How do you train your abs?

[monkeymuscle]

I'm looking for a bit of advice, re: ab training.

It seems that crunches, situps and most other flexion exercises are on the out these days and most articles I've read recently suggest it's better to use static holds like the plank (front and side variations), etc. to work the abs.

I find these pretty boring and don't get the same feeling of having worked the muscle that I used to get when doing crunches, etc.

And then there are those who say that squats and deadlifts are enough to build your abs...

So, what do you guys recommend? What exercises do you do? How do you incorporate them into your training?

Cheers!

[teamfatboy]

Um.... done right, a plank will have your abs calling for their momma... they can hurt as much as a crunch :nod:

I do a mix - oblique planks for obliques, SB crunches for upper, leg lowers for lower abs...

I treat abs like any other muscle group - mix up how you train them, shock them from time to time.

[rose]

And then there are those who say that squats and deadlifts are enough to build your abs...

:nod: All the compound moves work your core.

[thatwaslight]

what she said^ squats, deadlifs amoung other compound lifts engage the core more than many isolation excercies

[monkeymuscle]

Thanks guys.

Very quick responses... and nice to hear that I don't have to do planks if I stick with the compounds.

Kind of feels like I'm cheating, though!

I think I'll still do a bit here and there to make sure I'm not under-training them and I've got a bit of an anterior tilt to my hips, so tightening my abs and glutes will help with that.

Edit: I just saw my avatar under thatwasligt's and it made me laugh. :pfft:

[thatwaslight]

there pretty similar when you think about it really! ^ :pfft:

hanging leg raises with a dumbell or medicine ball are great for the lower abs 8)

[solardrive77]

I posted this from an earlier forum so it may have some merit.

Remember to do all your abs. Both external and internal, this is the rectus abdominus (external) and tranzversus abdominus (internal). This will give you a rock hard core and balance out your stomach muscles perfectly. Otherwise you will be like 90% of the population and think that doing crunches is enough and wonder while nothing ever happens.

2 Things to consider.

1. When doing your abs the aim is to build the muscles, therefore do the exercises slowly. A set of 15 should be 50-70 seconds under tension, not the quantity but the quality. 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down. This will make your abs really grow and pop. Concentrate on form. Rotate your ab routines from Tranzversus (bridge, jack-knifes, side bridges, 2 and 4 point swiss ball) to Rectus (basic sit up, full crunch, reverse curl and swiss ball raise). Stick with this and you will see real results.

2. As your abs are strong underneath you need to torch the fat to see them, there are plenty of articles here and on many sites that will give you better advice that I, however, eat clean, be consistent, drink plenty of water and feed your muscles efficiently and you will get a awesome six pack.

PM me if you require any further information.

[Calvin]

Do The FLAG

[rose]

Do The FLAG

One day :pray: Then me and Bruce Lee are gonna do biz cos I'll probably break my neck and die trying :pfft:

"Dragon Flag – Another of Pavel's exercises; this one he borrowed from Bruce Lee." 8)

[Laver]

Front Squats, enough said!

[monkeymuscle]

Do The FLAG

Yeah, I don't think my neck/upper back would enjoy that too much!

Good advice...

Thanks, I'll take all that on board! :nod:

For the record, I'm not asking how to get a six pack. I know I'm carrying a little extra fat (but not much, I'm usually pretty lean) and am not looking to show off my ripped abz.

I'm just looking to get strong all over!

[Mr_Krabs]

Arrrhg the flag! :twisted:

I used to do these on a decline bench (well backwards so I guess it was an incline effectively, helps with not doing a touch and go at the bottom like you can on a flat bench) theyre great for time under tension but boy to they burn! :shock:

[HARDCOREPTI]

Lye flat on your back, arms straight out from your shoulders, cross feet, legs in air (knees bent) then move your arse from one arm to the other. aim for 50 them start pedalling with legs in air for 20 seconds after you have done as many as you can. This will strengthen them. Though there are 100's of exercises that all do pretty much the same.

Imo better to do ercises where you need a partner when abs you wont give up as easy if you need to keep up with each other.

