Working the Abs

[orionstar]

I am wondering what you guys have found to be the best ab routine? Do you do a million crunches or only a few, etc. How many days a week you work your abs, etc? I do crunches and the bicycle crunches once a week but I do a lot of them. Thanks for your input.

 

[Dposey]

I've definitely noticed a difference in my abs by doing needsize's variation of crunches twice a week. You do them on a decline bench, lower yourself until your torso is parallel to the ground, hold for five seconds, then go down and come back up, all in one rep. I've been doing 5x5 with a 25 lb. dumbbell and it's killer.

 

[kingkrs]

Hanging leg raises are the best for me. You also get a strong grip as a bonus from hanging from the chining bar.

Try them, I had to do negatives at first because I was too weak. Now I can do about 15 from a dead hang to my feet all the way up over my head. Do not swing! this is not a momentum exercise! slow and controlled.

Negatives will get you started in the right direction. Do three or four sets of two or three negatives. This will get your attention the next day. Pretty soon you will not have to do any negatives as your abdominals will be really strong.

 

[letsrun4it]

I do ball exercises, I have a bad back. They work well with an 18 pound medicine ball

 

[b fold the truth]

I do all kinds...something different 2-4x a week.

Crunches
Full ROM
Straight Legged
Bent Legged
Standing
High Reps
Low Reps
etc...

 

[Chambewy20]

I do a lot of hanging leg raises like others have said, ab pull downs with cable. I've been doing these things were i lay flat on bench, wrap a band around my feet beginning with legs straight out and pull knees up to chest, don't know what to call them, not really a leg raise but they kill dude!!!

 

[mm107]

I diet =]

Oh and hit my abs 1ce a week. But remember guys/gals Abs are made in the Kitchen. But its always nice to have a good stock in the fridge.

Figured i would edit the post and add my routine

I do decline situps with 25lbs.

then use the Lower Back Hyper Extensions and lay down opposite and do situps(BEST BURN)

Anothe workout is leg lifts from a decline, but head up, and do leg lifts while your partner throws them back down. and repeat, dont let your feet hit the floor and always have your partner throw ur feet down. This really burns the shit out of my abs.

I will start to throw leg lifts in the mix soon.

 

[bignate73]

you gotta have a purpose to training abs. mine is stability. i prefer to do:

hanging leg lifts (all the way to the bar I'm holding)
roman chair situps
cable pulldowns
hanging oblique lifts (basically put a bench under where you are hanging and lift up and over)
weighted situps

 

[MASTERDUTCH]

I have a lot of beer to still loose - 15 lbs of it so I do 3 different exercises a day - pretty much everyday - AB Bench extension, Ab Crunch Machine, seated bicycle - It has helped a lot I feel I have a stronger core

 

[lnlogauge]

I guess the reason I cant get the abs i want might have something to do with the weight gaining powder im taking now. Im trying to bulk up and have the abs i want at the same time, which isnt working so well for me.

 

[lostinfitness]

I do 3 ab classes a week. they consist of physio ball training as well as other methods. I also do decline sit ups with a 10 lb weight(just started).

without cardio abs would be non-existant. they would be hidden by curtains of fat...

 

[Lee]

weighted slant board crunches and leg raises work the abs pretty well.

 

[Protobuilder]

I concur w/ the hanging leg/knee raises. I also like hanging static holds where you just hold your knees/legs straight out and isometrically contract your entire midsection as long as you can. I also like front & side bridges/planks/supports w/e you call them. I don't just hold though, I slowly lower & then raise my body while in the support position, kind of like using an ab-wheel.

 

[gettinripped]

reverse crunches and decline situps, havent been doing them lately though, trying to remove the last little bit of fat. if you get big abs and still have belly fat you'll look even fatter.