Good Exercises For Abs?

[Cino135]

anyone got any good exercises for abs

[karmazon]

Cable crunches are my favorite.

[ransom.holland]

anyone got any good exercises for abs

I have a full workout you can do, I promise you'll limp away wondering why GOD has punsihed you.


GIANT SET:

PERFORM THREE TIMES EXCERISE 1 FOLLOWED BY EXCERISE 2, THEN PERFORM ONE TIME EXCERISE 1 FOLLOWED BY EXCERISE 3, THEN PERFORM ONE TIME EXCERISE 1 FOLLOWED BY EXCERISE 4, AND END WITH EXCERISE 1.

EXCERISE 1:RUSSIAN TWISTS 5 REPS/ 85%
EXCERISE 2:REVERSE CRUNCHERS 12 REPS/ 75% (RHYTHMIC)
EXCERISE 3:SIDEBENDERS LEFT AND RIGHT 40 REPS/ 40% (SLOW)
EXCERISE 4:CRUNCHERS 40 REPS/ 40% (SLOW)

[ironWarrior417]

Personally, I stay away from weighted exercises, call me whatever you want, but hear me out. Stick with different movements to build up all your different ab muscles. Who wants bulky abs?

I used to fall into the mindset of weighted exercise was gonna help my then nonexistant abs pop out like nothing else (before I realized the value of diet.) So now, I got to work on the fact that I got some upper abs that stick out too far and aren't symmetrical with the lower abs. It just looks fucked up to me.

Stick with something like this.

4x25 Decline Crunches
4x25 Hanging Leg Raises
4x25 Double crunches
Stick Twists

And do some core work, believe it or not, it'll help.

[TheNaturalG]

I try to keep it basic and rotate decline situps with leg raises each upper body day. Occasionaly I will do some stomach vacuums.

[BigAnt]

Yeah there called push-aways..push youself away from the eating table...Serioulsy, all the ab exercises will not have you sporting the six-pack you want without proper nutrition and a good amount of cadio work.

I like decline crunches, hanging leg lifts, and physio ball curls.

[MassManiac]

What's up fellas? Just lookin' for new ideas to add some size, strength and stability to my core. For a while now, my abs have been neglected. I'm always conscious of keeping my core tight on all my lifts (using the belt only for heavy squats and deads) and for a while I thought that would be sufficient. Very often I'd also throw in some sets of cable crunches, reverse crunches, side bends, and leg lifts. When doin' these I do a few sets (usually about 3) for 15-20 reps. I really want to focus on hitting my abs, avoiding the common mistake of just working the PSOAs muscles. Just wanted to see what you thought. If you guys got any ideas i'd appreciate it. Thanks bros.

[xenrus]

how often do you train your abs ?

[JB69]

Sup guys i was just wondering what your ab training looks like - how many times a week, sets, reps and exercises, etc. i have heard only to train them once a week like any other body - heavy and hard, but then i have heard of training 5 times a week. any advice?

[ironshaolin]

abs and calves heal much quicker than larger bodyparts like chest and legs. Frequency should probably depend how hard you hit them. If you train them intensly, like 3-4 excersises of 3-4 sets ea., you probably only need maybe 2-3 days a week at most. However, I know alot of martial artists who train with just bodyweight excersises who do in the upwards of 500-1000 reps daily, and they have shredded abs that are punch proof. I say go by feel. If your abs hurt, don't train them. If they feel ready, pummel them. I typically train them 3 days a week, the first day is usually a heavy day consisting of lower reps, like 10-15 with excersises like hanging leg raises, rope crunches, weighted decline situps and weighted planks. Then I do a light day in the middle of the week with reverse crunches, excersise ball crunches and cross body crunches. At the end of the week I do another heavy day, and the next week I might switch doing 2 light and 1 heavy day. My personal preference for best ab work is this:
hanging leg/knee raises
cross-body crunches
leg throwdowns
decline sit-ups
try to always put one of those in an ab routine, and go with what your body says.

