Question about abs!

[Eye34]

Hi there! I just was curious about this. I've been doing abs since April of last year, 3xs a week. And I've really built up my endurance. The thing is, it's almost as if abs have gotten too easy. My trainer, changes them up. And they are definately hard to do, but recovery is like nothing! Where my shoulders might be killing me from working them the next day, my abs are fine..

I'm wondering... No burn, not working? Do I need to up my reps? Maybe different exercises? Or have I just gotten used to it,, and I should keep doing what I'm doing.... Yes, my waist and hips are reducing in inches.

Exp of workout...

Crunches on incline bench.. Highest point 20, down a notch 20, down a notch 20, down a notch 20. 3 times........ Then highest point, working obliques for a count of 50 3 times.. Bicycling on floor for 60 secs, 4 times.

I've also done, standing leg raises w/ an 8 pound ball between my knees, rope crunches, back extensions, Pretty much every ab workout you could think of!!

Anyway, if anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate it!

 

[mm107]

hey eye34:

Abs arent made in the GYM, they are made in the kitchen. In order to see abs you must , i repeat, must be at a low BF%.

I hardly worked my abs, but my diet was on and i had my 8 pack last summer =]

So i guess u can keep doing all those excercises but they are going to make the actual abs bigger and bulkier and actually could give the appearance of a big gut. Just my.2 cents.

 

[Eye34]

Ok then, I have been dieting.. Low cal,, low carb, High protien.. Is there an example of your diet here on the boards? Can you give me some idea? Thanks!

 

[mm107]

lucky i had my flash drive so i could paste all this =]

(These times are estimates)
Meal 1
Brown Rice/Egg Whites
Protein Drink w/ Non Fat Milk.

Meal 2
Go Lean Crunch Cereal w/ non fat Milk

Meal 3
Smuckers All Natural Peanut Butter (1 Serving AMAZING FATS)

Meal 4
Tuna in the Can (1 can) WITH BREAD

Meal 5
Chicken Breast (1 serving at least)

Meal 6
Tuna without Bread.

---------------------------------------------------

This is a Breakdown of what I would personally eat in the Day. It hits around 2000 calls a day.

Hers some Tips from a Nutritional Point of VIEW not Mainstream propaganda

1. Loosing Weight is a Mathematics formula; your body uses a certain amount of energy a day. If you intake More Calories then you Burn, You GAIN Weight. If you take in less then you Burn Is when You LOOSE Weight.
2. You Must Eat. Our Bodies USED TO BE SCAVANGERS 2000 Years ago. That’s not too long ago. Meaning we used to Scavenge for food, search for days without eating. Means our BODIES ARE SUPPOSED TO STORE FAT. FAT IS THE EASIEST Thing for your body to use that’s why it’s stored.
3. Minimum Calorie for men 1800
4. Minimum Calories for Women 1200
5. Counting Calories Looses Body Fat. TIP#1
6. Carbs are not the Enemy, Calories Are, Just don’t eat Carbs LATE. Carbs are for ENERGY NOT SNACKS, SO DO NOT EAT CARBS LATE.
7. Make sure you eat your veggies. Anything Green is GOOD.
8. Don’t Weight yourself Everyday, 1once a week is ok, and make sure it’s in the morning naked after you use the bathroom.
9. DRINK 1 GALLON of WATER A DAY. MINIUMUM. WATER IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR DIETING. FIRST OFF COLD WATER MAKES UR BODY HEAT ITSELF UP TO WARM UP THE WATTER IN YOUR STOMACH, REMEMBER YOUR BODY WANTS TO BE AT 98.6 IF YOU DRINK COLD WATER IT GOES DOWN AND YOUR METABOLISM HAS TO GET IT BACK UP. Plus Water Reduces Skin Marks, Wrinkles, ETC. It flushes out the Body so all nutrients can flow more freely.
10. The diet works, Stick to it. For at least 4-8 Weeks. You will see results no matter what.

