A retired Army sergeant major who served 21 years, Ricky Brim provides services such as teambuilding, leadership, and customer assistance strategies to various organizations as a business consultant. The military was Brim’s bridge to fitness and professional success. “I joined the Army after I broke my femur, and my track scholarship got messed up,” Brim says. “My older sister was in the military at the time.” While in the Army, Brim competed in the 400-meter sprint at the 2000 Olympic Games; his best-ever time in the event was 45.9 seconds.
Nowadays, Brim trains six times a week, including two days for abs, and runs a fast three to four miles four times per week. “I train as a bodybuilder, and I’m working on getting to 200 pounds in the long term,” Brim says. “I want my workout style to match my look.” After reaching a training plateau, Brim swaps exercises and increases intensity by upping the load or reps. Surprisingly, he says his biggest obstacle to success was fear. “Once I overcame the fear of getting injured, I achieved my goals,” he says.
BRIM’S TOP 3 ABS TRAINING TIPS
1. AVOID CRAMPS:“I drink two gallons of water a day. I used to get cramps in my abs, but when I started drinking more water, the cramps subsided.”
2. GET LOOSE:“Stretch the abs 10 to 15 minutes before abs training to avoid injury. I do a cobra pose, hang from a bar, and do side bends.”
3. GO FOR TWO:“Don’t train abs more than twice a week, because your lower back may become more injury-prone.”
