Ab Guys...

[shibs]

What the hell do you guys do ADD muscle to your abs? Mine are pretty small, and I feel like they're lacking. I hate working out my abs though.. its just a shitty thing to have waiting at the end of a w/o. Lately I've been doing hanging leg raises, ab wheel from knees, and a very hard version of planks. All 3 sets to failure. Usually once, sometimes twice a week. What should I do differently? Is it really necessary to work them out 2 or 3 times a week?

 

[downunder hunter]

Diet.... You dont have to train them after your workouts bro. Do them on cardio days or rest days with your stretching etc if you want. Your ab regimen looks weak too. How long have you been doing these same exercises? You should do exercises to target inner and outer obliques lower and upper abs and core every ab workout imo

 

[kx250rider]

They're hard to get bigger, so the most I was able to do, was to go down to <6% body fat. So mine show nicely, veins and all, but they're still not big. I do an ab routine 7 days/week: 150 standard crunches, and 100 each side (total 350 in one long set with positions switched). I'd worry that if I tried to bulk up my abs with heavy weighted crunches and low reps, etc., it might cause the whole abdominal wall to bulge out (YIKES!) . I'll keep the small size abs well-displayed and totally flat, rather than risk having what everyone would see as a gut with a shirt on, I guess. I do, once or twice a week, do weighted knee raises, and a couple sets of crunches with a 25-lb dumbell held at chest level.

Charles

 

[ExtraMile]

blocky abs dont look bad in my opinion....

i hate training abs too. I usually do them once or twice a week and I just choose one exercise and do 2-5 sets of it. I usually do one of the following

hanging leg raises
ab wheel on knees
weighted decline situps - usually 8-10 reps per set
weighted side bends 15-20 reps per set

im thinking of replacing the weighted situps with pulldown abs though because when I go heavy on the situps my lower back contracts very hard on the negative portion and its uncomfortable, feels like its in a vice...

 

[shibs]

Diet.... You dont have to train them after your workouts bro. Do them on cardio days or rest days with your stretching etc if you want. Your ab regimen looks weak too. How long have you been doing these same exercises? You should do exercises to target inner and outer obliques lower and upper abs and core every ab workout imo

Weak as in volume wise? Because doing those f'ing suck lol I have only been at it for a few weeks. I usually feel squats and stuff get my obliques pretty well though so i usually don't bother with those.

 

[shibs]

They're hard to get bigger, so the most I was able to do, was to go down to <6% body fat. So mine show nicely, veins and all, but they're still not big. I do an ab routine 7 days/week: 150 standard crunches, and 100 each side (total 350 in one long set with positions switched). I'd worry that if I tried to bulk up my abs with heavy weighted crunches and low reps, etc., it might cause the whole abdominal wall to bulge out (YIKES!) . I'll keep the small size abs well-displayed and totally flat, rather than risk having what everyone would see as a gut with a shirt on, I guess. I do, once or twice a week, do weighted knee raises, and a couple sets of crunches with a 25-lb dumbell held at chest level.

Charles

Yeah they're a pain in the ass... I don't wanna go down to <6% bf though because 1, I have no idea how to do a cutting diet lol and 2, i'm only 185 at 5'11 and a half, and I don't want to get skinny... i trained too hard for the muscle mass i have as it is and don't wanna throw it away lol

blocky abs dont look bad in my opinion....

i hate training abs too. I usually do them once or twice a week and I just choose one exercise and do 2-5 sets of it. I usually do one of the following

hanging leg raises
ab wheel on knees
weighted decline situps - usually 8-10 reps per set
weighted side bends 15-20 reps per set

im thinking of replacing the weighted situps with pulldown abs though because when I go heavy on the situps my lower back contracts very hard on the negative portion and its uncomfortable, feels like its in a vice...

