I’ve really been struggling with ab training. I’ve followed various methods and exercises that I’ve seen here on TNation but my abs continue to be my least developed muscle group. Its quite frustrating. I’m not huge or anything, but where I see small improvements on some muscle groups, I do not in my abs.
So I’m just wondering, is there a certain protocol/workout/method that, from experience, has improved your abs? Please share!
Thanks.
What are you doing now?
Are you squatting progressively heavier? Deadlifting progressively heavier? Farmers walks progressively heavier? powercleaning or power snatch heavier?
i’d agree with compound movements like the ones lifted above will greatly increase core strength, and many argue that those exercises alone are sufficient. I personally feel, however, that direct ab training a few times a week will “bring up” the abdominal area. i usually train abs 3-4 days a week, i’ve got the extra time, and they seem to respond fairly well.
here are some samples:
hanging leg raises
plank variations
mountain climbers
weighted sit-ups from a decline
weight russian twists from a decline
swiss ball pikes
dragon flag (can assist yourself by doing these on a decline bench)
weighted swiss ball crunch, weight behind your head
reverse crunches
all in the 12-15, sometimes 20 rep range for 3 sets/exercise
what bodyfat are you? you wanna 'see improvement" get ripped
[quote]Meni69 wrote:
what bodyfat are you? you wanna 'see improvement" get ripped[/quote]
the guy has a point… skinny fucks always have abs. the real key to an eye-popping six pack is low body fat.
If you mean…improve abdominal strength and function; yes, that can be done with training. If you mean improve abdominal appearance; no, training has little affect on how your abdominals appear.
Full contact twists
[quote]BlueCollarTr8n wrote:
If you mean…improve abdominal strength and function; yes, that can be done with training. If you mean improve abdominal appearance; no, training has little affect on how your abdominals appear. [/quote]
I used to believe this, but now I believe that training your abdominals consistently and in a hypertrophy range (6-12 reps) will help them ‘pop’ more if you genetically do not have great abs.
Ultimately tho, if you are not at a bodyfat where you can see them, you won’t really notice any results.
I also think training abs does have a effect on appearance.
I try and add a ab/core workout at the end of each lifting session. At the moment Im working on hanging leg raises, which are harder than they look.
Does anyone know if leg raises(lying on your back and holding your legs up) are bad for your back??
tweet
[quote]ebomb5522 wrote:
[quote]BlueCollarTr8n wrote:
If you mean…improve abdominal strength and function; yes, that can be done with training. If you mean improve abdominal appearance; no, training has little affect on how your abdominals appear. [/quote]
I used to believe this, but now I believe that training your abdominals consistently and in a hypertrophy range (6-12 reps) will help them ‘pop’ more if you genetically do not have great abs.
Ultimately tho, if you are not at a bodyfat where you can see them, you won’t really notice any results.
[/quote]
I agree that training them is beneficial to get that pop and also to have abs at higher bf levels. Even if training them helps their appearance just a bit its worth imo, only take 10 minutes.
Crunches superset w/ leg raises 3 sets amap no rest between sets.
[quote]theBird wrote:
Does anyone know if leg raises(lying on your back and holding your legs up) are bad for your back??[/quote]
They can cause psoas activation and spinal compression. Single-leg/knee raises tend to be less harmful.
[quote]ebomb5522 wrote:
[quote]BlueCollarTr8n wrote:
If you mean…improve abdominal strength and function; yes, that can be done with training. If you mean improve abdominal appearance; no, training has little affect on how your abdominals appear. [/quote]
I used to believe this, but now I believe that training your abdominals consistently and in a hypertrophy range (6-12 reps) will help them ‘pop’ more if you genetically do not have great abs.
Ultimately tho, if you are not at a bodyfat where you can see them, you won’t really notice any results.
[/quote]
This is the trend I tend to notice. I don’t train my abs extensively by any means, but I usually base what I do on how “puffy” I am:
-Higher weight, lower reps when I’m “puffy” to get them to show a little
-Light/body weight, higher reps, and super/tri-sets at a higher frequency when I’m more lean.
