Working out abs
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Working out abs
How often should I work out my abs? I do incline and decline sit-ups approximately 3-5 days a week and I do dumbbell side bends every 3-5 days. Am I overworking my abs or should I not be concerned.
i do my abs everyday
3 sets of swissball pikes
http://www.mensfitness.com/fitness/93
3 sets of russian twists
http://www.mensfitness.com/russian%20tw ... aining/165
pretty hurting afterwards but recovery is quick
3 sets of swissball pikes
http://www.mensfitness.com/fitness/93
3 sets of russian twists
http://www.mensfitness.com/russian%20tw ... aining/165
pretty hurting afterwards but recovery is quick
Incline situps? Wouldn't gravity just take care of that?
If you can do decline situps that much, you are not using enough weight. Also why isolate obliques? They get worked plenty. If you were going to do that, Some type of weighted twist would be better.
If you do squat and deadlift variations, rows and standing lifts, 1 hard isolation set is all you need. Mine are plenty big. If I ever get my bodyfat low enough I'll post a pic. I do decline situps while holding a 110 pound curl bar. I've got enough obliques to spoil a taper and I never isolate them.
Now if you do pikes and russian twists, then you can do them 3 times a day if you want for all the good it will do you.
So if you have the usual ABsession most people do, then try this. Do 1 real set of heavy weighted declines like you got a pair. Then all the other days do 20X20 with your choice of 3 or 4 of your favorite swissball circus tricks.
In short you work your abs as often as you work everything else.
If ultra high volume with little resistence worked, power walkers would have calves like Ronnie Coleman.
Then think about who doesn't exercise but has massive calves.... fat people. and it's not all fat either.
That's a good example because that is the other magic muscle where you have to work them every day with 100X100 of 10 exercises.
If you can do decline situps that much, you are not using enough weight. Also why isolate obliques? They get worked plenty. If you were going to do that, Some type of weighted twist would be better.
If you do squat and deadlift variations, rows and standing lifts, 1 hard isolation set is all you need. Mine are plenty big. If I ever get my bodyfat low enough I'll post a pic. I do decline situps while holding a 110 pound curl bar. I've got enough obliques to spoil a taper and I never isolate them.
Now if you do pikes and russian twists, then you can do them 3 times a day if you want for all the good it will do you.
So if you have the usual ABsession most people do, then try this. Do 1 real set of heavy weighted declines like you got a pair. Then all the other days do 20X20 with your choice of 3 or 4 of your favorite swissball circus tricks.
In short you work your abs as often as you work everything else.
If ultra high volume with little resistence worked, power walkers would have calves like Ronnie Coleman.
Then think about who doesn't exercise but has massive calves.... fat people. and it's not all fat either.
That's a good example because that is the other magic muscle where you have to work them every day with 100X100 of 10 exercises.
I don't think I have any concerns but I just wanted to know what others thought about the frequency of working out abs.
I do the inclines are a sort of warm up before I work out my abs. I work out my obliques because I am trying to improve my performance in baseball.
I appreciate all the advice given to me and I look forward to hearing some more :)
I do the inclines are a sort of warm up before I work out my abs. I work out my obliques because I am trying to improve my performance in baseball.
I appreciate all the advice given to me and I look forward to hearing some more :)
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Scott Ismari
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actually if you want the best results ( from a bodybuilding stand point) treat them like any other muscle. They do need rest. You dont do arms or legs every day. This will bring out the most definintion, along with resistance moves like weighted crunches, dumbbell side bends, incline reverse crunches and standing or kneeling high pully crunches.
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BradThomas
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Stephen Johnson
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Re: Working out abs
You won't be overworking your abs if you subject them to the same low-level resistance. You will build their endurance, but they won't get much stronger. If your goal is stronger abs, you should train them like Scott said - no differently than any other muscle with regard to resistance and rest. Be aware, though, that the abs and butt are the two bodyparts that bodybuilders do NOT seek to bulk up to freaky sizeflair wrote:How often should I work out my abs? I do incline and decline sit-ups approximately 3-5 days a week and I do dumbbell side bends every 3-5 days. Am I overworking my abs or should I not be concerned.
A lot of trainees have bought into the "more is better" approach for training abs. The truth is that if your body fat is higher than single digits, you won't have really sharp abs, no matter how many times a week that you train them. Your diet is key here.
If you need exercise to bring your body fat percentage down, be aware of the fact that you have to do 3,000 - 4,000 crunches to lose a pound of body fat. I don't know how that translates into incline or decline situps, but my guess is that it runs into the thosands, at least. Cardio - specifically HIIT - is a better route to follow
