WEEK THIRTY :: What Is The Best Ab Training Routine? [Archive]

cutlerfan

06-22-2005, 04:20 AM

I have to admit. When I read the question for the first time I was thinking about all of the different crunches and twists to make the abs cut and shredded but all of that is just a dream if you do not have a "full" training package. What I mean by that is.... diet and cardio are just as important, if not more important then ab training. Consider this.... if you continue to fill your car up with gas but neglect the oil you will eventually not go anywhere. Same way with abs. You must have low bodyfat and strong abdominals before anything but flab shows up under that skin.

Start off with restricting your calories and eat 6 small meals a day to keep your metabolism up. Drink plenty of water and none of that soda or sugary junk. It would be a good idea to cut carbs. Not completely but low enough to where you will still have energy. Eat plenty of proteins such as turkey, chicken and whey. Also, plenty of fibrous fruits such as apples and vegetables such as spinach and asparagus.

When lowering your calories you will want to start a cardio routine consisting of long endurance and high intensity interval training. The long endurance session consists of 30-45 minutes of nice paced cardio. High intensity intervals are 15-20 minutes of cardio consisting of fast and slow speeds for intervaled times depending on your condition.

When doing a program a person may want to consider a fat burner because quite frankly a calorie restriction and a hard day of training can really do a number on the metabolism. I would start using a fat burner when results are becoming less and less apparent with time. I would choose one based on your health. If you have a heart condition I would stay away from it completely although if your healthy I would log onto Bodybuilding.com and check out the most popular fat loss pills available. I personally like a nice stimulant like Synephrine, Caffeine or Ephedra (wherever available).

Now to the exercises. I prefer doing one part of the abdominals a day so nothing is neglected. On day 1 I may to the obliques. This consists of crunches with a twist, holding a stick and twisting and also leg raises to the sides. I do these until I am completely exhausted. On day 2 I do the tops which include basics like regular crunches and rope pulldown crunches. On the last ab day I do the lower abs which consist mainly of leg lifts up to the chest, bycicle kicks and v-crunches..

Secrets to a nice midsection are not in the gym.... they are in the kitchen.

Tarkana

06-22-2005, 08:59 AM

The legendary six-pack

It's summer time now, and everyone wants to trim bown for the beach weather. And no matter how muscular the rest of your body is, it wouldn't look quite right without those nice set of abs. We all know everyone wants them, which is why the tv is polluted with infomercials of these so-called ab machines, leading to many myths about ab training.

Now whether you train them or not, your abs are still there, and with low enough body fat, can appear even if they are untrained. So henceforth, lowering your body fat is the most important thing in acheiving those abs, especially since men to accumulate most of their fat right where those abs are. And doing sit-ups and crunches doesn't burn fat. But if you really want those rock-hard abs with really deep groves, then they must be trained.

The truth about abs training

What many people seem to forget is that abdominals are a muscle just like any other. The only difference is they are a smaller muscle group and recover a bit faster. But just like any muscle, the workload must keep on going up for them to keep growing. This is why unweighted exercises are inefficient. And you should also notice that those ab-rolling machines have the same problem, so if you bought one, prepare to burn it, as they are only good for they extremely out-of-shape.

Since abs recover faster, I train them 3 times a week (you could do 4 if you recover faster). To make sure my abs are trained completely, with every muscle fiber, I use a different rep range for each of the 3 days. Since weight is needed, the ab exercises I use are weighted decline sit-ups, leg-raises with a weight in your legs (I can't hold that much though) and cable crunches (these can be done on bowflex/crossbow type machines). So this is what my routine looks like:

Light weight/high rep day: 40 decline situps with 10 lbs in each hand, 30 cable crunches (i cant give the weight on these becaus what the machine says is pretty off, but trust that i use more on heavier days), 20 leg raises, 2.5 lbs, usually 2-3 sets

Heavy weight/low rep day: 10 decline sit-ups with 35 lbs in each hand, 15 cable crunches, 7 leg raises, 10 lbs

Medium weight/rep day: 25 decline sit-ups with 20 lbs in each hand, 20 cable crunches, 12 leg raises, 5 lbs

Now for different people the weight will be different, as I'll have to increase the weight eventually too, but the template would be the same, trying to get to almost failure on each set, then failure on the last one. Beyond that, there's alo the cardio that is done to burn fat, and I find HIIT to be good.

The six-pack diet (heheheh)

As I've said, the most important part of visible abs is low bady fat, so of course the diet would be the standard cutting diet. Now if you are a very patient person, then I would recommend doing the ab routine on a bulking phase so they will grow faster, then amze yourself with the results once you cut, but it can be done on a mderate diet too. So basically the diet is whatever best suits you for your cutting phase; keep high GI carbs to a minumum, same with saturated fatand trans fatty acids, eat lots of clean protein, most of us are pretty familiar with the drill, and this website has tons of articles on cutting, and you can find them here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=CuttingUpDiets
As far as supplements go, those too would be ones that help you burn fat. We all know protein powder is the standard, adding to the diet and preserving muscle when cutting. As far as fat-burners go, Lipo 6 seems to be the favorite if you don't mind a lot of sitmulants. I, personally, am not a big fan of stimulants, and although I've never had the need for a fat-burner since I tend to be rather skinny anyways, but I would probably use something more along the lines of NOW CLA extreme, and its ingredients, to my understanding, help preserve muscle too.

