Good abs workouts?

[j33ptj]

WHat are considered good ab work outs?

Want to vary my abb work out more then just crunches...

any suggestions?

thnx

[Donny]

you know what? i just did 100 leg raises of a flat bench yesterday and i feel it in my Abs today. I did it in 2 sets of 50. Ok crunches..Reverse crunches are the normal thing but i would try doing 2 sets Knee-ins and 2 sets Roman chair sit ups. Knee-ins on a flat bench and itīs "old school but Roman chairs".(the type that is at an angle). I never train my obliques.

[Donny]

....and people over train Abs...Diet is Key.

[vic86]

WHat are considered good ab work outs?

Want to vary my abb work out more then just crunches...

any suggestions?

thnx

Firstly what is your goal?strong core region or visiblity of the musculature?Anyways from my experience I have noticed cutting down the rest period between the sets has always kept the tension onthe muscles. Add varities of excercisesin your routine so that the whole area is effectively trained.
My routine looks like this
Crunches-50 reps (warm up)
10 sec gap
Sit ups-50 reps
15 sec gap
weighted Sit ups-50 reps(with a 25 lb plate)
Crunches variation i.e right elbow touching the knee while left hand rests on the ground same for the other side.

Lower Abs
Full leg raise -40 reps (warm up)
8 sec rest
half leg raise up till 45 degree angle-30 reps
no rest
Partial leg raise at top squeezing the lower ab -30 reps

leg circle`s meaning making an O with your feet from left to right then the same way the other side- 30 reps each side

last burning set would be holding your leg at a 45 degree angle you will get that burning effect. There are more I just wrote a few which i follow regularly

[Donny]

The Abs do not need to be hit with lots of ex... If you have low body fat.

[Meso_z]

The Abs do not need to be hit with lots of ex... If you have low body fat.

Youre wrong. The "abs show in the kitchen" is as stupid as the "biceps/forearms are hit with back no need to train them". At least for me.

[jpm101]

The Ab Wheel hits the upper and lower ab wall very well, both at the same time. Becoming advance with this peace of equipment, try starting from a standing position or do the exercise on a non smooth surface like a carpet or rough ground. A excellent investment for either the single or double wheel version.  If never using one of these you may be in for a bit of a surprise.

The abs should be treated like any other muscle group. Marathon workout sessions are never needed. Hitting the abs should only require a once or twice workout a week. Good Luck.

[70sBB]

Try good old fashioned situps.  Do them with legs bent (of course) but with no support for your feet/ankles.  It's hard at first but once you get used to it they're great.  You'll feel it in the lower back, sides, upper and lower abs- they really build muscle.

[Meso_z]

The Ab Wheel hits the upper and lower ab wall very well, both at the same time. Becoming advance with this peace of equipment, try starting from a standing position or do the exercise on a non smooth surface like a carpet or rough ground. A excellent investment for either the single or double wheel version.  If never using one of these you may be in for a bit of a surprise.

The abs should be treated like any other muscle group. Marathon workout sessions are never needed. Hitting the abs should only require a once or twice workout a week. Good Luck.

I might give the ab wheel a try, as I have heard good things about it.

[tbombz]

Try good old fashioned situps.  Do them with legs bent (of course) but with no support for your feet/ankles.  It's hard at first but once you get used to it they're great.  You'll feel it in the lower back, sides, upper and lower abs- they really build muscle.

x1 trillion


sit ups and crunches FTW


JPM.. might give the ab wheel a try.. though im skeptical as it doesnt seem like a movement that would require much abdominal recruitment.. maybe im just dumb tho 

[Montague]

x1 trillion


sit ups and crunches FTW


JPM.. might give the ab wheel a try.. though im skeptical as it doesnt seem like a movement that would require much abdominal recruitment.. maybe im just dumb tho 

You may be surprised how difficult you can make that little wheel to operate.

[chaos]

The Ab Wheel hits the upper and lower ab wall very well, both at the same time.

The abs should be treated like any other muscle group.

This.

"overtraining" your abs?



Depends on bodybuilding or powerlifting/strongman.

[jpm101]

Sorry Chaos, it must be me but I don't quite get where your coming from.

Good Luck

[Donny]

Youre wrong. The "abs show in the kitchen" is as stupid as the "biceps/forearms are hit with back no need to train them". At least for me.

 

[wes]

If I told you,I`d have to kill you !! 

[Meso_z]

 

cant read?

[CalvinH]

I do them 3-4xs a week....a couple of sets,never the same exercise.

[Donny]

cant read?

 

[Meso_z]

 

Whats wrong with you. You just sent me a pm.

[Donny]

Did i?

[chaos]

Sorry Chaos, it must be me but I don't quite get where your coming from.

Good Luck

I was agreeing with your quote and addressing someone else who asked about overtraining your abs. Just confusing the way I typed it I guess.

There is a difference in training abs for looks and for strength. The wheel is awesome, but standing band crunches, weighted leg raises....moves like that will add tons of strength to the midsection for powerlifting/strongman lifts.

[jpm101]

OK Chaos, got ya!

The Abs are an extremely powerful short range muscle group (including obliques). And should be trained that way for a complete workout. Actually most short range muscle groups are very strong. Abs can be trained to work with hundreds of pounds. Marathon  20 reps , or many more waste of training time reps, are never needed.

Abs should also be trained just as hard as the lower back, with serious intent, to insure proper strength balance. Do not want a weak link , because (going to use a very over worked word that most people really don't understand anyway) the "core" of training is the abs/lower back hinge. Pl'ers & Olympic understand all this. As do most athletes. Train this hinge area  with well planned workouts, and most serious back injuries can be avoided. Can point to the DL , for most guy's don't have matching strength to begin with in the ab area, so may be inviting injury. Good Luck.

[j33ptj]

Thanks all for the suggestions

[FREAKgeek]

Abs can be trained to work with hundreds of pounds.

Agreed. I reached a point where holding plates on my lap doing sit ups are not practical. And my abs are nothing special. I'm using some gymnastics movements on rings - working up to front and back levers for holds and reps. L sits and V sits too. The gymnasts have one over us in the ab department. This shit is good, I wish I discovered it sooner.

[newmom]

since on the subject of abs. Never had visible abs. I'm the lowest weight I've been since high school. My upper ab area is fine, but lower area, ugh since the weight loss I hate this area. As most know, I do tons of cardio and eat clean all but one day a week. Is there anything I can do?