Is running the best way to gain good abs?

[mintmate]

Hi everyone!!

Im a newbie! haha

Just wondering what everyone thinks on the above subject??

Im currently in rehab at the moment for a knee injury ( as well as being an active gym memeber 4-5 times a week) and my physio told me this. Unfortunately I cant run for the next couple of months :cry:

so are there any other things I could do instead!

Any help is most appreciated!!

[roadie]

your physio told you this? did they have a dagger out stabbing you in the eye at the same time........

maybe the running is good to burn off fat.....but so is cycling and i thought that the stationary bike was good for knee rehab?

about every direct ab exercise i can think of should be ok with a dicky knee....

theres about a hundy here to check out http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/WaistWt.html

hey also dont go silly on them.....if the abs get too big youll turn into a box instead of a bottle......

[teamfatboy]

What kind of knee injury ? That would probably influence the answer.

As a general rule, tho - running's no better than anything else at bringing out your abs.

Three things really contribute to showing off good abs - diet, cardio and training. Assuming you don't change your diet, and you're already training your abs as part of your regular routine, you just need to make sure you expend in some form, the calories you would otherwise expend in your running.

Options you could consider include: low impact cardio like elliptical trainers, cardio bike, swimming, the bottom line is: whatever you can do - but running's not the only answer.

[fudoc5]

you could try doing hiit on crosstrainers. they offer less impact on the joints. As teamfatboy said,to get visible abs you need to first adjust your diet (if not sorted). whats your diet like?

[Lazarus]

Apart from the cardio side from running for stripping away fat I have always found for me that running also worked out my abs more than other exercises due to the impact of the ground constantly. That kept them fairly tense and I can definately feel it later on. Just my personal experience, not sure how others fair.

[rose]

Stationary bike, as with any cardio, make sure you keep the resistance and intensity in check. A lot of people treat the stationary bike like they're out for a Sunday ride around the bays. Read a magazine, take in the sights etc :pfft:

With a bung knee, I'd pick either elliptical trainer or rowing over the bike any day. If I didn't have access to these I'd probably look at renting one for a few months. And the other option TFB already mentioned is swimming.

Knee rehab does limit your cardio options but running isn't the only cardio that sheds fat. My last fat loss effort after a layoff involved a stint with a knee problem and I used an elliptical trainer. It was the lesser of the available evils and it worked just fine :nod:

[tama_toa]

hey , you can strap it and do cross trainer or even the rowing machine

4x60second sets of core strengthening lying down flat hands under your butt and legs in the air about 2 feet in the air 30 seconds together 30 seconds apart just out from the shopulders for 60 seconds with 30 second breaks

bicycle crunches

2x50 counting both sides each at a time

elbow to touching knee crunches

2x50 counting both sides each at a time

normal crunches lying down legs on top of core ball or something simular (shoulders off the ground)

2x50 30 second break

lying down knee raises (hands to the side as required for support as needed)

2x50 30 second break

another 10 mins cross trainer

10 minutes rowing machine 2000meters

this workout focuses on the abs hard and will be good to do every day if you have the time, crunches take about 30-40 minutes (i haven't actually timed it sorry) so its up to you to gage your self on the cardio, it will be safe to do the cardio before and after if you feel comfortable.

you'll be looking sexy for summer if thats all your worried about, just stick to this and you'll be safe, once you get used to the reps, up them to about 75 - 100 reps then an extra 1-2 sets if you get this far

remember this is for over a period of three months

push your self to the limit and just keep the good work up

you'll have abs within the next 3 months or earlier if you push yourself,,,,,,,, also with consistency !!!!!

[mintmate]

your physio told you this? did they have a dagger out stabbing you in the eye at the same time........

hahahaha well he was actually just stating it as a comment not directing it at me actually!

To teamfatboy and fudoc5:

My knee injury is left acl reconstruction..5 weeks post op

and my diet is pretty average and could do with a a bit of revamp haha

Im trying to do Hiit on the bike at the moment but will be able to do the crosstrainer next week yay!

and rose: I have to do lots of biking to get my quad muscle firing again as its pretty much dead after the surgery

and thanks tama_toa for your ab tips!

thanking everyone for there advice!! what a lovely bunch of people

[fudoc5]

Im trying to do Hiit on the bike at the moment but will be able to do the crosstrainer next week yay!

if your using a bike,id recomend the spin bike. the normal bike machines at our uni gym are pretty average imo. But the spin bikes in the boxing room are really effective for hiit. also gives my quads and hamstrings a good w/o too :rockout: :rockout:

[DeeDuub]

Im trying to do Hiit on the bike at the moment but will be able to do the crosstrainer next week yay!

if your using a bike,id recomend the spin bike. the normal bike machines at our uni gym are pretty average imo. But the spin bikes in the boxing room are really effective for hiit. also gives my quads and hamstrings a good w/o too :rockout: :rockout:

lol i sense ur from auckland uni? 8)

[fudoc5]

Im trying to do Hiit on the bike at the moment but will be able to do the crosstrainer next week yay!

if your using a bike,id recomend the spin bike. the normal bike machines at our uni gym are pretty average imo. But the spin bikes in the boxing room are really effective for hiit. also gives my quads and hamstrings a good w/o too :rockout: :rockout:

lol i sense ur from auckland uni? 8)

nah bro, chch uni

[HaNs]

and rose: I have to do lots of biking to get my quad muscle firing again as its pretty much dead after the surgery

Know the feeling, I had 6 months of no exercise due to a back injury, hard getting back into it, but its worth it when your fit again.

[SAKO222]

I'm in the same boat as you, Can't Run due to a knee injury, Done 6 half marathons and a couple of full one's this year and lost 20 kg, Been working on the abs for a while, down to 8% body fat but still can't see them ha ha