[rabiddogg]

well i do variations for abbs usually train them 4 times a week one day ill do weighted for sets of ten and other days ill do just body weight for sets of 30-40.

looks somethin like this
m-w weighted incline crunches with 40lb dumbell 3 sets
weighted leg lifts on flat bench with 25lb dumbell 3 sets
weighted obliques with medicine ball

tu-thu crunches 4 sets 30-40
leg lifts 4 sets 30-40
obliques crunches on the ball 4 sets 30-40

[Jon]

Its a normal muscle like any other... should be trained like the rest
also depends on your goals... you can train it almost everyday if you want, or once a week.. depends on what your looking for

[JMC]

Like anything else it's going to vary person to person. Listen to your body. Some folks it's good enough to train as you train every other muscle. For me, that's not the case. I train abs on every training day, which right now is 2 on/1 off. I've found that works well for me.

[k1usa]

I like to do abbs if not every day...every other day...I do a number of different moves...some using machines...some cable, some leg raises.....I like the cable crunches.....Hammer Streangth has a few nice abb punishment machines...but my favorite....and this is dating me...I do the leg lifts like we saw Sly do in I think it was Rocky 4.....I manage to get in 4 sets of these and knock down 5 to 8 reps per set...they friggen hurt...but when you do them right...and pivot off of the shoulder blades...come down slow and arch your back...the abbs will be telling you that night..."gee thanks Muther F**ker....

[JMC]

the abbs will be telling you that night..."gee thanks Muther F**ker....

Hilarious! My fave is definitely the hanging leg lift! That exercise shed more crap off my belly than anything ever has....

[ChrisG]

I do the same as most guys.. I do them every other day and do diff things like crunches, crossbody crunches, hanging knee raises, hanging leg raises, reverse crunches.. all kinds of stuff you can dude.. heres a link for a bunch of different exercises you can tryout..

http://bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?MainMuscle=Abdominals

[Everyonedoes]

I train them everyday i work out.

[karmazon]

I train mine like 5-6 times a week, usually bodyweight stuff, once in a thousand years I'll do cable crunches. Usually I'll do crunches, or tabata crunches, (tabata) russian twists(absolute killer), toe touchers, laying windshield wipers and this weird exercises, kinda like laying leg raises.

[focused]

Like K1usa, i love cable crunches, and hanging leg raises, or hanging knee raises.
EVERY weight session i hit 4 sets x 25 of both cable crunches and EITHER hanging leg raises OR hanging knee raises (from a pull up bar....wide grip. they blast your lower abs. where as cables work more on upper and your obliques.) always hit these as soon as i'm done with weights and before my cardio.
I can honestly say i've seen that 6 pack comming in, and def have felt that new and improved core strength. try em out. they are now things i look forward to doing EVERY session.

[Grantski]

I usually do them only once or twice a week....just 6-8 min of straight ab work. It burns like a bitch...maybe i need to up the frequency.

[Jeff the Repper]

I do abs twice a week, I stick to one day of all floor exercises, crunches, Weighted leg lifts, ab ball stuff , ect. the second day I do a lot of more specific exercises : Russian twists from a hyper bench, hanging leg raises, inverted sit-ups, ect. Works well for me, but it is mostly what your body can handle, I think every day is way too much for the average person, just due to the fact your core does get worked doing your regular routine.

[train.eat.supp.sleep]

what doe you fellas do to shock the abs into getting shredded?? other then a hardcore strict diet which is a primary

[karmazon]

what doe you fellas do to shock the abs into getting shredded?? other then a hardcore strict diet which is a primary

Let's see, I train.eat.supp.sleep. Oh and I have a strict diet. Nothing else you can do.

[Kiwi129]

You can go on a hardcore strict diet and get shredded. Heh, not being a dick but seriously... just diet and they'll come.

[rocky36]

theres already tons of threads on this bro

[Pokoritel]

I like to do giant sets. I enjoy training old school sometimes.

[ct italian 1]

what do some of your guys ab routines look like?
I've been doing the same thing for a while now and plan on switching it up.
what do you all do?

[Seifer]

I hate ab work. Well, hated it.

When I was done yesterday with my 'routine' , I said to myself "glad thats over with"...


Then I thought "oh hell no, fuck that, you aint done yet" , and did another 2 sets of the move I was doing. Yeah, I had to roll sideways out of bed this morning. But it'll be worth it.

--------

I consider my abs one of the weakest part of my body. I'm currently doing:


1. Decline situps w/med ball , 4 sets each till failure
2. Hammer Strength ab machine (works upper and lower), 4 sets to failure
3. Hanging Leg raises , 4 sets till failure.

