Hey Wes old buddy, speaking of your former self ,back when you had those killer abs we have all seen in pictures what did your ab workout look like? I know diet is most of it but I am having great workouts with all my body parts except abs.They are coming along but I feel like I am just lifting the weight instead of really grinding the ab muscle .I have tried several different exercises but I need something that puts a pain right in my abs to the point where I feel like crying.I appreciate any advice you might have or if anyone else has any suggestions feel free to chime in.Thanks
Cook,I found that abs adapt very quickly to a workload, so what I would do is take 2-6 exercises and do them in a row without any rest...................i
t`s very intense and I would do this for usually 3-5 cycles.....I always trained by feel or instinctively,to a degree anyway, so it varies from training day to training day......train them 3-4 times a week.
Also never use weight for resistance......the 2-6 exercises in a row will be intense enough for anyone.....they`ll be easy at first, but they get harder and burn like a bitch as the sets go on...............always forcibly exhale on the positive portion of all reps, and make a conscience effort to flex the abs when doing so.......do them moderately slow and controlled and work for a solid mind/muscle connection....don`t just rush the the reps.......FEEEEEL them.
NEVER do any sidebends or oblique work with or without using weight,.......the obliques will grow just like any other muscle and with this growing your waist will become wider detracting from your shoulder width/v-shape.
Here`s one example of a typical ab workout I might do at any time:
Crunches - 3 X failure.....exhale forcibly at the top of reach rep
Lying Leg Raises -3 X failure.....exhale when your feet almost touch the floor,then exhale and flex at the top....blow out all air....repeat until your abs are on fire.....keep knees slightly bent
Roman-Chair Situps -3 X failure....I would drag a flat bench and put it paralell to the heaviest part of the DB rack.....you have to adjust the bench to find the correct position for your body type.....anyway,your ass should be on the very edge of the back of the bench and your feet should be anchored under the DB rack......cross your hands at the chest, or rest them on your thighs....go back easy and be very careful at first so as not to injure or tear your abdominal wall,now exhale and just slowly sit back up and repeat......after a time you can do these hands free and your head can almost touch the floor....IMO this is the only exercise that stretches the abdominal wall to it`s fullest point.
Pulley Crunches -This is the only exercise I use weight on......kneel on floor=r in front of one crossover station........grab rope handles and keep them by you/r ears.....adjust body so you are far enough back from the weight stack to feel the resistance now slowly lower your forearms to the floor ......keep hands glued to your ears and exhale........at the top come up slow resting the weight.....let it stretch your abs for a second or two and rinse, wash, repeat.
Just one of many scenarios I would use.....you could do all 4 of those without stopping and then repeat without stopping then rest as another example.
No need to do hundreds of nonstop Situps or leg raises.....just mix things up and eat strictly...........if your diet sux,and judging by your recent photo you are good to go,you look great....but having a shitty diet and it doesn`t matter how much you do for abs as they will be there of course, but hidden by a blanket of fat.
There are many who would disagree with me and there are tons of ways to train....this is just what has always worked best for me.
RECAP:
Feel the abs....it`s not a race....slow and controlled....no momentum
Expell all air as I have noted....this makes a big difference IMO.
NO direct oblique work....they'll get enough indirect work just from your training.
No rest what so ever until all movements are completed and even then,don`t rest to long....you want to fry those fuckers.
Always go for a burn......not always possible on the first go round but by the 2nd. and 3rd. your abs be on fire.
Do them 3-4 X a week=k.........vary the exercises and the volume....if you feel like shit,train them hard just do less and if you feel great,go for it!!!
Other good exercises to incorporate:
Hanging knee-up
Hanging Leg Raises.....kind of an advanced move but if you can`t do them,do the knee ups until you can.
1/4 Situps on slant board,or decline bench
Hyperextensions,good mornings,or deadlifts, or all 3 on different occasions.....gotta` work the antagonistic muscles.
I hope some of those will help you my brother....good luck.