The final results

How long it takes depends on how far you are right now, and, as your physique always depends on, genetics. This happens to be one of those times where naturally skinny people like me have it a bit easier, though ab training is stilla good thing. If your abs are already well trained and you just have a little weight to lose, or are just amazimgly blessed, you could probably pull off a nice six-pack in a few weeks. But, assuming your not one who just can't seems to lose weight, you could probably get some nice abs in a little over a month, with enough time after to enjoy the rest of summer.

Bonus question:

Although I wouldn't normally do many bodyweight exercises, If one were away from any exercise equipment, what I would advise wouldn't be sit-ups. I once read somewhere, then found it true when I examined it with myself, is thatsit-ups actually use a muscle in your lower back to thighs more and that will tire out before your abs are trained well enough. Also they can hurt your lower spine. So the best bodyweight ab exercises, which I sometimes use to supplement my ab workout, are modified jack-knives (where i bring my legs upp more) and that thing we do in highschool sports where you lie on the groung with your hands under your arse and hold your legs about 6 inches above the ground for a few minutes.

hepennypacker52

06-22-2005, 12:13 PM

(sorry for the excessive amounts of color, I wrote this article when I had an excessive color frenzy :D)

Getting That Visible Sixpack

Without a doubt, the most misunderstood part about getting that "sixpack" is actually how to get it. Most people believe that doing 1,000 crunches a day, 6 days a week, will get them that sixpack they've always dreamed of. This is wrong. It also leads us to:

*Ab principle #1: Making your abs visible is all about how low your BF (bodyfat) percent is*

What's this mean? It means that no matter how many situps you do, or ab machines you use, if you have a high BF% you will not be able to see your abs. While it is true that doing ab workouts will help define and strengthen your abs, if you don't have your bodyfat low enough, you won't be able to see them.

Diet

Your diet is very important in the process of shedding fat off your body. It's just common sense that you can't stuff twinkies down your pie hole and lose fat at the same time. To lose weight, you must go on a weight loss diet, that's also common sense. How much (or little actually) do you need to eat? This brings us to:

*Ab principle #2: You must eat less than your maintenance caloric intake*

If you want to find our your true maintenance caloric intake, you'll have to monitor your diet for a couple weeks. Record everything you eat, and all the macronutrient values (protein, carbs, and fat) of what you eat. Measure your weight before the start of the week, and at the end of the week. If you're weight stayed the same, find the average amount of calories you took in each day, and that's what your body needs to maintain your current weight.

Ok, so how much less should I be taking in each day? Start off with reducing your maintenance calories by 200. Check your weight after a week. If you're losing weight as much as you want to weekly, keep that amount of calories. If you barely lose anything, reduce total calories by another 200. Keep doing this until your satisfied with what you're losing. You shouldn't have to go below 12 x bodyweight, assuming that you're doing cardio.

Now what macronutrient ratio's should you be using when trying to lose weight? Make 20-30% of your total calories come from fats, good fats of course, try and stay away from eating too many saturated fats. You should also be taking 1.3-2g of protein per pound of bodyweight. The rest of your diet should come from carbs.

*A note on carbs: simple sugars should be avoided when trying to lose weight, with the acception of post-workout to restore muscle glycogen. For pre and post workout nutrition, refer here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=272067*

*Ab principle #3: Protein consumption should be 1.3-2g/lb of bodyweight*

*Ab principle #4: Avoid simple sugars, accept post workout*

*Ab principle #5: Have 1 cheat meal every week*

Eat absolutely whatever you want, this is your meal to enjoy after the good week you've had following your strict diet. Give yourself this meal, it won't mess you up. Just don't let it get way out of control. An acceptable cheat meal is something like a nice piece of cake and ice cream, not a whole cake and carton of ice cream. What will mess you up is after a couple weeks of following a totally strict diet, you just go on an eating binge and gain back all the fat you just lost.

*Ab principle #6: Don't go on a low carb diet*

I'm not going to go into details with this, but we all know what you will lose weight on a low carb diet, but it's not weight that you will actually keep off for a long time. Using carb cycling can be beneficial, but a low carb diet all the time is no good.

That wraps up the basics for dieting for fat loss. Now on to cardio.

Cardio

Cardio is essential when looking to maximize fat loss, it won't be the "holy grail" that will make you lose 20lbs fast, diet and proper weight training will do that for you, but it will help, plus cardio has great health benifits. There are different ways of approaching cardio.

