When you traditionally think of ab exercises, you think of situps, planks, and maybe hollow holds. But your abs can lend stability to your entire torso in other ways, too. One of the most unique involves a decline bench, and it will challenge two key functions of your core.

Meet the Mixed-Style Decline Bench Iso Hold from Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., an innovative core movement that tasks your abs, lower back muscles, obliques, and more, to remain perfectly parallel to the ground while managing unique weighted stress. “Here’s what’s happening during this,” says Samuel. “You have to hold a challenging position while adding rotational stress to your core and extension stress to your core. These forces aren’t easy for your abs to manage, but by managing them, you build serious ab strength, and you bulletproof yourself against injury, too.”

The iso-hold works because of two concepts: Anti-rotation and anti-extension. Among your core’s responsibilities, it’s meant to prevent your torso from rotating when you don’t want it to. Imagine you’re being pushed in the shoulder by a friend. You resist by bracing your core and your hips. “This is something that can and should be trained,” says Samuel, “and training it helps ready your core for any challenge.”

Similar, your abs help you resist “extension” at the spine, or overarching your back. When they contract, they fight that extension, keeping your ribcage tight to your body. “Both these qualities, anti-extension and anti-rotation, must be trained,” says Samuel, “and doing so can help build serious ab strength.”

The best part, you don’t need heavy weights to do it. Even a pair of 2.5-pound or 5-pound plates can lend challenge in this iso-hold. Lighter, in fact, is better, says Samuel, allowing you to focus on form. So find a decline bench, grab some light weights, and get ready to make your core burn!

This decline bench core series is versatile and can fit into your training in a variety of ways. It’s a perfect way to start out a full-on ab workout, packed with serious core challenge. Or you can do it as a core-focused finisher after you’ve completed a full-body workout or an upper-body session. “You can always train your core more,” says Samuel, “so don’t be afraid to attack this movement a few days in a row.” But do make time to do it. Your abs will thank you.

For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full slate of Eb and Swole workouts. If you want to try an even more dedicated routine, consider Eb’s All Out Arms program.

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