My best results came from upping weights in the big lifts and giving special focus to “power breathing.” I believe there’s an article on here regarding the proper method but it really helped my awareness of the abs/low back involvement.
[quote]bcingu wrote:
[quote]theBird wrote:
Does anyone know if leg raises(lying on your back and holding your legs up) are bad for your back??[/quote]
They can cause psoas activation and spinal compression. Single-leg/knee raises tend to be less harmful.[/quote]
I would only say that is a bad thing if he is prone to tight Psoas/low back. The psoas should know how to perform with the abdominals, so you don’t want to isolate too much. If you can “feel” it in your abdominals your training them correctly, just keep that low back flat, maybe even slightly rounded as you flex.
[quote]Bmacres wrote:
[quote]bcingu wrote:
[quote]theBird wrote:
Does anyone know if leg raises(lying on your back and holding your legs up) are bad for your back??[/quote]
They can cause psoas activation and spinal compression. Single-leg/knee raises tend to be less harmful.[/quote]
I would only say that is a bad thing if he is prone to tight Psoas/low back. The psoas should know how to perform with the abdominals, so you don’t want to isolate too much. If you can “feel” it in your abdominals your training them correctly, just keep that low back flat, maybe even slightly rounded as you flex.[/quote]
Thanks for the advice my friends.
Yer, my lower back can be troublesome sometimes, although when I do the exercise I can def feel it in the abs.
tweet
5% bodyfat
What are abs?
[quote]Bmacres wrote:
[quote]bcingu wrote:
[quote]theBird wrote:
Does anyone know if leg raises(lying on your back and holding your legs up) are bad for your back??[/quote]
They can cause psoas activation and spinal compression. Single-leg/knee raises tend to be less harmful.[/quote]
I would only say that is a bad thing if he is prone to tight Psoas/low back. The psoas should know how to perform with the abdominals, so you don’t want to isolate too much. If you can “feel” it in your abdominals your training them correctly, just keep that low back flat, maybe even slightly rounded as you flex.[/quote]
Agreed. Any lift can be risky, it’s all a matter of assessing one’s own capabilities. I, myself, have gotten to the point where I have to be extremely careful with this kind of exercise selection, but that certainly doesn’t mean that bilateral leg raises will be sending lifters to their chiropractors en masse.
[quote]ebomb5522 wrote:
[quote]BlueCollarTr8n wrote:
If you mean…improve abdominal strength and function; yes, that can be done with training. If you mean improve abdominal appearance; no, training has little affect on how your abdominals appear. [/quote]
I used to believe this, but now I believe that training your abdominals consistently and in a hypertrophy range (6-12 reps) will help them ‘pop’ more if you genetically do not have great abs.
Ultimately tho, if you are not at a bodyfat where you can see them, you won’t really notice any results.
[/quote]
I am a fan of consistent abdominal training, always have been. I would agree that training abs daily or every other day interrupts/changes the ‘full to flat to full’ cycle that generally takes place while on restricted calories.
First of all, you need low bodyfat to see them.
But your question in the title was best ab routine, here are a few of mine that I enjoy:
Workout 1:
L-Sits - 10 second hold
superset with
Weighted Serratus Crunches, 10 reps
Do anywhere from 6 to 10 supersets. Gives me a nice pump in my abs
Workout 2:
Weighted chins - I know, sounds stupid, but weighted chins leave my abs sore
Workout 3:
Ab Wheel - slow it down and get strict if these are easy for you, aim to come close to failure (in terms of technical form) at about 10 reps. Do 3 to 6 sets. This also leaves my abs nice and sore.
Lots of good ideas here, thank you all.
I understand that body fat levels are really the catalyst when it comes to the ‘visible’ impressiveness of your abs but I was talking about routines. Now, I have lower back problems, how prominent should crunching and the ‘sit up’ type of exercises be in my routines, and those of people like me?