ABS

R

russell8301

New Member
Most of the routines i see here on this forum never have abs included in them does this mean you and just not training them?

What exercise is everyone using to work the abs?

Are you using hst principals to work the abs(increasing load)?

At the end of my workout i have been doing incline crunch holding weight 10/10/15/15/20/20 lbs for 7 reps during the fives (did10 reps during the 10s)

and leg raises with 7.5/7.5/10/10/12.5/12.5 lbs

is this a good way to work the abs?
 
Yes.

15-10-5

I treat the abs just like any other muscle. I may consider a core-training day in the future with abs-obliques-lower back aside from my regular training regiment.
 
Core training rocks:

1 - Quick example, get your upper/middle back area over a large swiss ball, take one dumbell with both hands or two smaller dumbells.

2 - adjust you legs onto the floor and center them, ensure you have non-slippery shoes.

3 - swing d/b from one side to the other hard, stop on either side and repeat.
 
I hate core training!
wow.gif


That being said, I still do it. No point leaving a bodypart out like those guys who have huge upper bodies but skinny legs
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I do the pulley crunch thing too btw.

I assume, however, that ab training isnt on most peeoples rosters as its a given that it'll be worked on - I could be wrong tho.
 
I tend to do a bit of ab training on off days rather than w/o days. I'm sure it's a good thing to do. However, I reckon that heavy deads and squats and a few other compounds probably do more 'good' than the iso stuff I do.

I got particularly sore serratus and oblique muscles during post-5s when I was doing assisted negs (two arms raise, one arm lower) on a row machine as they tried really hard to deal with the turning force being applied to my torso.

If I do ab isos I like to do a movement where I can get more stretch. Using a large exercise ball (is that the swiss ball Fausto mentioned?) to do weighted crunches seems like a good way to get this whilst avoiding lower back stress as your abs tire.
 
Lol

Yep that is the Swiss ball.

Nice thing to have to get your core exercises, basically even crunches can be done on this little "devil", as it forces you to use other core muscles to keep the balance!
 
Core training...twice per week...15 reps...non HST (for strength and stability):

Seated crunch machine or pulley pull down
Decline Leg Raises
Oblique laterals on hyperextension bench

Hyperextensions

4 neck exercises on machine (one for each side of neck)


Sounds like a lot of exercises but it only takes me 10 minutes.
 
I had quite a routine worked up for my abs on off days. I did situps, crunches, hanging leg raises, and Russian twists, al;l following HST. The problem: I did it as an after thought, only estimating my 5RM. I hit that two weeks early, and couldn't progress. Not only that, I hated doing it. I gave my abs a bit of a break, and then went to situps, weighted crunches and Russian twists. Every once in a while I do two one-minute planks. All this just for strength.

I've heard some people say they don't wnat their abs to hypethrophy too muck. Who wants a bigger waste? Well, I have excess skin from weight loss, so next cycle, I'm doing another HST ab routine. This time, just crunches and Russian twists.
 
I train core about 2X/wk.  I do weighted back extensions on an incline and a Cybex crunch machine.  Occassionally swiss ball twisting crunches.  Like Old and Grey, I train my midsection for strength and stability (not hypertrophy), so I use a much more gradual progession than I do for the rest of my body.  For progression I usually increase weight, add reps, or slow my rep speed every few weeks.
 
I don't train abs anymore. I used to, but I feel that deadlifting, rows, etc hit my midsection enough for now. My abs are already strong enough anyway.
 
for whats its worth.
i think some form of direct ab work is a good thing. i usually only experience low back fatigue from my w/o when ive discontinued ab work for 1 reason or another.

i agree that squat, DL and other exer. give my abs a workout but the direct work seems to help strengthen them to the point of them being an assist muscle in those lifts instead of a target.

2-3 times a yr i do a serious ab w/o (non HST) program with exer. for trunk stability, strength, endurance. it generally last a month or so (15-20 workouts) 3-4 exer per w/o repeated 2-3x.  at the end im sick of ab work (it is time consuming) but my abs are super solid and strong and for the next couple months i do 1-2 exer from that group (just to keep the tone) at the end of my w/o's ,2 minutes tops. after a few months i do another round of serious ab work and the cycle repeats. keeps things fresh and my abs strong.
 
That's a good thought worth a try. I might do that. Maybe every third cycle, do some ab work. Thanks for the idea.
 
the way i see it two factors play into how the abs look how much fat is covering your six pack (your body fat %) and the actual size and shape of the muscle.

with that sayed,i beleive your body burns fat were it wants to, i don't beleive in spot ruduction, you cant train the abs to burn off the fat in that area. That has to be done with diet and cardio.

I have the diet and cardio part figured out

So the reason i train them is to make the muscle bigger. Well at least the humps of the abs. making the lines that make up a (six pack) more define.

It seems alot of you guys feel that direct working of the abs (isolating them) will not effect how the look???

Some of you seem to train them for core strenght, are you concerned with how they look???

Mabey some of you guys mabey are not lean enuff for it to matter, so you dont train them???
 
russell

you seem mostly concerned with how your abs "look"
imo, a strong mid section look is mostly about diet or natural low bf and small part workout. now a good mid section w/o (hitting abs, intercostals, serratus, etc) can really make a difference but none of it will matter (lookswise) if bf% is too high.

training the abs with wgt will make them bigger but size comes slowly and abs only get so big.

not real sure about your last 3 questions???
everyone has their own goals. no need for ab work to be rocket science. i find working out for stability, strength and endurance like i mentioned in my prev. post helps core strength and by extension my overall w/o. the "look" therefore takes care of itself when my bf% is low enough.
 
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