[Gainer65]

My ab routine:

Hanging leg raises-2 sets
Machine crunches-2-3 sets
Ball crunches-1-2 sets

[ironshaolin]

Tri-set:
Hanging leg raise
kneeling rope cable crunch
oblique crunch lying on a bench

I do martial arts, which requires alot of core strength so I have many, many different ab routines here are a few more examples.

Dragon flag: 3/10-15
weighted decline situp: 3/10-20
Hanging knee oblique raise: 3/15-20
weighted plank: 2/ 30-60secs

The dragon flag is a killer version of the leg raise. Lie on your back on a flat bench, and grab the bench by your head. Now, do a leg lift but instead of lifting just your legs, lift your whole torso off the board, keeping your body perfectly straight so at the top of the move, just your head/neck/shoulders are touching. This move is hard as fuck. Weighted plank: prop up on your toes and elbows and put a 45lb plate on your lower back. Hold that as long as you can. It will eat you alive, and develop a powerful core making squats/deads easier.

Swiss ball reverse crunch:3/12-15
*superset*
toe touches: 3/20-25
cross body crunch: 3/15-20


Decline reverse crunch: 3/15-20
*superset*
decline situp: 3/15-20
Decline bench excersise ball roll out: 2/20
dumbell side bend: 3/15-20

Sometimes I go hard and heavy, utilizing multiple sets/reps/intensity techniques, sometimes I'll just throw 3-5 sets of a specific excersise on at the end of a workout. Mix it up.

[Chin]

I tack on my abs to a hamstring day or a chest day... or I just do them directly after my cardio sessions.

3 - 4/20 - Stability ball crunches
4/15 - Rope Crunch
3/15 - Leg Hangs/Lying hangs
3/15 - Oblique Twist w/Ball or Cable

I switch in things like decline twists, regular sit ups or planks.. Depends on how tired I am

[Young&Hungry]

My favorite thing for shaping up my obliques is old school Broomstick Twists, except I do them with two of those 15 pound F.I.T. bars that the fat chicks use in those aerobics classes. I get a better pump and burn using the weighted bars than a straight up broomstick. Really brought my obliques in nicely and Wrath does them to boot, although with a regular broomstick.

[BigAnt]

what do some of your guys ab routines look like?
I've been doing the same thing for a while now and plan on switching it up.
what do you all do?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
diet and cardio will get you there...

try --- training abs every other workout for 5-6 weeks...pick one exercise and bang out 3x20-25 reps

pick a new exercise every day...

crunches, hanging leg raises, ab machine, rev crunches, physio ball curls, roll outs, med ball crunches, 6 inches, decline crunches, dying bug...

[Bam Bam]

First my mom got a DVD called 5-day abs by The Firm. Yea its old but this shit will damn near make you cry and cut your abs up like no other.

Second I do a routine called 100's
20 crunches
10 oblique crunches left
10 oblique crunches right
20 leg raises
20 leg raises with a crunch, or 20 leg walks
20 bicycles

Lastly, I use cable crunches to bring in size and deep cuts between the abdominals.

[ct italian 1]

ohh they're in, I just wanna switch up my routine because I'm bored with it. At 5% bf they're looking nicely dialed in, especially my serratus muscles on the sides.

[RedLine]

I run and do crunches almost everyday...but i can't cut the fat...hopeefully this cycle of animal CUTS will help...you guys got anything that will help shed the fat in the ab area?

[train.eat.supp.sleep]

i do them every other day... and i usually pick an upper ab movement and a lower ab movement...do 20-25 reps for five sets...it gets it done

[train.eat.supp.sleep]

somthing that will shed that fat is DIET...they say abs is 99 % diet and 1% ab workouts....u can have the strongest abs in the world but they wont show if ur body fat is too high...

[ct italian 1]

all diet bro, I follow my meal plan meal by meal day by day and RARELY ever deviate. Maybe one cheat meal/month or so.

[ncsu06]

Tri-set:
Hanging leg raise
kneeling rope cable crunch
oblique crunch lying on a bench

I do martial arts, which requires alot of core strength so I have many, many different ab routines here are a few more examples.

