7 Best Dumbbell Exercises to Get Abs Like Richard Sandrak

Richard Sandrak earned recognition as a result of his appearance on 'Ripley's'Believe It Or Not' episode and the subsequent film 'The World's Strongest Boy'.

He gained the nicknames 'Mini Schwarzenegger' and 'Little Hercules' for his eight-pack and well-toned body.

Richard's mother, Lena Sandrak, competed in aerobics, while his father, Pavel Sandrak, was a martial arts world champion. They were obsessive about exercise and wanted to instill that love in their son.

Richard Sandrak began practicing martial arts at the age of three, strengthening his body with light dumbbells.

Build your abs like Richard Sandrak with these dumbbell exercises

Richard Sandrak had less than 1% body fat and was able to lift three times his own weight. He had the physique of a professional athlete when children were still playing with Lego and could barely lift ten pounds.

Here are seven dumbbell exercises that will help you get toned abs like Richard Sandrak's:

1) Russian Twists

When it comes to toning your upper and lower abs, and obliques like Richard Sandrak, Russian Twists are an excellent exercise. You can strengthen your core stability while twisting in this technique.

Here’s how to do it:

Start by dropping your torso back while seated on your mat till you feel your core muscles being worked.
Raise your feet off the ground while retaining your knees bent when you feel your core muscles working.
Grasping a dumbbell in front, carefully twist to one side while lowering it to the floor so that it is in line with your hip. Rotate and repeat on the other side.
Keep changing sides while maintaining core engagement.

2) Leg drops

Leg drops are a wonderful exercise to target your entire core, particularly your rectus abdominus, also referred to as your lower abs. Performing this exercise can help you in building abs like Richard Sandrak's.

Here’s how to do it:

Begin by lying on your back with your arms and legs extended like a tabletop.
Hold a dumbbell in your extended arms, which should be over your chest rather than your head.
Make sure your lower back is firmly on the mat; engage your core, and visualise squeezing your belly button into your spine.
One leg at a time, slowly extend, and descend till it's a few inches off the ground; then slowly raise it to the starting position.
Keep your entire motion regulated and slow.

3) Jackknife pullover

The transversus abdominis muscle, one of the deeper core muscles, is especially well-targeted by the jackknife exercise, which is made to tone all the abdominal muscles.

Here’s how to do it:

Holding a single dumbbell between your hands, start out by lying on your back.
Put yourself in a 'V' position by lifting your head, neck and legs a few inches off the ground.
Perform an upward crunch, bringing your knees to your torso and your arms down to your ankles as if you were reaching the dumbbell.
Return to the starting position by stretching.

4) Kneeling woodchopper

Obliques can be effectively worked with woodchoppers. Moreover, the additional velocity of this action is a fabulous way to work your stabilising muscles, and get toned abs like Richard Sandrak's.

Here’s how to do it:

Kneel down on one knee.
Raise the dumbbell behind you while using both hands, and lower it so that it touches the side of your pelvis in the supporting leg.
Repeat on the opposite side after you have finished your set.

5) Side planks with hip lifts

This is a regulated exercise that can strengthen your lower back and side abs like Richard Sandrak's. It's an ideal exercise for developing strength.

Here’s how to do it:

Hold the dumbbell near your hip while performing a side plank.
Push your hips back up after lowering them to the floor (without making contact).
Make sure you complete this exercise with your core and not your legs.
Repeat on the opposite side after you have finished the set.

6) Overhead to squat

This is a pretty difficult exercise that puts your balance to the test and engages your entire core. This is one of the best exercises to get abs like Sandrak's.

Here’s how to do it:

Your hands should be raised over your head, and your legs should be bent.
Bring the dumbbell over your head while holding it in both hands; use the momentum to raise yourself to a squat position.
Roll slowly back down, and do it again.

7) Knees to chest

With the added hip raise, this workout really works your lower abs as well as your upper abs. It's an excellent way to increase strength and definition like Sandrak's.

Here’s how to do it:

While lying on the floor, raise your knees, and grasp the dumbbell in the area between your ankles.
As you perform this exercise, you might wish to use your hands to support your lower back.
Slightly lift your hips off the ground while squeezing your knees against your chest.
Return to the floor while bringing your legs back down bent and off the floor.