High intensity cardio. The most popular of these is HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). Here are some good links to HIIT:

http://www.wsu.edu/~strength/hiit.htm

http://www.musclemedia.com/training/hiit.asp

http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0101/cf.htm

Low intensity cardio. When you do high intensity cardio, it usually takes about 20 minutes, while doing low intensity cardio takes longer. But in reality, the amount of calories burned is almost the same, no matter if you run it, or walk it. Some very overweight people can't handle HIIT, they could run into serious medical problems. Low intensity cardio is the perfect answer for them. Start off low and gradually build your time walking up, or increase the pace a little. Some links on low intensity cardio:

http://www.janatrains.com/default.asp?id=3&newsaction=newsdetail&articleid=20

http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/shane2.htm

*Ab principle #7: Perform high intensity cardiovascular exercise 2-3 times weekly*

There's no need to kill yourself doing cardio 6 times per week. Three HIIT sessions is plenty of cardio to burn fat.

*Ab principle #8: Perform low intensity cardiovascular exercise 3-6 times weekly*

There's no problem with taking a long walk every morning, but for someone extremely overweight, 3 times a week would be a better starting platform.

Training the Abdominals

Doing any type of ab workout won't get you a sixpack, we've already covered that. But it still is good to train the abdominals with resistance, because:
[list]
The abdominals are a muscle, and they shouldn't be neglected, just like you wouldn't neglect your chest.

Having a good "core" will also help and provide more safety for the big compound movements (ie squat, deadlift)

*Ab principle #8: Train abs with resistance, with 8-15 reps*

*Ab principle #9: Do not do ulta high rep ab work*

You won't do yourself any good busting yourself with sets of 1,000 crunches. Keep reps low, like any other exercise, with about 8-15 reps, and use resistance.

What exercises do you do? You can do a search anywhere and you'll find a bunch of ab exercises, but I'll give a sample one:

Swiss ball crunches
Hanging leg raises
Side bends

For each exercise, do 3 sets of 8-15 reps. Add weight when and if possible. Perform 1-3 times a week. It's nothing too complicated, and very easy to make your own ab workout.

This wraps up ab training and how to get those visible abs. And don't forget:

*Ab principle #10: Stay motivated, and be consistent!*

Here's all of the principles again:

*Ab principle #1: Making your abs visible is all about how low your BF (bodyfat) percent is*

*Ab principle #2: You must eat less than your maintenance caloric intake*

*Ab principle #3: Protein consumption should be 1.3-2g/lb of bodyweight*

*Ab principle #4: Avoid simple sugars, accept post workout*

*Ab principle #5: Have 1 cheat meal every week*

*Ab principle #6: Do not go on a low carb diet*

*Ab principle #7: Perform high intensity cardiovascular exercise 2-3 times weekly*

*Ab principle #8: Train abs with resistance, with 8-15 reps*

*Ab principle #9: Do not do ulta high rep ab work*

*Ab principle #10: Stay motivated, and be consistent!*

BONUS

If I were to go on vacation, I would try as hard as you could to keep the same exercises, but I would just increase the resistance without weights. Just perform the reps slower, and really hold out and squeeze at the top. Another thing that I had to do during lacrosse season was lay flat on the floor, and raise up your feet about 1/2 of a foot, and keep your feet together. Hold that position for at least 60 seconds. Do this for a few sets. As the days progress, increase the time by about 15 seconds each day, and more if you can handle it.

Tarkana

06-22-2005, 12:49 PM

dude, i hate doing those leg holding things so much. in wrestling, they may make us do them for a few minutes at a time.

drugzkill

06-22-2005, 03:28 PM

Key to Great Abs: 20-rep breathing squats, heavy bench, and heavy deadlifts

mivi320

06-22-2005, 03:42 PM

What Is The Best Ab Training Routine?

Abs. Everybody wants them and everybody has them. Yep, that's right. The abdomen is a muscle, just like any other muscle in the body. The abdomen muscle is not as developed and prominent for those who don't have a distinguished sixpack. The abs are there, but a layer of fat or lack of development is the reason why that sixpack is nonexistant. How do you develop the abdomen muscles to get that visible sixpack? What are the best ways to shed that unwanted layer of fat covering up those abs? What about supplements? Are genetics holding you back from accomplishing your goals of getting that nice set of abs? Read on to find out!

Nutrition

In the realm of bodybuilding, fitness, and overall health, nutrition certainly plays a key role. Proper nutrition is vital for fueling intense workouts, maintaining homeostasis, and encouraging growth. Proper nutrition also goes a long way in helping you achieve your goals of obtaining that sixpack. It's simple. If you're carrying around a bit of extra fat tissue, then it's logical to go on a diet that focuses on a calorie deficit which will ultimately cause your body to drop that unwanted fat around the midsection. Less fat tissue around the midsection translates into better distinguishment of the abdominal muscles. Be sure to eat balanced meals, preferably 4-6, throughout the course of the day including all 3 macronutrients into those meals. Eat a variety of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats for optimal results. Below is a list of accpetable foods that should be eaten on a regular basis:

Proteins

-Chicken Breasts
-Lean Steak
-Salmon
-Fish
-Eggs
-Milk
-Turkey
-Lean Pork
-Cheese
-Protein Shake

Carbohydrates

-Old Fashioned Oatmeal
-Brown Rice
-Potatoes
-Whole-grain Cereal
-Barley
-Beans
-Whole Wheat Bread
-Pasta
-Fibrous Vegetables
-Fruits

Fats

-Olive Oil
-Fish Oil
-Flaxseed Oil
-Avocodo
-Egg Yolk
-Salmon
-Nuts
-Seeds

All of these foods can be incorporated into a nutrition program designed just for bringing out that sixpack as long as they fit into the daily quota of calories needed. Simple as that!