Dragon flag: 3/10-15
weighted decline situp: 3/10-20
Hanging knee oblique raise: 3/15-20
weighted plank: 2/ 30-60secs

The dragon flag is a killer version of the leg raise. Lie on your back on a flat bench, and grab the bench by your head. Now, do a leg lift but instead of lifting just your legs, lift your whole torso off the board, keeping your body perfectly straight so at the top of the move, just your head/neck/shoulders are touching. This move is hard as fuck. Weighted plank: prop up on your toes and elbows and put a 45lb plate on your lower back. Hold that as long as you can. It will eat you alive, and develop a powerful core making squats/deads easier.

Swiss ball reverse crunch:3/12-15
*superset*
toe touches: 3/20-25
cross body crunch: 3/15-20


Decline reverse crunch: 3/15-20
*superset*
decline situp: 3/15-20
Decline bench excersise ball roll out: 2/20
dumbell side bend: 3/15-20

Sometimes I go hard and heavy, utilizing multiple sets/reps/intensity techniques, sometimes I'll just throw 3-5 sets of a specific excersise on at the end of a workout. Mix it up.

yea i am a collegiate wrestler and we do alot of the same excercises all with med balls and weights to form a solid core....we also do alot of physioball (big ass balls that you sit on) ab workouts to help us to be able to stablize our core...med ball work though is my favorite...straight sit up, twist sit ups....hold and twist...i mean you name it we do it...great stuff for building one hell of a core...good luck brothers

[king1]

Bosu crunches 3x25 (crunches on the half ball)
Russian Twists 3x70+ (sit on ground, lift up and cross legs, twist side to side with medicine ball in hand)
Hanging Leg Raises 3x15

[Skater51o]

One thing I have noticed about this forum is abs are not talked about very much. I was just curious to see what your guys ab workouts are and how often you work them?

[sully]

i work them every other day for 15 mins at the end of my workout. I used to do them everyday, but i was told to treat it like anothe muscle, which needs rest to grow.

[musclealchemist]

you can either do them every time you workout, or have them on a set day. I do them now on my chest days. I usually do 3 sets of 25, or 4 sets of 30, depending on how i feel.

[rcrott1]

every morning, when i get up, i do 200 pushups, then 200 sit ups....cant get out of old army habits.

[the-craig]

always just do about 4-5sets variations of sit ups, like with legs raised in the air, hands on the floor instead of head little different things just to failure

[gflash77]

I do a mix of manual/ball abs and machine abs. One week one way, next week the other. As far as the machine, I do twists 3 x 15, on the ball I do straight leg raises 3 x 12 and trunk twists with a medicine ball between my knees 3 x 10.

Manual abs are a bit more complicated:

-50 crunches
-Legs crossed:
25 R over L
25 L over R

One leg extended, one knee bent:
15 reps opposite arm touching knee
switch up for other side 15 reps
straight leg raises 15 reps (all done one after another, minimal rest)

I have found it builds muscle well, but the manual abs prevent them from bulking too much (something I personally don't need). 2-3 times a week depending on my workout.

[Skater51o]

What do you guys think about weighted ab machines? The ones that are like weighted crunches.

[Sir J-Werk]

What do you guys think about weighted ab machines? The ones that are like weighted crunches.

I use it every training day.... Pyramid up.... Two/Three sets.... Loosens my back up too.... Then hit some decline sit ups and leg raises....

Stay Strong, stay Focused, stay Animal!
Respect.

[Skater51o]

Cool. what about isolating obliques? how would you guys do that?

[the-craig]

iv been wantin 2 know if people train those^^^ (not even goin 2 atempt to spell it) coz im not sure if it thickens or slims ur waist

[afshin]

I just do captain crunches 3x failure, 50 reg crunches 60-120 weighted crunches 40 side crunches with ab machine on each side and some times leg up every 2-3 days

[Toni69]

Fortunately for me, I always had good abs..always hard and pretty defined. I do tend to do abs exercises that are a bit out of the norm from your standard crunch or situp..although, I will do those too time to time.

I vary every other day between these:

Reverse Crunches (on a bench or hanging)
Roman Chairs with weight on occasion
Twisting Crunches
Vertical Bench Crunches and Twists
Incline Board Leg Raises
Side Crunches on Floor (obliques and intercostals)
Machine Crunches on occasion
Physio Ball exercises

[gflash77]

What do you guys think about weighted ab machines? The ones that are like weighted crunches.

I find those make my abs too bulky. I like the twists though.

[Tron]

After every workout I do a bodyweight exercise with abs built in. Chest days are push-ups and decline bench crunches. Tomorrow will be pull-ups and probably the ab roller. That thing's a killer!

