I know you need to have less than 10% body fat for your abs to show and that not everyone can develop a good six pack. I was just wondering what everyone does to train their abs? How often does everyone work their abs and what type of exercises does everyone like to do? Is low intensity/high volume better or is high intensity/low volume better to develop a nice six pack?
Lots of Swiss ball work with heavy resistance, but I’m always throwing in new stuff for variety: leg raises, ab wheel etc. Check out the short topic article by Staley called the hanging conumdrum. That’s a bad ass ab execise.
Checkout the “Evolution of Ab Training” article at T-mag.
Lot of squats & deadlifts
When I got ready for my last body building competition I din’t really train abs at all… except for the occasional sets of hanging knee raises. My abs came in great, though!
I believe they’re predomiantly fast twitch muscle fibres, so go heavy with low reps. My favourite exercises (or the ones that have caused the most DOMS) are cable crunches (from a kneeling position), and jackknife pushups (nearly tore my damn abs from the bone!!!). I’m training them about 1-2 times a week.
Oh, and don’t ever think that you can’t get a good set of abs! I’d say it’s a VERY RARE individual that can’t get a GREAT set of abs! I remember when I started out and knew nothing, the instructor in the gym said that I’d NEVER get good abs, pointed to a poster of some fitness chick (who’s abs were average) and said I’d only ever get abs like that…! Wanker!!! Now I’ve got 6 abs hangin’ out with some wicked veins poppin’ out all over the shop!!! (Yes, the veins are in my abs…) So, that trainer can just s#ck my b@lls!