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Anihilator09
06-17-10, 1:56 pm
I am trying to figure out how often and when I should train my abs. I have heard many different things and I just want something that simple and will hit them hard.

Legacy
06-17-10, 4:16 pm
I do hanging leg raises supersetted with cable crunches 2 times per week usually about 5 sets to failure. Along with that, I'll also on a 3rd day do something different, like a routine of planks or some type of medicine ball routine just to switch it up.

I am a big believer in tightening abs with my heavy power moves, therefore I don't give abs much attention by themselves; as long as my abs and lower back are balanced out and tie my upper body and lower body together, I leave them alone, but if something changes and my lower back becomes tighter than my abs, ill do some focused training on them to balance them back out.

Anihilator09
06-17-10, 6:12 pm
I do hanging leg raises supersetted with cable crunches 2 times per week usually about 5 sets to failure. Along with that, I'll also on a 3rd day do something different, like a routine of planks or some type of medicine ball routine just to switch it up.

I am a big believer in tightening abs with my heavy power moves, therefore I don't give abs much attention by themselves; as long as my abs and lower back are balanced out and tie my upper body and lower body together, I leave them alone, but if something changes and my lower back becomes tighter than my abs, ill do some focused training on them to balance them back out.

OK...I think I understand what you are saying...I'm new to this "training abs" thing...never cared about them until recently so I wanna make sure I am doing something that will benefit me and not hurt me

DumbbellBanana
06-17-10, 9:57 pm
I keep my ab exercises to a minimum, if i do anything for them its usually some core work to tighten them up. I do like hanging leg raises as well, I was told if you lose bodyfat your abs will naturally show.

71bbo455
06-17-10, 10:34 pm
I keep my ab exercises to a minimum, if i do anything for them its usually some core work to tighten them up. I do like hanging leg raises as well, I was told if you lose bodyfat your abs will naturally show.

Yes if you lose bodyfat your abs will show. That doesn't make them strong though. Some ab/core work can only help your training and overall physique. I usually do some kind of crunch either regular, lying on a swiss ball or incline board. Then hanging leg raises and holding a plate overhead side bends each direction.

mcbeast
06-18-10, 2:01 am
Ive heard everything from train your abs like every other muscle to train them everyday. Personally I do 2x25 Hanging Crunches before every workout to warm up my core. I believe in doing abs from 8-50 reps. Rope Crunches, Decline Situps, Planks, Oblique twists. Switch it up. Work them twice a week hard and once to tighten them up.

mcbeast
06-18-10, 2:02 am
Also, tying into your abs are your hip flexors. Youtube hip flexor exercises. This is overlooked by many.

IRON-L
06-18-10, 9:00 am
I believe in adding weights to ab exercises, for example hooking a dumbell between your feet with leg raises, also love the weighted crunches...
Sure ball exercises and other core strenghtening routines are great if you want nice mr fitness flat abs.

But if you want bricks for abs, you need to add weight.
Bigger weight = bigger muscles

That's my humble opinion.

Anihilator09
06-18-10, 11:42 am
Yes if you lose bodyfat your abs will show. That doesn't make them strong though. Some ab/core work can only help your training and overall physique. I usually do some kind of crunch either regular, lying on a swiss ball or incline board. Then hanging leg raises and holding a plate overhead side bends each direction.

Right now I am in the process of losing the bodyfat. I have always had a problem being a big guy and the amount of bodyfat that I carry around but I am NOT going to let that stop me.


Ive heard everything from train your abs like every other muscle to train them everyday. Personally I do 2x25 Hanging Crunches before every workout to warm up my core. I believe in doing abs from 8-50 reps. Rope Crunches, Decline Situps, Planks, Oblique twists. Switch it up. Work them twice a week hard and once to tighten them up.


Also, tying into your abs are your hip flexors. Youtube hip flexor exercises. This is overlooked by many.

I will have to try the hanging leg rasies unless there is a variation that I can do until I get teh strength to support myself hangling like that. Also, I will look into the hip flexor exercises...anything that will help me reach my goals.


I believe in adding weights to ab exercises, for example hooking a dumbell between your feet with leg raises, also love the weighted crunches...
Sure ball exercises and other core strenghtening routines are great if you want nice mr fitness flat abs.

But if you want bricks for abs, you need to add weight.
Bigger weight = bigger muscles

That's my humble opinion.

That's a part of it...I don't want just a flat trim stomach...I want some bricks for abs and I will try adding weight to see what happens

mcbeast
06-18-10, 1:36 pm
You cant hang from a bar yet? The only way to improve your grip strength is to train it. Plate pinches, Db holds, Barbell holds, heay shrugs, pullups, pulldowns, crushers, etc. In the meantime try doing roman chair crunches.

Anihilator09
06-18-10, 4:47 pm
You cant hang from a bar yet? The only way to improve your grip strength is to train it. Plate pinches, Db holds, Barbell holds, heay shrugs, pullups, pulldowns, crushers, etc. In the meantime try doing roman chair crunches.

Well...I can but not for very long...gravity is my enemy with that (338lbs)...however, I will try and keep trying until I get it!