[Skater51o]

I didnt know the ab roller worked. I always thought of it as one of those gimmicks.

[Tron]

I didnt know the ab roller worked. I always thought of it as one of those gimmicks.

If you do it right, it works. Try it out sometime. I did, first time about 10 reps and only one set and could barely move in the morning. It takes a lot of upper body strength (most likely nobody has to worry about that here). Go as low as you can, with your abs nearly touching the ground, and then use the abdominal muscles to pull yourself back up. Simple but effective.

[Arbalest]

Deadlifts and Squats for me... Belt-less of course.

[TufffGuY]

I find those make my abs too bulky. I like the twists though.

You should add weight to your ab workouts, doign 50 rep crucnches isn't gonna do shit for your abs, when what your doing if too easy, add weight. Your abs are just like any other muscle, they row the same.

As for me, I don't really do all that much ab work, squats and Deadlifts work the abs a lot, and same with front squats.

[dirtbag]

3 days a week, 25 minutes straight no rest between each set, alternating between 5 excersizes, it killllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllssss

[WillWest]

I stick in about 200 crunches/leg raises every day or every other day. I like to mix it up and keep them guessing.

I think it doesnt get talked about much because they are a boring exercise, plus I dont get a kick out of beating a previous AB personal bet like i do out of beating a deadlift or bench press.

[Skater51o]

I do a mix of manual/ball abs and machine abs. One week one way, next week the other. As far as the machine, I do twists 3 x 15, on the ball I do straight leg raises 3 x 12 and trunk twists with a medicine ball between my knees 3 x 10.

Manual abs are a bit more complicated:

-50 crunches
-Legs crossed:
25 R over L
25 L over R

One leg extended, one knee bent:
15 reps opposite arm touching knee
switch up for other side 15 reps
straight leg raises 15 reps (all done one after another, minimal rest)


Tried that today. Only changes I made were The leg lifts I did on an incline. I also did hanging reverse crunches. Made my abs feel pretty good. Got a good burn goin

[Joe D'Amato]

to get good looking abs you have to loose body fat not keep working them out. working out helps just loosing the body fat shows it all.

[Skater51o]

obviously. you can still work them to make them more defined, so when I do loose the body fat they will be better than if I didn't work them at all. I'm on a bulk so im not expecting to have hella defined abs. I just want to build them so when I cut, they will look good.

[Toni69]

Yes, diet, cardio and low bodyfat are important pieces to getting shredded and hard abs, but you still must build those muscles by trainng them regularly so when you do lean out, there is something there to see. Plus, training abs is important for other reasons than to achieve an aesthetically pleasing midsection. Your abs are your core and they support your low back (tranverse abdominus in particular; the muscles you cannot see). These are assisting you in movements like squats, leg press, deads, even bench press.

Train smart, train your abs every other day and train them hard! They do more work than you think in your other lifts and if they are not strong enough, your low back will suffer later on.

[WillWest]

Yes, diet, cardio and low bodyfat are important pieces to getting shredded and hard abs, but you still must build those muscles by trainng them regularly so when you do lean out, there is something there to see. Plus, training abs is important for other reasons than to achieve an aesthetically pleasing midsection. Your abs are your core and they support your low back (tranverse abdominus in particular; the muscles you cannot see). These are assisting you in movements like squats, leg press, deads, even bench press.

Train smart, train your abs every other day and train them hard! They do more work than you think in your other lifts and if they are not strong enough, your low back will suffer later on.

Sound advice

[big3434]

what are good ab and oblique workouts. my ab workout is working starting to see them since i got my diet straighten out. having trouble with the oblique area or love handles.

[RoJoHen]

Love handles are probably the last place you'll lose fat, so expect to have them until the end.

[kyderz]

Give up now, and go drink a few beers.

Just kidding.

Diet and cardio.

[Carpe Diem P.T]

Give up now, and go drink a few beers.

Just kidding.

Diet and cardio.

u had me so excited until the end :(

[Mr.Hardcore98]

woodchoppers are a good exercise that i like to throw it

[billmd1334]

My gym doesn't have much in the way of equipment for abs, and what they do have usually has a line of people waiting to use it. So without any weights at home, can anyone suggest some simple ab routines to use at my house so a few times a week when I want to hit abs or whatever I can spend 10 or 15 minutes doing that without having to fight a line of people to use the crunch machine.