I agree totally... i'm thinking about throwing the ab thing out, it takes up way to much time and makes me dreeeaaad some days lol. I might just do what you're doing

 

[kx250rider]

I have a machine that I never use.. Nautilus seated ab crunch. It's a chair that you sit in, with a seat belt, and you use your whole torso to resist the weight as your body lifts the chair (weighted by a selectorized stack). It's from a hospital rehab unit, and it's supposedly very expensive and well-engineered. It's not a pullover machine. I didn't have room for it in my weight room, so it's sitting in another building collecting dust. I keep forgetting it's there (been there for a couple years now), and I should go mess with it and see how it works. If I remember, it has a 200-lb stack. Big, clumsy machine... we used the Caterpillar to unload it from my truck. I got it along with a package lot of weight room equipment from a bankrupt fitness club.

I'll see if I get a chance today, to take a picture of it and maybe some of you have seen one, and have an opinion on whether it's something worth making room for....

Charles

 

[reyz324]

just man the fuck up bro, abs are like every other muscle in the body they shouldnt be treated any diffrent

 

[SouthernLord]

Train them like you would anything else. Would you do 150 bicep curls or bench presses in a workout? I fucking hope not.

Decline sit ups with a weight behind your head (fuck holding a plate on your chest that shit's for pussies) and standing rope crunches on the lat pull down machine (try to touch your forehead on the seat) for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. These two exercise rape my mid section.

Heavy squats, front squats, deads, standing presses, and weighted chins all work the fuck out of your abs too.


Pulldown abs

 

[kx250rider]

Train them like you would anything else. Would you do 150 bicep curls or bench presses in a workout? I fucking hope not.

Decline sit ups with a weight behind your head (fuck holding a plate on your chest that shit's for pussies) and standing rope crunches on the lat pull down machine (try to touch your forehead on the seat) for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. These two exercise rape my mid section.

Heavy squats, front squats, deads, standing presses, and weighted chins all work the fuck out of your abs too.


Pulldown abs

I'm lacking experience here... I had heard that any kind of heavy weight/low rep ab work would make your whole abdominal wall pop out like a pot. My abs do look small, although super-defined and very flat with veins showing. I'd go for thicker block abs, but not at the cost of looking like Santa Claus with a shirt on. If I got bad info, and the pot's not a real risk, I might go into some ab bulking and see what happens... Any more opinions on this anyone?

Charles

 

[ExtraMile]

Well yeah heavy work will literall thicken the abs, just like any other muscle, the muscle fibres thicken up and make the muscle bigger. It wont happen overnight though, b fold the truth has super thick abs and they have come from years and years of work. You could try to heavier ab stuff and when you start noticing a differance see what you think to it, if they start getting too thick well then just back off all/some of the ab work...

only real way to find out is to try it for yourself

 

[miked8c]

I'm lacking experience here... I had heard that any kind of heavy weight/low rep ab work would make your whole abdominal wall pop out like a pot. My abs do look small, although super-defined and very flat with veins showing. I'd go for thicker block abs, but not at the cost of looking like Santa Claus with a shirt on. If I got bad info, and the pot's not a real risk, I might go into some ab bulking and see what happens... Any more opinions on this anyone?

Charles

Thats a myth man, your abdominal wall isen't going to jut out, doctors said stuff like that in the 60's to disuade people from lifting weights. Heavy weight/ low rep is where you want to go with your abs, I forget who said it but treat them like any other muscle in your body, I mean why shouldn't you?

 

[C.K.]

I forget who said it but treat them like any other muscle in your body, I mean why shouldn't you?

yepp

 

[kx250rider]

Thanks for the input on this.... That does it.... I'll plan a new ab program and work it for a couple months, and will report back

Edit: Saturday I did some loaded ab work... I started with a 35-lb hex db held on upper chest on my vertical crunch bench, and did 4 sets (15 reps first, then failed at 8 on the last set). Then I did a set of hyperextension crunches on the roman chair with a 45-lb plate (held on chest touching chin). I definitely feel it this morning! Probably my upper abs are most sore, so I should do something with weighted knee raises next time to balance.

Any opinions on how many days/week for ab bulking?