"Cheating" is acceptable also, but must be kept to a minimum while trying to shed fat. A piece of cheesecake or a slice of pizza once or twice a week isn't going to hamper your progress much. If you're one of those people who can stay on a diet without indulging into junk foods, then more power to you.

Training the Abs

There is no "magic" ab training routine out there. Everybody is different and responds differently to various training techniques. To reccomend one ab training program for everyone is quite foolish. However, there are a few guidelines to follow when training the abdomen muscles:

-Train the ab muscles with added resistance. This can be done by simply holding a weighted medicine ball or weighted plate while performing crunches.
-Go by feeling, rather than counting reps. With much harder movements like hanging leg raises, refrain from counting repetitions. Direct your attention on contracting the abdomen muscles and feeling them being recruited.
-Train abs after completing your workout. At this point, you're drenched in sweat and very exhausted. This correlates into a much more difficult ab training session, thus creating great resistance. Just what you want. Training abs after completing your workout also prevents potential injuries.
-Progression. Each and every ab training session, add more resistance. This can be done by simply performing weighted sit-ups one week with the addition of a 25lb. plate one week and then performing sit-ups the following week with a 35lb. plate the subsequent week. Better yet, occasionly try aiming for a certain amount of time instead of counting repetitions. Crunch at a steady pace for 3 minutes one workout, and go for 4 minutes the following workout.

Like I mentioned earlier, everyone is different and reacts differently to various training methods. Same concept applies to choice of exercises. Below is a brief list of exercises for the abdominals that will get you that rock hard pair of abs:

-Decline Crunch
-Weighted Sit-Up
-Side Bend
-Cable Crunch
-Hanging Leg Raise
-Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise
-Leg Pull-In
-Janda Sit-up

Again, the above is just a brief list. Pick and chose your own arsenal of exercises to develop and sculpt out those solid abdominal muscles!

Cardiovascular Activity

Alright, you've got your nutrition program and ab training in check, but what about cardio? Cardiovascular activity will play a very significant role in bringing out those abs. With the addition of a sound nutrition regimen, cardio will bring you one step closer to achieving your goals. The choice of cardiovascular activity is totally up to you. Whether it be sprinting, walking in the park with the dog, shooting hoops with the fellas, or jogging on a treadmill, just get moving!

Supplements

Before even touching on the topic of supplements, be sure that a calorie deficit is created along with a solid ab training program. Are supplements necessary? No. Do they help you achieve your goals faster? Yep, sure do! Protein powders, MRPs, and protein bars are so convenient, and will help you out if you're in a jam at work or school. Fat burners will turn your dreams of obtaining a visible sixpack into reality along with a solid nutrition, ab training regimen, and cardiovascular activity at a quicker rate. Caffeine will provide your body with ample energy to have great workouts, even when on a calorie restricted diet. Bottom line: Suppplements can be very beneficial and can effectively aid you in reaching your goals!

Genetics

Are genetics holding you back from getting a nice set of abs? Definately not.
Sure, we all have different body types: Endomorphic, Ectomorphic, and Mesopmorphic. We all have certain limitations on what we can do. But with hard work, dedication, devotion, and a great work ethic, anything is possible. The right ab training program will allow each and every one of us despite body type, to create a nice set of rock solid abs along with proper nutrition, exercise, and cardiovascular activity.

How Long Does It Take To See Results?

It's solely up to the individual. Everbody progresses at a different rate. There is no set standard of weeks or months of just how long it takes to notice results. With a proper calorie deficit established, the individual should expect to lose up to 0.5-1.0lb. per week. Each week, the ab muscles should appear with more muscular definition!

BONUS

On vacation, while away from weights and machines, I would perform bodyweight abdominal exercises while setting a stopwatch for 5 minutes. I would proceed by crunching for the entire 5 minutes, focusing on contracting and making every rep count. I would train abs after cardiovascular activity since by then I'll be warmed up and sweating. I'd simply place my feet under a piece of furniture in the hotel or simply raise them a few inches off the ground, and continue to crunch. Even effective abdominal training can be done while on vacation!

Best of luck with your Ab training,
Mike

BigNorwegian

06-22-2005, 05:43 PM

Crunches? 6 Second Abs? Ab Swing? What's The Answer?