Thanks

[zhawrot]

You go to the gym and see people doing a million different crunches, leg raises, bends, etc. I know the bicycle movement is said to be one of the best for overall abs, but other than that what are the best exercises to do for Abs? I feel like sometimes you can do 100 of one technique and feel like it's not doing a thing.

[JMC]

I don't know about "best" excercises, but I have my faves... one of which is hanging leg lifts.

[BrotherInArms]

47 Sit-ups.
47 Crunches.
47 Oblique Twists.
47 Cable Crunches.
47 Scissor Movements.


Chea.

[Matt Dickerson]

Some staples are roman chair or GHR situps while holding a plate, barbell or holding a band behind the head. I also love doing landmines, 1 arm suitcase dead lifts, ab pulldowns, leg raises, and the ab roller with the little wheel with handles. Planks are pretty good for beginners who have a hard time starting with sit ups.

[callme47]

47 Sit-ups.
47 Crunches.
47 Oblique Twists.
47 Cable Crunches.
47 Scissor Movements.


Chea.

Thats what im talking abought.

[P-Ram]

I've still got some time before I start cutting up but I was wondering what would be a good Abs routine while I'm dropping weight.

Any ideas?

[Matt Dickerson]

I've still got some time before I start cutting up but I was wondering what would be a good Abs routine while I'm dropping weight.

Any ideas?

Start doing weighted situps and start with a 45 pound barbell behind your neck and try to bang out 3-4 sets of ten reps. Add weight and try to get stronger each week and your abs will change dramatically. I do this in a power cage and use a bench with attachments that hold the legs in place. I set the pins at a height where I am going to about 25 degree angle. If you can't do the 45 bar start with a 20 pound ez curl bar and add weight from there.

For your obliques start doing landmines. Here is someone doing them on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG0mgmuuIiY

These will take your oblique to a whole new level. Do 3 sets of 10 for each side and you should be fried.

[P-Ram]

I appreciate it. I'll mos def be using this routine when the time comes.

[priority]

treat your abs like any other muscle i say. I.E progressive resistance, overload, variety, rest pause, drop sets. Get creative and make it burn!

[sanga]

I agree to treat the as like any other muscle in that hit it from all angles but I don`t like the idea of drop sets and pushing to failure, I want a tight midsection rather than a bigger one, developing the muscles can make you look too big in that area.

I also like to do it as part of a core routine, so hit upper, lower abs, intercostals, seratus, lower back etc.

There are 100s of exercises but I like the following-

Crunches
Leg raise
Chinnies (knee to opposite elbow)
Side bends
Twists
Supermans
Hyper extentions
Reverse Hyper extentions
The plank

Obviously not all in one go.

[ShaqFu]

When it comes to abs, I feel that, at least in my case, using weighted exercises is NOT the way to go. The way I see it, when I did weighted exercises for abs (did it for about 6months) my abs got TOO big. My core was fucking big, but honestly, in the scheme of things, it really fucks up with my symmetry and I think it looks retarded when it looks as if you are pregnant b/c of weight ab exercises. However, seeing as different shit works for different people, weighted exercises may indeed work for you, but for me, hanging leg raises, leg lifts, weightless crunches, reverse crunches, and all other bodyweight ab exercises at high reps do the trick. Experiment with weights n no weights and see what you think.
ShaqFu

[InkdMuscle]

for me when i work abs I do hanging leg raises, weighted ab crunches. then use one of the ab machines not nec. in that order. i try to elave the weighted crunches to last. because by my last set im struggleing to finish them. my abs are burn'n like crazy.

[Dead(Lift)]

I do as little as possible for my, for now, as I'm doing about a 3-5 year bulk. I'm 15, so that's why it's gunna be long as hell. With some occasional heavy cardio months incase I gain to much fat. But as for my ab workouts heres what I do:

Crunches SS Leg Raises(don't put your hand under your butt if you do) - 3X15
Planks - 3Xmax time (start adding weight when all three sets are over 1 minute)
Side Planks - 3Xmax time (same as above) (both sides)
Full Contact Twists - 3X5

Of course you don't have the do the side planks and fct, but I'm into boxing a little. If you wanna protect your girl and impress her by how hard you hit(other guys, not her) FCT's will improve that alot, along with good punching form.

