[quote]elliottcorum wrote:
[quote]bpick86 wrote:
Also change your reps schemes up so that you get a mix of endurance and pure strength. [/quote]
^This.
I think too many people do endless bodyweight situps, trying to push the reps (or time) higher and higher - 25, 50, 100, 200, etc, thinking that more is better and that the abdomen should be trained with high reps. In my opinion, that approach neglects to train the high power output that the abdomen is capable of and it keeps the limit strength of the entire abdominal musculature rather low. I agree that a better way of doing things is to change up rep schemes, but I prefer to incorporate more strength work than endurance work. I figure if I can work up to a set of ten situps with a one-hundred lb dumbbell, then I have a good, strong abdomen that can provide more stability and offer a greater power transfer than a guy that does only high rep bodyweight situps.
Currently, I ramp up in sets of 10 to a top set for as many reps as possible; some weeks that’s 10-15 and some weeks I’ll push the weight and only get 5, then I’ll do a couple more sets with lighter weight. I do direct ab work once a week, and with once-a-week front squats, deads, and weighted chinups on different days, my abs are getting plenty of action.[/quote]
I also tend to do a similar emphasis on strength of the core with a very similar type of rep and weight program such as this.