For so many of us having great abs, or a six pack has almost become a fad. A sexy slim waist, wash board abs, those "sex lines", its almost like magic, they seem to captivate the human eye. When I took a local poll asking, "What body part do you think women look at first on a man?", 9/10 of the responses were "abs" or "stomach". Hell, if women love abs so much, no wonder so much of the male population bust their ass's to get those damn abs. Even those who do not train seriously, try to achieve a 6 pack, but are they going about it the correct way? What is the correct way? Will thousands of crunches get the job done? What about those products seen on T.V.? "Get a six pack with 6 second abs in only THREE WEEKS!", "Wear this belt as it tasers the crap out of you while you WATCH TV and you'll get abs in NO TIME!" will they work? Probablly not, unless you have the genetics of an ape on steroids, or are related to Ronnie Coleman or Jay Cutler. It seems as though many of those who are looking for a 6 pack are uninformed, and unfortunately ignorant, thus allowing the notion that getting a 6 pack is much more difficult than it really is. In this article you'll learn the truth about the abs, and how to properly go about getting a 6 pack in less time than you'd ever believe.

*Understanding The Muscle:

First lets try to understand the muscle group that is so often referred to as the "abs". The abdomine regent is made up of four seperate muscles, the internal and external obliques, the transverse abdominis and the rectus abdominis. Oh dont these words bring back those memories of bio class? No wonder we just call our stomach muscles "abs", or as they are also sometimes referred to as "core" muscles. These core muscles are made up of your abs as well as your lower back. The abs assist the human body in the moving of the torso. Abs generally move in two main motions, flexion and rotation. If we are able to understand how each part of our abdominal regent moves, we will be able to sculpt our abs to their fullest extent and in little time.

Rectus Abdominis

Where is it?
The rectus abdominis is a fairly flat yet wide muscle, and this is the muscle that many of us generally refer to as "the six pack". It is located between the sternum and pelvis. Though we call it a "six pack", in realtiy it is only one muscle. Which means they generally contract together at the same time, making it difficult to only target either the upper abs or lower abs, though it can we done with the correct excersies.
How do they flex?
The rectus abdominis flexes as we move our torso in a foward motion and as we bring out pelvis upward.
What excersises target the rectus abdominis?
Excersises such as the crunch, sit ups, pelvic tilt, leg raises, cable crunch, all help develop this area.

The Obliques (Internal & External)

Where is it?
The obliques are the muscles which run down both sides of our torso, one muscle on each side. The external obliques are those muscles which create that "V" shape, also known as "sex lines", which seem to drive the women crazy. The internal obliques, not surprisingly, lie internally, just under the external obliques, and are shaped like an inverted "V" and run in the opposite direction as the external obliques.
How do they flex?
The internal and external obliques function in the same way, they can be excersised by means of rotation and/or lateral flexion of the torso.
What excersises target the obliques?
Excersises such as the cross-body crunch, decline oblique crunch, dumbbell side bend, leg/knee raises, and plate twist all help develop the obliques.

Transverse Abdominis

Where is it?
The transverse abdominis are made up of extremely thin fibers are make up the deepest layer of the abdomin.
How do they flex?
Well, the transverse abdominis is involved with abdominal compression. What does this mean? Well it means that this muscle provides fairly little movement and is useless in working out.
What excersises target the transverse abdominis?
Should not be a concern, too little of movement to properly workout and will end up in a waste of time.

*Nutrition and Developing Abs:

Often you will hear those experienced say "abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym." Many of the uninformed unfortunately believe just the opposite, sticking to a good ab routine will help them alone develope a six pack, wrong! Your bodyfat percentage plays a major role in the development of your abdomin regan. Since the abdomin is made up of so many small muscles, it is difficult to see them unless your body fat is low. Generally most people begin to see their abs at around 12% bf, however every individual is different. Genetics play a fairly large role in developing the abdominal muscles. People often have different shapped abs, have different recovery periods for their abdominals and many of us hold body fat differently on our body, however in time we can all gain that sexy six pack. Generally it takes around 30 days to drop 1% body fat in a healthy manner, so the amount of time it takes to develop a 6 pack is different from person to person.

How do I get my bodyfat to ab standards?

The Diet:
The diet should consists of a fairly low calorie intake, lower than which your body maintains its current body fat at. You should try to advoid fats and maintain a high protien intake. Here is a sample of cutting diet thanks to "LancePlaya".

- Meal 1
1/3 cup plain oats
350 ml egg whites
multi vitamin

- Meal 2
2 or 3 plain rice cakes
1 can of tuna 133 g drained weight

- Meal 3
1 cup steamed broccoli
6 ounces of boneless skinless chicken

- Meal 4
1 cup steamed broccoli
6 ounces of boneless skinless chicken

- Meal 5
1 table spoon EFA's(fatty acid)
1 can tuna 133 g drained weight

- Meal 6
1 table spoon EFA's(fatty acid)
350 ml egg whites

*Note* Those words in italics hold significance.

BigNorwegian

06-22-2005, 05:45 PM

...continued
Cardio:
Cardio should be done every other day, starting at 15 minutes the first week and increasing the time each week after. Cardio excersises may include: treadmill, stationary bike, eleptical machine, jump ropeing, boxing, running, basically anything that will get your heart rate up quickly.

What Is a Good Routine To Target My Abs?