And for those that can do decline crunches really easy, try Dragon Flags, invented by Bruce Lee, and showed on Rocky 4(i think). Google them and give them a try, you won't be able to complete 1 perfect rep.

[Brick By Brick]

I don't have the dietary discipline to see all my abs. But the top two are nice. My ab training is for strength and core stability, mainly. I do abs 3 times a week, during Squat, DL and Shoulder Press days. All sessions are weighted. 3 sets of 10 reps. For now, I'm doing standing cable crunches, decline sit-ups with a 10lb plate behind my head, and decline sit-ups holding a 35 or 25 lb plate.
I like dragon flags, and will start working those back into my routine here pretty soon. Leg raises on the dip tower are a good one, also.

[hatebreedXXX69]

Hey,
does anybody here train their abs??like crunches and stuff??what are your thoughts on training them, and what exercises are good??
thanks

[panzerwagen]

Hey,
does anybody here train their abs??like crunches and stuff??what are your thoughts on training them, and what exercises are good??
thanks

Yes I train my abs (of course) and I hope everyone else here does that too! Strong abs are important, partly because they help stabilise the back. You need strong abs (obliques included) in order to be able to perform movements such as squats and deadlifts, different kinds of rows, in a safe manner. It doesn't matter how strong your different bodyparts might be - with weak abs you are most likely to get hurt one day during a workout.

I think more people could well put more effort into training the abs. It will pay off in the long run. Unfortunately I rarely see people working the abs hard (or even at all) in my gym.

As for training the abs, there are many good exercises to choose from. I like to train in an intense manner, stacking a couple of different exercises for each set. An example would be doing tri sets of crunch on gymball + crunch w/body flat on floor + broom stick twists. remember not to rest between the exercises, that's the whole idea of it. When I do something like this I don't rest very much between these circuits, but try to go on quite intensely. 3 or 4 of these tri sets is usually enough for me.

Still, I have to say I have realised I need to add weight to my abs exercises. Since the abs are so important for the stability of the body, their strength should be able to match up wtih the rest of the bodyparts. I have suffered from back problems for quite some time now, partly because of poor core stability. But I also believe that I need to let the abs do some more powerful work in order to get strong enough to keep me safe. So, I have started adding weight to my abs training on a regular basis. Three exercises that I find good are dumbbell side bends, static crunch holding additional weight, leg raises w/small dumbbell between feet.

Just now my favourite way to train the obliques are the dumbbell side bends. I like to train them as follows:

I don't use a very big range of motion doing these. I simply hold the dumbbell in one hand and lean down about 15cm, then back up again. I like to do about 12 sets with each weight/side, constantly moving up the rack for heavier weights. 5 sets means five different weights used without much rest (the only rest you get is when the other hand in holding the dumbbell).

Good luck

[WeeMan]

Yes I train my abs (of course) and I hope everyone else here does that too! Strong abs are important, partly because they help stabilise the back. You need strong abs (obliques included) in order to be able to perform movements such as squats and deadlifts, different kinds of rows, in a safe manner. It doesn't matter how strong your different bodyparts might be - with weak abs you are most likely to get hurt one day during a workout.

I think more people could well put more effort into training the abs. It will pay off in the long run. Unfortunately I rarely see people working the abs hard (or even at all) in my gym.

As for training the abs, there are many good exercises to choose from. I like to train in an intense manner, stacking a couple of different exercises for each set. An example would be doing tri sets of crunch on gymball + crunch w/body flat on floor + broom stick twists. remember not to rest between the exercises, that's the whole idea of it. When I do something like this I don't rest very much between these circuits, but try to go on quite intensely. 3 or 4 of these tri sets is usually enough for me.

Still, I have to say I have realised I need to add weight to my abs exercises. Since the abs are so important for the stability of the body, their strength should be able to match up wtih the rest of the bodyparts. I have suffered from back problems for quite some time now, partly because of poor core stability. But I also believe that I need to let the abs do some more powerful work in order to get strong enough to keep me safe. So, I have started adding weight to my abs training on a regular basis. Three exercises that I find good are dumbbell side bends, static crunch holding additional weight, leg raises w/small dumbbell between feet.

