abs

[bourgeois funk]

what is the best way to train abs?

i was reading a fitness board and came across someone who said this:

In terms of training it's important to bear in mind that multiple reps (10-15 or more) per set for multiple sets will result in a hypertrophy of the abdominals. This means that they will get bigger. I've actually had the pleasure of training briefly with a boxer/martial artist who looked like he had a gut - he didn't. His abs were hard as a rock but distended (sticking out like a gut) b/c of multiple rep sets of training.

I always thought multiple sets were the best way to get flat well defined abs. is my information wrong, or is he wrong?

 

[Tagio]

that's retarded. they won't get distended or 'stick out' unless your intestinal volume is high or you have something happening UNDERNEATH the muscle.

well-defined abs come from low bodyfat, and if you want them 'flat' then just don't train them at all - if you train them and they grow, they'll get a shape to them and won't be flat.

 

[Tagio]

btw if you want to see hypertrophied abs trained with multiple heavy sets, check out needsize's avatar or pics. he's about as far from having a 'gut' as a human being can be

 

[Buddy_Christ]

my abs do stick out and will start sticking out more the more work i give them. it really sucks actually. when i was in boot camp we did tons of ab work. towards the end, my stomache actually started to stick out a little, but it was all muscle. and i had no access to junk food or anything else, and come on, Marine Corps boot camp is like 16 hours straight cardio every day. while i did have well defined abs, they started sticking out further than my chest. now, 6 1/2 years later, i'm trying to beef my chest up so it overshadows my abs.

 

[lavi]

i got the same thing crack600, i think it's genetic...

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Working the abs with weight will tend to make them stick out more, due to the fact that the muscle is being placed against increasing levels of resistance and will grow to adapt, like everything else in your body.