches (shoulder/back up off floor) and take a rest than it is to do a bunch of crunches that are barely going to hit your abs). A 4 count bicycle crunch is going slowly from one side to the other (and back), counting to 4. 2 count crunches are a little faster.

Plank - make sure your body is completely straight (think plank/board). Don't let your hips sink down or you can put a lot of stress on your back (in a bad way). Pull your abs in (belly button to spine) and hold. For the counting, I don't use a stopwatch because that's a pain in the ass. I just count slowly.

Pushups - I'm doing them on my knees because my wrists don't like me otherwise. Keep your hands out wider than your shoulders so then when you go down, your elbows are over your wrists. Your goal is to bring your chest down to the floor (without resting on it). If you're not quite there to start with, that's quite all right - it takes time to build up the chest muscles. Just try to come down a little further every day you do your pushups, until you can come all the way to the floor.

Week 1 - 2 sets (what's listed below is one set)

Day 1
Bicycle crunch - 3x 4count, 6x 2count
Pushups - 6
Plank - 20 seconds
Pushups - 6

Day 2
Bicycle crunch - 5x 4count, 8x 2count
Pushups - 8
Plank - 20 seconds
Pushups - 8

Day 3
Bicycle crunch - 7x 4count, 10x 2count
Pushups - 10
Plank - 20 seconds
Pushups - 10

Week 2 - 3 sets each

Day 1
Bicycle crunch - 3x 4count, 6x 2count
Pushups - 10
Plank - 25 seconds
Pushups - 10

Day 2
Bicycle crunch - 5x 4count, 8x 2count
Pushups - 12
Plank - 25 seconds
Pushups - 12

Day 3
Bicycle crunch - 7x 4count, 10x 2count
Pushups - 14
Plank - 25 seconds
Pushups - 14