How To Work Your Abs:
Many people are over anxious in developing their abs, so they seem to think that working them out everyday will speed the process up, this is entirely wrong. Your abdomin muscles are like any other muscle, and should be worked the same way: hard and direct stimulation with a fair amount of a resting period in between each workout. However, it is known that the abs recover much quicker than most muscles in the human body, generally it takes 48 hours for them to rest. A good rule of thumb with your abs is if they are still sore, continue to rest them, might sound stupid, but hey sometimes it just takes some common sense.

A Good Ab Routine:
I personally like training my obliques first, then hit my lower abs hard, then my upper abs.

The Obliques

- Dumbbell Side Bend (One of my personal favorites, I feel its under appreciated)
Exercise Data:
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Sets:
12X50lbs (right and left side)
10X60lbs (right and left side)
10X65lbs (right and left side)
8X75lbs (right and left side)

- Hanging Knee Raise To The Side
Exercise Data:
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Compound
Sets:
12 raises (right and left side)
10 raises (right and left side)
10 raises (right and left side)

- Oblique Crunches
Exercise Data:
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Sets:
12 crunches (right and left side)
12 crunches (right and left side)
10 crunches (right and left side)
10 crunches (right and left side)

The Abs

- Ab Crunch Machine (Yes a machine, one of the few times I will recommend using one)
Exercise Data:
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Machine
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Sets:
25 crunches (light weight, I use 20)
25 crunches (light weight, I use 25)
10 crunches (medium - heavy weight, I use 50)
10 crunches (medium - heavy weight, I use 50)
8 crunches (heavy weight, I use 80+)

- Weighted Decline Crunch
Exercise Data:
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly or Weight If Desired
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Sets:
20X25lbs
15X35lbs
15X35lbs
10X45lbs (very slow negatives)

- Flat Bench Leg Pull-In Crunch (variation of leg pull in, but with an added crunch movement)
Exercise Data:
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Compound
Sets:
25 crunches
25 crunches
20 crunches
20 crunches

What If I Don't Have Access To Weights?
For some of us getting access to weights can be difficult, exspecially if we are on vacation. But what can we do to keep our abs in shape? Well, there are many ab excersises which use only your bodyweight rather than machines or weights. Some of my personal favorites include: seated leg pull-ins, slow crunches, oblique crunches, leg pull-in crunches, bicycle kicks, seated leg raises, and russian twists.

*Note* Excersise data was found on bodybuilding.com, if you are confused in reguards to an excersise, an indepth description may be found at http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?MainMuscle=Abdominals

*Supplements, Will They Aid My Six Pack Voyage?

Seeing that people are almost always over anxious to developing their abdomin area, many try to find short cuts, one of them being, supplements.

Will Supplements Help?
Yes supplements will help and aid your goal of getting a lean stomach or six pack, but that isn't to say that you should depend upon them to get to where you want to be. You must keep in mind that a good diet, cardio, and the right ab routine are the keys to getting that six pack.

What Supplements Will Help?

ECY Stack:
The ECY stack is a fat burning stack which consists of ephedrine, caffeine, and yohimbine. Many believe that this is the best fat burning stack since the ban of ephedra. The ECY stack will raise your metabolism, allowing your body to go into a larger calorie defficte thus aiding to your body's fat loss. It will also help you have less craveings for food throughout the day, keeping your appetite down. The caffeine in the stack will allow your energy to be raised and it will keep you focused as well. For the money, value, and results, I feel this is easily the best fat burning stack out there currently. I am currently on this stack, and I am loveing it.

MAN Scorch:
A very popular fat burning agent on the market today is MAN Scorch, a metabolic enhancer. This supplement will help your body go into a larger calorie defficite as well. It will boost your thyroid activity, provide energy bursts and it is also known to suppress your appetite. MAN Scorch contains green tea, which has been prooved to reduce weight and keeps you more focused.

Lipo 6:
Perhaps the best known of the fat burners. Lipo 6 works as an appetite suppressant due to the synephrine HCL found in it, increased energy and mental focus from the caffeine, and will increase your metabolism. Lipo 6 is made by a very credible company, and has prooved time after time that their products work. A wise choice if your willing to spend the $40.00.

Tarkana

06-22-2005, 08:05 PM

- Weighted Decline Crunch
Exercise Data:
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Sets:
20X25lbs
15X35lbs
15X35lbs
10X45lbs (very slow negatives)

equipment: body only??? how can u do a weighted decline situp with nothing more than your body? did u just repeat the descriptions from the exercise data base? lol :P

BigNorwegian

06-23-2005, 04:32 AM

equipment: body only??? how can u do a weighted decline situp with nothing more than your body? did u just repeat the descriptions from the exercise data base? lol :P

You hold a plate on you, Im sure you've seen it done before.

Tarkana

06-23-2005, 07:33 AM

well i do it myself sometimes, but wouldn't that be equipment?
eh, whatever, not a big deal

BigNorwegian

06-23-2005, 12:50 PM

well i do it myself sometimes, but wouldn't that be equipment?
eh, whatever, not a big deal

Yea I got yah, sorry, good find man : ) Error on my behalf.

braindx

06-23-2005, 01:19 PM

Since I don't really want to write a long article (and the previous I wrote wasn't saved! arghhhhh!) I will just answer the bonus question for you guys.

