overtraining on abs?

[Meso_z]

what do you think?

is training abs everyday going to overtrain them?

[NaturalWonder83]

what do you think?

is training abs everyday going to overtrain them?

i think it depends on how intense you train them and the exercises you also do in your weight training

right now i train them hard twice a week, and my abs also get a good workout from the exercises i do...like standing presses, squats, etc

ive always worried about getting a hernia if my abs were possibly overworked and tired out

[Montague]

what do you think?

is training abs everyday going to overtrain them?

There’s a lot of different schools of thought on this one, concerning volume, reps and frequency.
Some folks claim the abs recover remarkably fast and can therefor be trained several times/week.
Others recommend you train them as you would any other muscle.

Many trainers insist that doing lower reps using added weight will add too much bulk to the abdominal area (yeah, that must be what happened to Ronnie).

I believe Gironda advised against doing too much ab work because it easily overstresses the CNS.


What are your goals?
If you want to simply trim the waist, diet is probably more important than increasing ab work.
But, if you’re after functional strength, they you may want to incorporate more direct ab work – even using a little added weight.

BTW – Doing a lot of good, compound movements using proper form will also work your abdomen. Make sure you tense & tighten the abs during squats, rows, etc.

[Yev33]

Twice a week for abs is plenty, I like doing them on leg day at the very end. This way they get hit hard from the squats and deadlifts, so doing some direct work at the end of the workout is perfect. Also doing them after a back workout is great as well, basically the more you have to use your abs during the workout to support you during the heavy lifts the better. I would be more concerned with the negative impact on the rest of your workouts when training abs everyday.

[YoungBlood]

There’s a lot of different schools of thought on this one, concerning volume, reps and frequency.
Some folks claim the abs recover remarkably fast and can therefor be trained several times/week.
Others recommend you train them as you would any other muscle.

You're right, there are many schools of thought on this one.

Many trainers insist that doing lower reps using added weight will add too much bulk to the abdominal area (yeah, that must be what happened to Ronnie).

I don't think it would make your waistline too thick, never seen that happen from direct ab work. But this myth has been around a long time, even Arnold says your waist will thicken in his Encyclopedia. There's the pic of him doing decline sit-ups with a plate on his chest with the caption reading (paraphrasing but I think I'm close) "If you've trained for more than 2yrs, this exercise is not for you." I don't think Arnold had been training less than 5-7yrs when that pic was taken, but I'm sure he did that exercise frequently.

I believe Gironda advised against doing too much ab work because it easily overstresses the CNS.

Never heard this. Gironda had some theories that were out there, and still valid. But I'm not so sure I believe this is true.

What are your goals?
If you want to simply trim the waist, diet is probably more important than increasing ab work.
But, if you’re after functional strength, they you may want to incorporate more direct ab work – even using a little added weight.

Agreed. I think if you're doing a couple of exercises for Abs, using 1-2 movements per week/session with weight won't hurt anyone. But overall, diet is the key. And for minimizing waist growth, keep the gh and slin in check too.

BTW – Doing a lot of good, compound movements using proper form will also work your abdomen. Make sure you tense & tighten the abs during squats, rows, etc.

This never worked for me. My Abs always need some type of direct stimulation. I've heard this theory and I've never gotten any type of results from this... I just may not use the muscles involved as much as someone else.

[Montague]

I suspect that many trainers who do weighted ab work are also doing other movements that may contribute to waist thickening – full range deads, etc.

As for Gironda’s theories about abs & nervous system taxation, I think I may have read that somewhere on Ron Kosloff’s site. I won’t defend or dispute the claim because I honestly don’t know.

I also agree with you that diet is a big key in seeing the abs, but as far as strengthening – yes, you do need some direct work.
Tensing the abs can stabilize your foundation (“core”) during squats and other standing movements giving you a little more driving power.
But, I would only consider that a case of strengthening ancillary/stabilizing muscles.

[tstmaniac]

i train abs four times a week

[Earl1972]

what ab exercises do you guys feel are best for developing our abs to their fullest?

i also worried about using weights because it may thicken the waist, anybody here with great abs that uses weights?

E

[jpm101]

Might I suggest: The mighty marvel, the $4.95 AB Wheel at Wal-Mart, Target, etc. Or the double wheel model, under $20 bucks ( or yet still, the mag dual wheeled, 5 forward gear positioned, semi water cooled rear end axle compound drive ratio meshed to tranny..for all you guy's who think something special and complex is needed to work the ab's...for the people with less confidence, there is the the newer model with training wheel on it).

The Ab wheel trains the whole ab wall as well as the obliques. Advance guy's start at a standing jack knife position. Try it on a slight decline or with feet raised on a bench, etc.. Might try twice a week, of 15 to 30 reps of 2 to 3 sets, slowly back and forth.

The ab's are not a thick muscles group by nature. But as a short ROM muscle group, very powerful. Strong abs help the lower back when doing squats, DL's, etc. Avoiding injury along the way. Like wearing a built in lifting belt. If you train the ab's heavy, like 100lbs+ for reps of 5 to 9 (yes, a lot of very powerful men include lower rep training for ab's), than "muscular" thickness can occur. Seen some guy's who could just about hide a dime between the ridges of their ab's.

Gironda stress the importance of the Solar Plexus (which some call the second brain...great influence on the CNS, metabolism, digestion, etc) and why too much direct ad work could slow or halt gaining muscle. Not to mention causing nervous system injury. Might check out his version on ab training.

Coleman has a big belly, not so much from ab development or being bloated, but because his inner organs have grown too large in size. Those chemical goodie's he took for years not only make the muscle structure grow, but also the inner organs & heart. The man must be going though painful day's now as he gets older. Got to pity him, in a way. Good Luck.