Looking for a great ab routine

[NYCmitch25]

Does anyone have a descent ab routine to share?

If so am looking for details if possible: sets/reps, etc. I have some ideas from doing a search of other posts in this forum.

I am curious what other people are doing? I think I have a pretty good ab routine. Getting boring.

-Thanks in advance.

[ski]

http://www.dolfzine.com/page656.htm

[Shibby]

I think people try to make abs too complicated. Just remeber to breath like when your lifting, exhale completly on contraction. Do weighted or don't depending on your preference. Abs are just muscles to. You don't need to do a hundred crunches and you don't need to be sore when you move the next day.

[NYCmitch25]

Originally posted by ski
http://www.dolfzine.com/page656.htm

Thanks for the link Ski. This gives me some more ideas. I also like the meal plans.

I agree with you Shibby. I see ppl doing so many exercises maybe I was wrong. I currently do 4-5 sets, 10-30reps, 3 days per week. I change up the tempo, exercises, and reps. For instance, some days slow and controlled w/ 60secs rest between sets. While other days fast with no rest between sets.

[Shibby]

I think your looking too much at the myths of the super ab people. First you have to have a low enough body fat. Then where does anything show that your abs muscles are any different than say your arm muscles. Would you train your bi's like that. It just comes down to stimulating and tricking your abs into doing what you would like.

[meat12]

Yeah just get your diet in check and hit some good cardio, dont over do it

[shortz]

I simply do hanging leg raises for 3 sets of unweighted one week and hit incline crucnhes the next week. Sometimes I do both, but lower volume to 2 sets each.

Fancy doesn't always mean better. In weight lifting and athletics, these are the two best things you can do.

[F1ERCE]

Opposed to other muscles, having noticeable abs is 90% diet. Get that in check and you will be fine. Ab workouts should be done EOD, with cardio done in between. Everyone has a six-pack, it's all about shaving the abdominal fat to let it peek out and say hi.

As for routines, simple crunches should be the last on your list because they illicit fewest results and have the most strain on your lower back. Here:

Straight leg raises on a dip machine for hip flexors. 10 slow reps, 40 second break, 3 sets

Weighted ball twists on a decline bench. 20 slow reps, 1 minute rest, 3 sets.


- F1ERCE

[Shibby]

Originally posted by F1ERCE
Opposed to other muscles, having noticeable abs is 90% diet. Get that in check and you will be fine. Ab workouts should be done EOD, with cardio done in between. Everyone has a six-pack, it's all about shaving the abdominal fat to let it peek out and say hi.

As for routines, simple crunches should be the last on your list because they illicit fewest results and have the most strain on your lower back. Here:

Straight leg raises on a dip machine for hip flexors. 10 slow reps, 40 second break, 3 sets

Weighted ball twists on a decline bench. 20 slow reps, 1 minute rest, 3 sets.


- F1ERCE

Why should abs be done eod? do you work every muscle eod? In my expierience doing crunches can be fine if your body is conditioned for it. Meaning that you have a well balanced strength system, including lower back exercises. Fancy does not mean better. Most people that have problems with there lower back doing crunches do them in a jerking motion. Trying to throw there body up off the ground (instead of lifting) and then rocking back onto thier shoulders before throwing thier body back up again. If done with controled movements and good form contracting the abs, there shouldn't be any excess stress on the lower back. Again doing them eod also means your putting stress on oposing muscles eod.

[F1ERCE]

Shibby you must work your abs as a primary focus in your workout and thats fine. Obviously in your case doing it EOD isnt functional. However, I usually do it EOD after my core workout. Since I believe having good abs is more crucial to low bf% than the actual size of the muscle itself, I believe it to be an effective method. Thanks for your question.

The appearance of the abs is mainly a function of low bodyfat, so the focus of an ab routine should be around a foundation of intense cardio:

75% of abdominal function is to rotate the torso, so most of the exercises should emphasize torso rotation (twisting crunches, bicycles, medical ball throws, twists, etc)

Stabilization of the torso and low back is another important function (bridges, ab wheels, swiss ball exercises)

Now for my comments on crunches. Spinal flexion is the least used function, so CRUNCHES, sit ups etcetera should be last on the list of ab exercises.



- F1ERCE

[JUICE]

i was doing abs eod last summer with good results. The diet was also clean and all high protein, so i was doing good. Ive tried doing them once a week and wouldn't feel the same nor like it was effective.

For instance, with forarms since its a small muscle like calves. I cannot train them every other day nor every day. I train them once and at times 2 times per week with 4-5 days spaced.
Calves train them 3 times per week and feel ok about them as to when i train them once not feeling anything.

Im guessing every person is different. So some things could work for some and some wont work for others.