Crunches and situps I have found are very ineffective as they mainly only work the top part of your abs and neglect the obliques and the lower portion of your abs. Girls especially that want a toned stomach probably won't want to neglect the lower portion of their abs especially with all the skimpy bikinis going around nowadays. Gymnastics, IMO, offers probably the best conditioning for the ab muscles I have seen with or without weights.

Here's a list of exercises that can be done on the ground:
L-seat
V-ups
Hollow Body Rockers

Requires an elevated bar:
Leg-ups
Front Lever Progressions

--------------------------------

Before I get into all of this, here's a little about me. I was a former gymnast back to when I was about 5 to 10ish and then I quit. My interest dwindled a bit, but now when I'm back in college at 19 I have gotten back into the sport more and work out at a gym from time to time. It's fun stuff even though I will never be olympic material or anything special like that. I basically Use a variety of the bodyweight conditioning exercises above. When I went into the weight gym last semester with a few friends, I had to use 45 pound weights at 15-20 reps just to get my abs tired on decline situps without EVER doing any weighted ab exercises before. And to put this into perspective I am 5'8" and weight a measily 132 pounds and I don't use supplements. Meh, I also eat pretty crappy food at times and am not on a diet so this stuff would probably work better for you if you are on one. I would argue that these exercises are probably some of the MOST effective ab exericses and the only ones you will ever need.

--------------------------------

Now, let's get down to the exercises!

L-seat - This is one of the most basic positions in all of gymnastics especially for the males. Many progressions of skills come out of this, which is why it is important to have a strong L-seat. Basically what you want to do to ulitize this exercises build up to a level where you can hold this position for 60 seconds without touching the ground with your legs. Initially, it will feel like this is impossible, but this is one of the main 'standards' for gymnasts... the ability to hold this for 60 seconds without breaks!

When starting out, you probably will not be able to hold this a full 60 seconds, so make sure you get at least a full 60 seconds of total WORK when doing this. For instance, if I get say a 30 second hold on my first try, I will want to hold this for at least another 30 seconds. As your strength dwindles, you will be able to hold it less so it would probably end up as 30 seconds, 15 seconds, 10 seconds 5 seconds with 5-10 second breaks inbetween.

V-ups - These bad boys are HARD especially for the inexperienced. Basically you want to work up to sets of 20 to 25 of these if at all possible. I don't even think I could do that many in a row. The basic position you start in is the hollow body position (http://www.american-gymnast.com/tt/images/strength/midseccircuit/IMG_0461.jpg) and then bring your legs and torso together at the same time. An excellent illustration is here (second one from the top): http://www.american-gymnast.com/tt/strength/stomach/

Hollow Body Rockers - This exercise is one of my personal favorites. Basically you want to start in a hollow position (http://www.american-gymnast.com/tt/images/strength/midseccircuit/IMG_0461.jpg), and then while keeping your legs, arms and head off the ground, rock back and forth on your upper back to your lower back continuously. The variation of this I like to use utilizies the obliques as well. When you are on your upper back, you want to use your obliques to rotate your body about 15 degrees to either the right or left. Do this consecutively until you have reached a full 360 degree rotation. I usually try to do about 720 degrees each way before taking a break.

Leg-ups - Ah, one of the staples of gymnasts everywhere. Very hard exercise that will work your all of your abs as well as the top of your quads as well. Work up to sets of 10-15 of these if you can. The example of this is here (first one at the top): http://www.american-gymnast.com/tt/strength/stomach/

Front Lever Progressions - This exercise isn't necessarily abs because it works basically your WHOLE upper torso like it has never been worked before. Coach Sommer, one of the best gymnastic coaches in the country, wrote an article on it a while ago so he can explain them better than I can. Also included is planche progressions (which if you so choose to do them will work mainly your deltoids, back and chest). Here is the article (the front lever progressions are at the bottom, but I would suggest you read the whole thing): http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229/

--------------------------------

I actually enjoyed writing this, and I hope some of you will take interest in these ab exercises (and bodyweight conditioning in general... and perhaps gymnastics.. but that may be stretching it too far, haha) because they work better than weighted exercises I have found. They are excellent for building a very strong body as well as rock solid ripped abs. If nothing else, please read Coach Sommer's article... very good stuff.

Good luck in your training!
Steve

References:
http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229/
http://www.american-gymnast.com/tt/strength/stomach/
http://www.drillsandskills.com/skills/cond/core

W8isGR8

06-24-2005, 01:34 PM

Nothing, if you're lifting enough weight your abs are getting worked. Almost every exercise hits them, and it's not like you can't have them. They don't get much bigger either(not that you would really want that). Just diet down.
There are quite a few pro's who don't even work abs, you shouldn't have to either.

TheSternMystic

06-24-2005, 04:00 PM

The absolute best ab workout routine in my mind consists of a few, VERY simple exercises that don't require a machine.

Workout 1; Cruches
They're awsome. Although good posture is required, a good many crunches will give you the strongest abs around.

