abs

[kwantz]

I know you have to do cardio and diet to even see your abs. But how come alot of people make fun of people who do 1000 of sit ups or crunches. What is the proper way to do them? what excersises? how many sets, rep ranges etc?

I see alot of people saying, dont waste your time doing sit ups , or crunches etc......

 

[kx250rider]

I don't make fun of anybody who is putting in an earnest effort.

I do a varied routine for abs: some days I do 150 crunches (150 front; 100 each side with hip raises), and other days I do 4 or 5 sets of heavy crunches on the machine (for size). Abs are the hardest part of the body to shape, and it's different for everyone. I farted around with different methods for nearly 25 years before I got to where I am now, and I'm probably not done yet.

Lowering body fat to below 10% is the most important part, or you might not see the abs. Intra-abdominal fat (behind the abs) and weak abs cause a beer gut, and extra-abdominal fat (out front of the abs and under the skin) cause you not to see the abs definition. So the body fat is the main thing, and then once you see what you have under there, you can design a routine to shape them up (more reps with crunches, knee or hip raises, etc) without weight should flatten and sharpen, but if your abs are too small (as mine can be), then heavy loaded crunches on a machine, or situps with a hex dumbell or heavy plate on your chest will do.

Charles

 

[cw801]

I try to work my abs like I do any other muscles. Not every day........and I try to vary routines and get to the muscles from different angles. My current favorite is full, incline situps with weights.......I'm not a big fan of crunches.

 

[CitizenKane]

Nothing wrong with doing crunches, the point is if you are training all your other muscles in your body too, then chances are you're already working your abs into oblivion (squatting, deadlifting, overhead pressing, chins, cleans, etc.) which somewhat negates the need to do ab isolations. The main function of the ab muscles in humans is to stabilise the spine. Add loads of weight and complicated movements to that, a la squatting etc, and your abs will be working their little heart out.

Just look at Dave Tate after he cut, or other lean powerlifters like Oleksandr Kutcher, and oly lifters like Ivan Stoitsov, etc. You can be damn sure those guys didn't get the midsections they have by doing loads of crunches every day!

 

[the.gladiator1987]

I never work abd except maybe some hanging leg raises, the ones where you are hanging like a pullup and you lift your legs up till they are parallel to the ground and keep them straight

I think with heavy deadlifting, squatting, standing OHP, you wont need to isolate abs.

 

[moya]

Nothing wrong with doing crunches, the point is if you are training all your other muscles in your body too, then chances are you're already working your abs into oblivion (squatting, deadlifting, overhead pressing, chins, cleans, etc.) which somewhat negates the need to do ab isolations. The main function of the ab muscles in humans is to stabilise the spine. Add loads of weight and complicated movements to that, a la squatting etc, and your abs will be working their little heart out.

Just look at Dave Tate after he cut, or other lean powerlifters like Oleksandr Kutcher, and oly lifters like Ivan Stoitsov, etc. You can be damn sure those guys didn't get the midsections they have by doing loads of crunches every day!

this...
i do no isolated ab moves... but squat, bench, clean and deadlift, heavy... and i have well-above average abs...

 

[CitizenKane]

this...
i do no isolated ab moves... but squat, bench, clean and deadlift, heavy... and i have well-above average abs...

I have great abs too, the problem is they are currently hidden by about an inch of fat...

But obviously that's a separate matter entirely.

 

[ExtraMile]

to all those people saying you dont need to do ab work if you squat and deadlift heavy... look at all the big name pro PLers... notice how they all do extra ab work?

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

There are plenty of big time powerlifters that don't do any direct ab work either.

Imho, ab work is greatly over-rated if you are doing heavy squats, deads and standing presses.

The most important function of your abs is stabilizing or isometric strength which those heavy exercises work. Your side to side stabilization from your obliques is also very important.

Do a heavy set of 3-5 reps on the squat focusing on keeping everything tight with a big chest and squeezing your abs and they will be getting a great workout regardless if you are sore from it or not.

I do believe that additional ab work can be beneficial, but that's in addition to those heavy exercises. I can guarantee if I instantly dropped down to 8% right this moment I would have a 6 pack just from these exercises alone.

Your TVA(transversus abdominus) is also hugely important for stabilization and is worked every time you tighten your stomach for a squat, press or dead. That and doing old school stomach vacuums are amazing for this muscle.

Bodyfat and your specific ab genetics all contribute to that "6 pack" look.

My old boss had once been a pretty advanced rock climber and at 6% and amazing ab strength he really didn't have a 6 pack. His stomach was flat and hard with some definition, but not the ab rolls associated with a 6 pack. Kinda makes me laugh every time I see that reality tv guy "the situation" take his shirt off cuz his ab genetics actually suck imo.

Doing crunches, situps and leg raises will help shape the abs imo specifically if you have lower body fat, but there have been plenty of bodybuilders and powerlifter's, weightlifter's and strongmen that did minimal additional ab work and sporting some solid abs.

It really depends on your genetics, bodyfat level and training/appearance goals.

 

[stevesmi]

i think everyone is missing this dudes concerns.

i think what he means is the fat people who are doing 1000 ab crunches.

its POINTLESS. the ab muscles are gonna be covered with a mountain of fat. until they lose their fat no one will ever see those muscles. thats why people make fun of them.

if i see a fattie at the gym doing crunches i want to pull them aside and tell them "hey until you fix your diet you are wasting your time" but i will never do that, hopefuly if they have a personal trainer he/she is telling them that.