With Or Without Weights?

[PowerPrincess]

The only reason why I don't train weights on my abs anymore is because I've been building muscle under fat, so unfortunately until my bodyfat decreases to a low level, my abs look bigger than when i wasn't doing it with weights. But if you do decide to use weights, make sure to hold your abs tight and sucked in so you build strength and that way your abs won't start doing the pertruding thing (kinda ugly if you have bodyfat - if you don't its hot - but otherwise - yikes )

 

[Gladiola]

But if you do decide to use weights, make sure to hold your abs tight and sucked in so you build strength and that way your abs won't start doing the pertruding thing (kinda ugly if you have bodyfat - if you don't its hot - but otherwise - yikes )

I'm confused- are you saying that your form & the way you position your abs during exercises can CHANGE the actual shape of your muscle?
So if I suck it in, they'll get stronger, & if I don't, they'll protrude?

 

[FitFossil]

...I have had someone tell me never use weights it will cause you muscle to look like it is protruding. Is this so?

How did this someone's abs look? (I'm just always curious about people who preach absolutes like "never do this, always do that" etc.)

Personally, I want some protrusion in my abs - 6 little cobblestones of protrusion to be exact. Before I got into serious training, I had no abs - they were weak and undeveloped. My stomach wasn't just flat, it was concave. Even at very low body fat, there was no "pack" of any sort.

So I had to train with weight to bring them out. The abs are a muscle just like any other. Training with weight gives them strength, definition, and hardness. I typically train abs in the 15-20 rep range. Some exercises I use weight and others I don't, but I always try to fail out w/in that range. But once the muscle is developed, it's all about bodyfat and where you carry it.

I also do stomach "vacuums". It's an exercise where you exhale all your air and then pull your abs in as tight as you can, imagining you're trying to touch your spine for about 10-20 secs. It's much harder than it sounds, but the results are great.