[musclenz]

Heavy Cable Crunches - to the front - upper & lower abs, to the side - obliques, to the side at the top for serratus

[Specter]

A gimp mask and a very good mistress with the whip does the trick! 8)

[Dontrunwithknives]

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video ... ce-195269/

But I do it with a medicine ball on a rope and you swing it and bounce it off the ground back and forwards.

Oh and I found that video using google (For the people who read...)

[monkeymuscle]

Arrrhg the flag! :twisted:

I used to do these on a decline bench (well backwards so I guess it was an incline effectively, helps with not doing a touch and go at the bottom like you can on a flat bench) theyre great for time under tension but boy to they burn! :shock:

I like the idea of this... won't strain the neck or back as much either! :clap:

A gimp mask and a very good mistress with the whip does the trick! 8)

I don't like the idea of that one so much! :shock:

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-do-a-seated-v-hold-with-twisting-medicine-ball-bounce-195269/

But I do it with a medicine ball on a rope and you swing it and bounce it off the ground back and forwards.

Oh and I found that video using google (For the people who read...)

That exercise looks like it would keep the abs under pretty good tension. I had a chuckle at the name of the site that produced it: "Real Jock, Gay Fitness Community".

Why do they need a community?

Should I be a member of a hetero fitness community?

Are there membership perks? :pfft:

[farplane]

When I train my abs I do 3 or 4 super sets of:

20-25 roman chair situps

15-20 hanging leg raises

30-40 crunches

30-40 bench leg raises

100 broomstick twists

My abs have never been so sore as when I started doing this routine

[Grego]

Watch what one put's in their mouth first and foremost!

[ThePman]

It seems that crunches, situps and most other flexion exercises are on the out these days and most articles I've read recently suggest it's better to use static holds like the plank (front and side variations), etc. to work the abs.

This seems to be another one of those physiotherapy memes that's crept into the "training" world.

The rationale for it comes from (AFAIK) Stuart McGill and his dislike of spinal, well, anything. He's big on keeping a very neutral spine.

There's also the notion that most people are sitting down all day, which shortens the hip flexors, so the argument is "why flex your body when you're already doing that all day long?"

Honestly for my purposes it depends on what the person wants out of it. I don't do a lot of activity that doesn't involve moving a (relatively) heavy barbell, so I don't really do any direct ab work (note that I'm also lazy and just can't be bothered most of the time). The heavy lifts take care of most of it.

That said, I do think there is a case to be made for doing more than that, even in the case of the lifter. If you want a really strong midsection, you need to be doing some kind of loaded exercise. It's just that simple, as I see it; no other muscle dramatically increases strength with pure strength-endurance work.

Yeah, yeah, the abs are stabilizers and they're dominantly involved in static actions; I don't see that this matters because isometric strength increases with maximum strength anyway.

Getting to the point, I think if you want the best out of your midsection (performance wise), you probably need a combination of overloaded exercises (weighted crunches etc.) and stability exercises (planks etc).

If you just want pretty abs, then I don't think you need a lot of work for them, despite what most people think. If you lift heavy stuff, you'll have more than adequate development of the abs - it's just the fat covering them that has to come off.

[HumanPerformance]

Yeah I have to agree with Pman. I have trained dozens of bodybuilding champions (both for national and international events) and I have never had any of them train thier abs at all. I feel the abs get enough work from the heavy compound movements I employ. I think alot of trainees do to much for the abs and all this does is thicken and widen the waist. When it comes time for my clients to "get abs" its all about diet and cardio. No exercise will "give you abs" if they are covered in a layer of fat.

[ENP]

Zumba!

[michaelk]

1. When doing your abs the aim is to build the muscles, therefore do the exercises slowly. A set of 15 should be 50-70 seconds under tension, not the quantity but the quality. 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down. .

Sounds like what I need to thicken my ab wall, I'll be trying this today.

Guess it also shows that anyone can learn from anyone.

PS the guys and girls with the best abs I've seen all say they never train them- bastards.

[nzmusclemonster]

I've trained my abs maybe 3 times in the last 2 years. Cardio and compound movements seems to do the job.

I found in the past my stomach gets way too big if I train abs..

Me far left....

[Ordy]

Chinups do a good job.

My ab's usually hurt more after a back day(with the chinups etc) than anything else.

Tho i could just be doing it wrong