Best ab exercises?

[superqt4u2nv]

Ok this goes out to all the people with a six pack what do you think is the best ab exercies and why?

 

[KillahBee]

I am sure no one will reply with some statement referencing diet as the best way to get a 6 pack.

(they are right by the way).

 

[HodgeMN]

Having a six-pack is more of a function of diet and body fat% than exercise. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix ab exercise or piece of ab exercise equipment that will get you there alone. Pick some that you like (I do sit-ups on a ball and a few others) and focus on diet.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

I like straight leg situps or ab pulldowns.

Best exercise to get a 6-pack, though - discipline at the dining table.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Gotcha on the diet part... very clean... took some tips from Daisy on the womans board. So really does not matter what you do in terms of exercise. It is more a matter of getting the BF% down?

 

[IronandGravity]

Well, first you have to build up the abs in order to show them. To build up some mass and strength in the abs I'd suggest decline sit-ups (weighted).

Check this site out and experiment, see what works well for you:
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/WaistWt.html#anchor172895

 

[Debaser]

I like bent-legged situps. Yes situps, and not crunches. The hip flexors should not be ignored.

 

[b fold the truth]

Train them hard, heavy, and full ROM. Find as many ways to train them as possible as they adapt pretty darn quickly...

If you want to see them...you need to focus on diet and cardio...

B True

 

[Backlash]

Use weights with whatever exercise you pick, rather than doing higher reps with just body-weight.

 

[slobberknocker]

I'm trying needsize's way. Get on the decline board and lower yourself like halfway, hold it there for a good 5 seconds, then come back. 5 sets of 5 with resistance. Only done it once so far but I liked it. And I think he got it from a powerlifter who squatted 900, if I remember correctly.

I also like standing ab pulldowns on the lat pulldown machine. Good range of motion.

 

[Debaser]

B fold out of curiousity, I believe you are a proponent of situps as opposed to crunches so I had some questions:

1. I do these with my feet flat on the floor, NOT anchored beneath anything. It seems to me that keeping your feet planted is actually part of the exercise, as this requires tremendous muscle stabilization.

2. I found the most comfortable way to add weight is with a dumbell behind the neck. The back part of the head has a little room between the dumbell plates. How do you do it?

3. Are the hip flexors mainly responsible for the beginning of the movement (getting you off the ground), whereas the abs work to complete the movement?

 

[b fold the truth]

Originally posted by Debaser
B fold out of curiousity, I believe you are a proponent of situps as opposed to crunches so I had some questions:

1. I do these with my feet flat on the floor, NOT anchored beneath anything. It seems to me that keeping your feet planted is actually part of the exercise, as this requires tremendous muscle stabilization.

I do them straight legged so I force both my heels and the under parts of my knees hard on the ground (of course with my big butt my knees don't come anywhere near touching though). Probably the same principle.

2. I found the most comfortable way to add weight is with a dumbell behind the neck. The back part of the head has a little room between the dumbell plates. How do you do it?

I don't have fancy dbells in my gym and it is a pain to switch plates to make them, so I use bands. I mostly use the mini band but sometime will use the light band and hold it around my ears (in that area) or slightly behind.

3. Are the hip flexors mainly responsible for the beginning of the movement (getting you off the ground), whereas the abs work to complete the movement?

No idea. I know that I need both of them to be strong and the way that I do it works both muscle groups...and when they get stronger my events and gym lifts get stronger. No big reason to rationalize it all out if I know that what I am doing is producing positive results on a body that has been training for over 10 years.

B True

 

[bignate73]

debaser,

your hip flexors get you off the floor, once your shoulder blades are up(or whatever spinal flexion ROM you have). when youve crunched as high as you can, the next part is lifting the torso fully off the ground, thats when the hip flexors come in.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Thanks folks. Now how many times a week should the abs be trained?

 

[Atomic Punk]

One of the keys to sucessfull Ab-training, is to treat them the same from a growth perspective, as you would your other muscle groups. People who only do 30-rep-sets specificly for abs are wasting energy & time in my opinion, unless that is what they do for the rest of their muscle reigons as well. This is why I stick with machine exercises, where you can go heavy with good form, as well as un-weighted exercises (like Inclined Straight-Legged Reverse Crunches) where I can only get between 10-15 reps. I then do maybe one(1) set of a 30-rep Ab crunch at the end.

Frequency(when compared to the rest of your routine) should be the same as well. In other words, if your body responds well to 2X per week(per muscle) routines, then I'd use the same principles for your abs. Just my opinion.