Remember. Stomach fat is the last to go since it is the first to get put on. Think of it like a pond. When a pond dries up it dries the edges (arms and legs) and then the middle (stomach)

GOOD FOODS For ya to buy
Chicken Breast
Tuna
Salmon
Steaks (got saturated fats wich aren’t too good)
Shrimp
Fish

Good CARBS
Oatmeal
Brown Rice
Vegetables

Good Fats (Since you are dieting only allow these fats)
Peanuts
Sunflower Seeds
Cashews
All Natural Peanut Butter (must be all natural)

Bad Foods and why
Pizza – Fats and Carbs Don’t Mix They cause insulin spikes and then fat storage
Processed Foods – Usually contain sugar wich causes insulin spikes

Basically anything you eat should be “Healthy” And I mean NON Processed. Processed food would be basically anything that taste good without the need for sauces and stuff


Hope this help. The diet works. I am proof loll, but seriously it will work. Maybe not as fast as I did but you can easily do it. Your metabolism right now is probe running at 15%. Due to all the years of slowing it down. The sudden shock should lift you back to 50+% within a month.

Remember Calories. Hit your minimum and don’t go over maximum is whatever YOU SET FOR YOURSELF just be over 1200 and stop at 1600. If you can’t hit the amount of calories buy meal replacements at health food stores and drink a shake its better then nothing and it will help hitting your minimum.

 

[Eye34]

WOW! That's great info! Thanks! I printed it out! Starting Monday, I'm going to be training 3 days a week instead of 2.. So this should help me get a GREAT kick start! Thanks!

 

[cityhick]

I used to do the same thing with abs. I never would even get a great burn anymore and I could do a lot even though I was fat. Now that I have lost weight I have a Big Hard gut. Honestly most guys only work them once a week if ever and treat them just like any other muscle group. Just diet clean and they will come in mm107 preaches this 24/7.....and hes right.

 

[Aries13]

you should remember that abs are very much adaptable to exercises ...aspecially if you are doing the same kinds of exercises. Yes, body fat is THE BIGGEST reason you cant see those abs BUT your question was about the intensity and you not feeling the exercises.
When it all comes down to it, abs are only really worked if you are 110% mentally focused on them. So when you are doing crunches for example, you should be so focused on the abs and using them, that you will feel an intense burn aftet like 5 reps, and then you gotta keep that burn going.( I like doing 3sets of 20...weighted....200 regular crunch)
Some of my fave exercises include leg-tucks with a 10lb weight(either behind head) or on chest. When you go up and down, your abs are flexed THE WHOLE time and you are only moving like 4in. back and then go up to a comlete curl(fetal-like position). Also, I love reverse crunches on a bench, and lying flat on the ground, legs 90deg. angle on a bench...two sets of 200
*Remember to add tons of variety and look into learning new exercises....

 

[Swanson Smash]

My abs are done three times a week....I do these 5 exercises like a religion...in two months ive never went the next day without the burn....hopes this helps

http://www.muscletech.com/TRAINING/ROCK_HARD_ABS/Rock_Hard_Abs.shtml

 

[markshark]

Hi there! I just was curious about this. I've been doing abs since April of last year, 3xs a week. And I've really built up my endurance. The thing is, it's almost as if abs have gotten too easy. My trainer, changes them up. And they are definately hard to do, but recovery is like nothing! Where my shoulders might be killing me from working them the next day, my abs are fine..

I'm wondering... No burn, not working? Do I need to up my reps? Maybe different exercises? Or have I just gotten used to it,, and I should keep doing what I'm doing.... Yes, my waist and hips are reducing in inches.

Exp of workout...

Crunches on incline bench.. Highest point 20, down a notch 20, down a notch 20, down a notch 20. 3 times........ Then highest point, working obliques for a count of 50 3 times.. Bicycling on floor for 60 secs, 4 times.

I've also done, standing leg raises w/ an 8 pound ball between my knees, rope crunches, back extensions, Pretty much every ab workout you could think of!!

Anyway, if anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate it!

if it gets too easy for me i add weight, and yea i do more reps with abs then anything. like on decline bench, i hadnt done abs all year really and i started doin regular decline situps til i hit 30, then i added a 10 lb plate and held it behind my head. eventually went from doin 9 reps with that to 55 reps, so i added a 25 lb plate.

 

[chicknlegs]

Why does everyone insist on training abs with crunches and high reps etc.?
If you are doing squats/deadlifts and all compound growth movements, thats the best way to add size to abs. Then to see them, as mm107 says, diet is the key.
Personally, I have never done a situp or crunch since I started lifting.