Just now my favourite way to train the obliques are the dumbbell side bends. I like to train them as follows:

I don't use a very big range of motion doing these. I simply hold the dumbbell in one hand and lean down about 15cm, then back up again. I like to do about 12 sets with each weight/side, constantly moving up the rack for heavier weights. 5 sets means five different weights used without much rest (the only rest you get is when the other hand in holding the dumbbell).

Good luck

hah yeah....what he said!

i think alot of people forget that ur abs are muscles just like ur biceps or chest.
train them heavy and they will grow, train light with alot of reps and they will 'tone'.

[panzerwagen]

hah yeah....what he said!


Sorry but I don't understand what you mean by this sentence?
/P

[WeeMan]

Sorry but I don't understand what you mean by this sentence?
/P

im agreeing with you.

[thatdude111]

Should you workout your abs if you're overweight. I heard somewhere that you don't want to workout your abs if you are overweight because it'll make your stomach look bigger and you should wait until you shed the weight off your belly then start training abs. Is this true?

[Renji007]

I have a question.

I have abs. They're not that hard to get if you eat right, and do your cardio. Yet I want to make them harder, mostly like a martial artists, simply because I just don't want them there for 'looks' I want them there to defend me in any scenario. How would I go about this?

I've heard that weights can help, but they give you some unpartitioned abs. Bodyweight is good, but it also lacks some stuff. Anyone know a good training regimen ? I would really appreciate it.

[panzerwagen]

im agreeing with you.

Allright! It isn't always easy to catch the smaller varieties of second language use. Thanks man.

[panzerwagen]

Should you workout your abs if you're overweight. I heard somewhere that you don't want to workout your abs if you are overweight because it'll make your stomach look bigger and you should wait until you shed the weight off your belly then start training abs. Is this true?

Personally I have never heard such a thing. And from a logical point of view, I believe that what you heard about abs training + overweight is just some sort of fairy tale.. or bullshit if I may. I simply cannot come up with why this would be a problem if you're overweight? But remember I'm no expert whatsoever. If I were you I'd go ahead and train the abs (and the rest of the body).

Maybe someone else has heard about this and can tell us more about it?

[Donogh]

Squats are perfect for developing ab strength. As has been said here numerous times - diet and cardio = abs. No weird contraptions are going to make your abs pop out over the fat. If you have been squatting and deadlifting like a true animal then you will have good ab strength already. Crunches and Reverse Crunches can be used if you feel you have to train abs. Diet and Cardio are your real ticket to a good looking midsection

[thatdude111]

'panzerwagen' I forgot where i heard that but you're right it probably is bullshit. Thanks

[panzerwagen]

'panzerwagen' I forgot where i heard that but you're right it probably is bullshit. Thanks

Allright. You just go along and follow your instict. If you believe training your abs will make you feel better and healthier - do it! I wish you the best of luck with your training!

[Big Wides]

I'll throw some gems in here:

Landmines
Weighted Roman Chair Raises (db between legs)
Hanging leg raise
Med ball twists
Barbell Twists
Decline Situps with barbell behind back
Side bends
Rev Glute Ham Situps
Ab Pulldowns

[Gunz]

i like to throw in a ton of low ab stuff... the top abs come in easy... that and oblique work are the two biggest problem areas... i think for the most part like all the bros have been sayin on here... abs are all diet and cardio... emphasis on diet!!!

[airborneIRON]

I have a full workout you can do, I promise you'll limp away wondering why GOD has punsihed you.


GIANT SET:

PERFORM THREE TIMES EXCERISE 1 FOLLOWED BY EXCERISE 2, THEN PERFORM ONE TIME EXCERISE 1 FOLLOWED BY EXCERISE 3, THEN PERFORM ONE TIME EXCERISE 1 FOLLOWED BY EXCERISE 4, AND END WITH EXCERISE 1.

EXCERISE 1:RUSSIAN TWISTS 5 REPS/ 85%
EXCERISE 2:REVERSE CRUNCHERS 12 REPS/ 75% (RHYTHMIC)
EXCERISE 3:SIDEBENDERS LEFT AND RIGHT 40 REPS/ 40% (SLOW)
EXCERISE 4:CRUNCHERS 40 REPS/ 40% (SLOW)

i dig it, but add hanging leg raises...burn so good

[thatdude111]

How exactly do you perform broomstick twists, do you do it for a long time, how fast do you do them?

[thatdude111]

I usually do broom twist twist for about 5 minutes but I don't feel any burn? Do you need to add weights to this exercise