Needsize - Ab routine

[Shak]

I know this has been covered before, but I'm having some difficulty doing these. It just doesn't feel like my stomach is doing any work. I've tried leaning back all the way to the bench, i've tried leaning back about halfway down, and i've tried just slightly leaning back.

I am holding it for a slow 5 second count...one one thousand, two one thousand...and I've added weight. I'm using a 25lb plate right now.

I wasn't doing any ab work when I started these, so I fully expected soreness the next day, but I felt fine.

I do feel a strain in my lower back when I lean back too far, so I've tried to avoid doing that.

I'm doing 5X5 now, but maybe I should up the reps?

Any ideas on what I could be doing wrong?

 

[IronandGravity]

You're doing declines right? Or flat on the floor?

I get a lot of lower back strain on flat situps. I need to build myself a decline setup in my garage and see if those hurt the lower back.

The abs are difficult to get sore, in my experience. But that doesn't mean they aren't getting worked.

 

[Shak]

Yep, declines.

That's what I'm afraid of - them not getting worked properly.

 

[lucidblue]

I have a lot of trouble with lower back pain on declines... I want to be able to do them, but I just can't at this point.

 

[Lee]

is the plate on your chest? just lock your legs into the decline bench, hold the plate on your chest, and go down til your head basically touches the floor (dont go down too fast cuz youll smash your head into the floor like ive done a few times), hold for about 2 or 3 seconds, and go up nice a slowly at a steady pace.

 

[Loner]

I have a similar problem I dont feal it every other time so I have to change the routine. Im doing these every other day now also its probably cause dunno its harder to do when ur natural? I go down to a point where it is hardest for me to stay and hold it for about 6 seconds, making sure to keep my back and neck strait. Im holding a 35 or 45 depends on how im fealing as far up my chest as I can get it. Then at the end of the first set of 5 it is very hard for me to bring the last one up. On the last set i try to exhaust myself and on the very last rep hold it as long as I can till almost failiur and sometimes I am able to bring it allt he way up usually i hold for about 12-15 seconds.

Sometimes which is weird none of this even has effect and I dont feal shit so I hold for 5 seconds at a the usuall level then i go down for another 5 to a much closer to back touching the seat 'which i found out isnt that productive but it works' and then bring it up that tires me out good.

NONE OF THIS is enough anymore I have to do weighted sit ups, weighted machine crunches and those leg lifts, this is just to feal a lil bit of soreness the next day. Also adding in holding up in a half sit u position and punching my stomach as hard as I can hope that helps piece

 

[chewyxrage]

i've been doing the 5x5 ab routine for a while now, I don't get sore off it anymore. Should prolly be adding some weight.

I was working out in a gym that had no decline bench one day so I just did 4 sets of 25 flat crunches, and the next day I was sore as hell.


One tip w/ the 5x5.........make sure you are focusing on squeezing your abs together, especially when you go back up. That'll get it burning.....

 

[Maverick]

squeezing is a very good tip, it works i tried it. keep your abs flexed when you do any ab exercises.