Want Abs Like Mario Lopez? Do this workout…

Mario Lopez (born October 10, 1973 in San Diego, CA) is a well-known actor, author, and television personality. His 30-plus year career includes the role of A.C. Slater in the popular 1990s sitcom Saved by the Bell, hosting duties on Extra (2008-2019) and Access Hollywood (2019-present), and a memorable runner-up performance on Dancing with the Stars in 2006.

While Lopez’s acting and hosting duties have earned him a considerable following, a lifelong commitment, and passion for fitness have garnered respect and kudos from his multi-generational fan base.

After all these years, Mario’s famous six-pack abs still rock – making many people wonder what is Mario Lopez’s workout and how can they get abs like Mario Lopez. and is a rock – even as he approaches his fiftieth birthday!

Which is why I’ve curated this post going over Mario Lopez’s ab workout – let’s do it!

Mario Lopez Abs Workout Benefits

• A small number of exercises you can perfect over time
• Flexible time commitment; 45 to 60 minutes maximum per workout
• Can be easily incorporated into a weekly split workout program
• Abdominal muscles focus with potential for secondary gains (e.g., obliques, hip flexors, grip strength, breathing technique, etc.)

With these in mind, here is the abdominal workout routine Mario Lopez is using to keep up with colleagues and rivals half his age.

Mario Lopez Ab Workout

Hanging Leg Raise

Use an overhead bar and/or Captain’s Chair (Beginners).

Switch up using these variations:

(A) Hip flexors emphasis. Bent knees, lifting legs straight through your hip sockets, slightly above parallel to the floor.

(B) Abdominal muscles emphasis: Legs straight out, flexing the spine (back).  Bending occurs at the hip sockets ANd the pelvis as you rise. Don’t go too high though, or you’ll lose the resistance working to help create your six-pack. Lower abs killer! the hip sockets AND the pelvis as you rise

(C) Obliques emphasis: Hanging with legs perpendicular to the ground, lift and twist to one side (left, right) until legs go parallel. You can twist to the right side for several reps, the left side for several reps, or do alternate twists one way then the other.

Beginner: Your best effort, with the goal of continuous motion for 15 seconds.

Intermediate: 30 seconds of motion.

Advanced: To failure.

The height and degree of your raises determine the exercise’s success, regardless of what part of the body you are targeting.

Decline Weighted Crunch

Use a workbench with a 30° to 45° decline to target the upper abs.

Lie down on the bench with lower legs and feet secured at the top end.

Holding a medicine ball or a dumbbell, raise your upper body towards your knees, hold for a second, then return to the starting position as slowly as possible.

Optional motion: Russian twist at the top, reach the ceiling (with or without weights).

Beginner: 6-10 reps, no balls or weights to start.

Intermediate: 11-15 reps.

Advanced: 16-20 reps.

Double Crunch

Bodyweight floor exercise on a yoga mat or equivalent support to work the lower abdominals.

Lying flat on the floor, place your hands behind your head.  Lift your knees off the ground and line them up with your waist.  Both feet are pointed straight out.

Simultaneously lift your shoulders and hips.  Line your elbows up with your knees.  Lower your head and shoulders.

Exhale as you lift, inhale as your shoulders and head return to the floor.

Moderate your crunch speed to maximize each crunch’s effect on your navel area.

Beginner: 8-11 reps.

Intermediate: 12-15 reps.

Advanced: 16-20 reps.

Cable Wood Chops

Cable machine to let you work the abs and obliques simultaneously with uniform tension during each rep.

Parallel Motion Wood Chops: Select your favorite cable handle and attach it to one arm of the cable machine. 

Line up the cable machine arms with your hips.   

Grip the handle with both hands firmly interlocked, take a giant step back to stretch out the cables with enough tension to lift your selected weights comfortably off the machine stack.  Make sure that the cable does not rub against your body!

Take a baseball hitter’s stance, i.e., slightly twisted torso; feet flat on the ground, toes pointing outward from the machine.

(Part 1) With your head looking in the same direction as the toes and your arms straight, rip the cables across your chest with a flat rotational motion, breathing out.  Stop momentarily.

(Part 2) Bring back the cables across the same horizontal plane, breathing in with control to maintain maximum tension on return.

REMEMBER – Pivot, turn, and twist!

After your assigned number of reps, change to the other cable arm to reverse assignments, i.e., righty to lefty or vice-versa. 

Beginner: 8-11 reps for each arm.

Intermediate: 12-15 reps for each arm.

Advanced: 16-20 reps for each arm.

Alternatives: Upper-to-Lower Cable Wood Chops; Lower-to-Upper Cable Wood Chops;

Home Workout Alternative: Medicine ball wood chops to simulate cables-based cross-body motion.

If you are new to abdominal workouts, start with two rounds of all four exercises for the first week. Do three workouts on non-consecutive days, e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday. 

Otherwise, do three rounds per workout. Start with three to five-minute rest periods between rounds, with an eye to reducing the amount of rest as you advance.

Close out your workout with 15 to 20 minutes of cardio, and 5 to 10 minutes of stretching, depending on how much you have left in the tank.

Four exercises may not seem like much, but take it from me – going through the Mario Lopez Abs Workout for six to eight weeks (or longer) to the max is a significant workout that challenges you where it counts.

As described above, there’s enough flexibility to adjust each exercise according to your needs and equipment situation.

Final Thoughts on Mario Lopez’s Ab Workout

After nearly forty-years in showbiz, Mario Lopez’s overall fitness discipline has allowed him to stand out from the crowd. Making and maintaining a combat-ready body with genuine six-pack abs not only makes Lopez look good, but allows him to handle the rigors of production days that bounce between extreme boredom and crazy activity.

Now more than ever since we don’t know when this is going to end, we need to stay active, not just for your physical health but for your mental health.