Charles

 

[C.K.]

Im sure they have weighted ab machines at your gym I do all 3 of them up to 200 lbs and end with hanging leg raises... my abs are my best body part

 

[FirstTimer-]

mostly genetics my abs are larger naturally

 

[NJL52]

Train them like you would anything else. Would you do 150 bicep curls or bench presses in a workout? I fucking hope not.

Decline sit ups with a weight behind your head (fuck holding a plate on your chest that shit's for pussies) and standing rope crunches on the lat pull down machine (try to touch your forehead on the seat) for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. These two exercise rape my mid section.

Heavy squats, front squats, deads, standing presses, and weighted chins all work the fuck out of your abs too.


Pulldown abs

lol I stopped coming to this site because there is way too much awful and incorrect guidance going around(ie everybody saying 150 rep type ab stuff), but at least you seem to always know your shit.

SoutherLord for 100% control of EF.

To OP: Quite exactly like SL said, abs are muscles, not some weirdly engineered fiber. They need worked out like the rest of your body. 10 reps for size.

Whoever says abs are hard to grow or to do 150 reps is rather clueless on the matter. Mine are relatively massive compared to my other muscle groups since I do mostly 5 set reps elsewhere and 10 rep abs.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

I do 1 set at the end of each of my workouts. 3 workouts a week so I do obliques, upper then lower.

DB sidebend, decline crunch with weight behind head and hanging leg raises.

The squats, dead, standing press do the rest.

Heavy squats, deads and standing press alone will give you a solid core. The concentrated work will just develop them abit more, but for pure functionality the ability to isometrically contract powerfully is the most important thing.

That said rotational strength is very important too.

 

[the_alcatraz]

Weighed sit-ups...grab some dumbells or a plate when you're doing sit-ups on an angle

 

[ExtraMile]

Thanks for the input on this.... That does it.... I'll plan a new ab program and work it for a couple months, and will report back

Edit: Saturday I did some loaded ab work... I started with a 35-lb hex db held on upper chest on my vertical crunch bench, and did 4 sets (15 reps first, then failed at 8 on the last set). Then I did a set of hyperextension crunches on the roman chair with a 45-lb plate (held on chest touching chin). I definitely feel it this morning! Probably my upper abs are most sore, so I should do something with weighted knee raises next time to balance.

Any opinions on how many days/week for ab bulking?

Charles

I would hit them twice a week, one workout starting with decline or roman chair situps and the other starting with hanging leg raises.

When I do weighted situps I prefer holding the dumbell behind my head or neck, helps my round my back and crunch my abs to together better than having it on my chest or stomach.

 

[kx250rider]

I would hit them twice a week, one workout starting with decline or roman chair situps and the other starting with hanging leg raises.

When I do weighted situps I prefer holding the dumbell behind my head or neck, helps my round my back and crunch my abs to together better than having it on my chest or stomach.

Thanks; I'll go with a couple days/week. I tried different positions with the dumbell, and it seems to work best for me if I hold it on my chest (with both hands for symmetry, and touching chin). I tried holding it behind my head, but my back seemed to be making threats. I have back trouble, or I have no doubt I'd get a better angle with the weight overhead.

Charles

 

[ExtraMile]

Thanks; I'll go with a couple days/week. I tried different positions with the dumbell, and it seems to work best for me if I hold it on my chest (with both hands for symmetry, and touching chin). I tried holding it behind my head, but my back seemed to be making threats. I have back trouble, or I have no doubt I'd get a better angle with the weight overhead.

Charles

that is a good point and I should have said, when the weight gets heavy and I hold it behind my head on decline situps, my lower back goes very tight during the lift, Im trying to keep it relaxed but its very hard. Im not sure exactly why but yeah if you have back trouble then avoid that. You could try putting the decline bench infront of a low cable pulley and using the rope attachment held with the ends of the rope infront of your shoulders too. I dont think that would cause the lower back pain, but you would have to try it.

I like using the ab wheel too.