Machine
06-19-10, 8:37 am
Well...I can but not for very long...gravity is my enemy with that (338lbs)...however, I will try and keep trying until I get it!

A good thing to remember is that everyone on this planet has unbelievably developed abdominals...you just cant see them. The only real thing holding your upper and lower body together is the combined musculature of your abdominals...you really dont even need to train them...they hard at work all the live long day.

And another good rule to remember with abdominals is if you cant see them...dont train them.

MACHINE

Anihilator09
06-19-10, 10:57 am
A good thing to remember is that everyone on this planet has unbelievably developed abdominals...you just cant see them. The only real thing holding your upper and lower body together is the combined musculature of your abdominals...you really dont even need to train them...they hard at work all the live long day.

And another good rule to remember with abdominals is if you cant see them...dont train them.

MACHINE

Ok Machine...so I shouldn't worry about them because they get trained on their own

U Mad Brah?
06-21-10, 11:38 am
A good thing to remember is that everyone on this planet has unbelievably developed abdominals...you just cant see them. The only real thing holding your upper and lower body together is the combined musculature of your abdominals...you really dont even need to train them...they hard at work all the live long day.

And another good rule to remember with abdominals is if you cant see them...dont train them.

MACHINE

machinebrah, i have to differ here good brah... with that rationale, why train legs my good brah since we walk on them all day brahs... maybe some brahs can get away with not training abs due to genetics or what they do for a living like construction brahs... but for overall balance and support i think brahs should hit there abs like any other muscle my good brah...

U Mad Brah?
06-21-10, 11:42 am
I believe in adding weights to ab exercises, for example hooking a dumbell between your feet with leg raises, also love the weighted crunches...
Sure ball exercises and other core strenghtening routines are great if you want nice mr fitness flat abs.

But if you want bricks for abs, you need to add weight.
Bigger weight = bigger muscles

That's my humble opinion.

i like this approach too my good brahs... most brahs should train abs like any other bodypart... with some resistance weight good brahs... balance the heavy weight that you throw at ur lower back with some decent ab work good brahs...

Anihilator09
06-21-10, 12:18 pm
This is why I asked this question....there are so many theories and opinions on ab training that it seems like there is not a clear answer

U Mad Brah?
06-21-10, 1:24 pm
This is why I asked this question....there are so many theories and opinions on ab training that it seems like there is not a clear answer

perhaps in the end good brah... its highly individual for each brah... this here brah responds better with a few days of ab trainin thrown in brahs

G Diesel
06-21-10, 1:27 pm
This is why I asked this question....there are so many theories and opinions on ab training that it seems like there is not a clear answer

I get what Machine is saying and there is much truth to it.

However, a good rule to live by is...

This is bodybuilding, so train your whole body.

Peace, G

Anihilator09
06-21-10, 4:51 pm
I get what Machine is saying and there is much truth to it.

However, a good rule to live by is...

This is bodybuilding, so train your whole body.

Peace, G

Ok...I feel that...I will have to incorporate it into my training

Machine
06-21-10, 9:10 pm
I can see the value in every post in this thread...but I also know...through many, many athletes trained, I can take a 300 pound athlete, train them from top to bottom...minus the abdominals, and after the alloted amount of time...their abdominals will be competition ready without one repetition of abdominal work. Abdominals are way more about time specific dietary norms than they are about training stimulus.

Now if you asked me this question from a powerlifting perspective...my answer would be quite different.

Good luck

MACHINE

Anihilator09
06-22-10, 3:45 pm
I can see the value in every post in this thread...but I also know...through many, many athletes trained, I can take a 300 pound athlete, train them from top to bottom...minus the abdominals, and after the alloted amount of time...their abdominals will be competition ready without one repetition of abdominal work. Abdominals are way more about time specific dietary norms than they are about training stimulus.

Now if you asked me this question from a powerlifting perspective...my answer would be quite different.

Good luck

MACHINE

Ok Machine...answer the same question from a powerlifting perspective

zubda345
06-22-10, 3:49 pm
How will you do that, I mean, How will U train him like that????

Machine
06-22-10, 7:40 pm
Ok Machine...answer the same question from a powerlifting perspective

From a powerlifting standpoint; the abdominals cannot be overlooked...there is now way one can successfully lay the foundation for either strongman or powerlifting without paying attention to the abdominal complex because there is a need to actually stimulate those muscles to breed strength and stability for support in the extremely heavy lifts that make up those particular sports. I would use exercises like the grappler, weighted situps, inclined situps, weighted leg raises, side and front weighted planks etc,etc to affect the necessary strengthening and improve stability in the targeted areas.

MACHINE

Anihilator09
06-23-10, 9:06 am
From a powerlifting standpoint; the abdominals cannot be overlooked...there is now way one can successfully lay the foundation for either strongman or powerlifting without paying attention to the abdominal complex because there is a need to actually stimulate those muscles to breed strength and stability for support in the extremely heavy lifts that make up those particular sports. I would use exercises like the grappler, weighted situps, inclined situps, weighted leg raises, side and front weighted planks etc,etc to affect the necessary strengthening and improve stability in the targeted areas.

MACHINE

Thanks Machine...now what is the grappler exactly...I've never heard of it