Workout 2; Bridges
Front; Hold your body up off the ground, with only your elbows and your feet touching. Keep your back perfectly straight, remember to keep baething, and hold it until you start shaking so bad you fall down. This is a great one for ab strength.

Sides; Much the the same as on the front, but instead, lie on your side, and prop yourself up with just your left/right elbow and the corresponding foot. Keep your Shoulders and hip perpendicular to the ground, and hold it until exaustion. This one works your obliques really nice.

Workout 3; 6 inches
Very simple. Lie flat on your back, then keeping your legs straight; raise your feet 6 inches off the ground. This one is so excruciating for your lower abs, it isn't even funny. They really hard to keep the small of your back touching the ground. If you can't hold it at six inches, raise your feet higher off the ground, this will make it easier. Again, hold until exhaustion.

Workout 4; V-Sit
Works a lot like 6 inches, only with this one you hold your torso off the ground too, making your body look much like a V, with your butt being the bottom.

Workout 5; Twists
Lie flat on your back, and raise your legs off the ground so that your Shins are parallel to the ground, with your quadriceps being perpendicular. Then you do a sit-up, but at the top of it, you twist your upper body side to side 8 times. All with your feet still elevated off the ground. Then go back down and start over. Do this until you absolutely cannot do another.

That's my favorite ab-workout routine, mostly because I can do it in my living room while watching TV. And the usual, if you want absolute sexy ripped abs, you need a well applied diet as well, to lose any excess body fat that will hide those beautiful abs.

sword chucks

06-24-2005, 08:19 PM

Do you have some band-aids? For the cuts you are about to have?

It's no secret. There is something very simple about getting abs. Getting down to that level of bodyfat that makes you the center of attention for the girls at the beach, and that makes all the guys ask "do you work out??", is a goal of many guys.

Why isn't everyone at the beach peeled to the bone with abs? People try, they really do. But there are too few people that know what it takes to lower their body fat to a noticably low level.

The Secret

Here is the secret. You can not expect to have abs if you have no muscle! As a bodybuilder you have to have, at one point, seen a skinny kid flexing his stomach and sneered... "he may think he is cut but its just a skinny pack!" A skinny pack is not the way to go. For a few reasons.

1- the abdominal muscles will have little development if you diet down and will not look good if they show up at all!

2- everyone knows its easy for skinny kids to have abs so people don't think much of it. Especially us bodybuilders. While you may not want other peoples' opinions to affect you, you know they do.

This is why getting abs takes extra patience. If you want abs you need to start priming your body for a 6-pack waaayyyy before the summer months. This will ensure your success!

Priming the body for abs

The "priming" phase of obtaining abs is what most of us would call a "bulking" phase. This is not necesary for someone who has 1/2 or more years of serious bodybuilding experience but for those of you who don't, this pretty much sums it up:

1- take some time and find a training routine that you are comfortable with.

2- the training routine should take care of the WHOLE PACKAGE. Most importantly are squats and deadlifts. These will strengthen your back and core significantly, aiding your posture. Having good posture is important for those of you shooting to have a board for a stomach.

3- focus on building your strength up in the 4-8 rep range using good form. This will make your muscles bigger and better looking.

After you are primed to get abs

Once you have gained a good amount of muscle weight, you will likely have some fat mass as well. Here are some pointers for when you want to diet down!

1- be patient

2- set goals each week

3- stay motivated by looking at pictures of everyday people who are at a body fat level that you want to be at

Training tips

While dieting, keep using the same method of training that worked best when you wanted to gain mass. It would be foolish to recommend just one program for someone dieting because everyone is different. For me a high volume, high frequency split has always worked, so I use it while dieting. If HIT works, then do it! The idea is to maintain muscle and if you are gaining strength then you are not losing muscle.

Cardiovascular activity

There are two levels of cardio as I see it. One is workout-level cardio. This can include a long hard run or a nice sprinting session that really fatigues you. This should be treated like a workout and you should use your regular pre and post workout nutrition protocol for these cardio sessions.

The other level of cardio is anything that slightly elevates your heart rate. This is different for everyone. If your fitness level is really high then you can mess around shooting hoops, or play tennis or badminton without hurting recovery. Walking is a great idea. Make sure not to spend so much time doing this that it makes you miss meals though ;)

Diet tips

Fats and Carbs burn in an amino acid flame. Amino acids raise your metabolism because of the amide complex which contains Nitrogen- a hard substance to metabolize. So eat lots of protein. Good protein sources include fish, eggs, lean meats and chicken.

Lowering carbs will not cause muscle loss! Instead of using carbs your body will use amino acids for its gluconeogenesis (the formation of glucose from non-carbohydrate molecules).

Lowering carbohydrates will cut the fat off before you know it. Studies show that a low carb diet allows a great environment for fat loss.

Include some non-fat dairy products in your diet because inadequate calcium intake blunts fat loss.

As always, consume upwards of 6 meals a day. Skipping meals to lose weight is counter-productive. The weight regulating mechanism, called the "Set Point", will protect itself from starvation when you miss a meal by slowing down your metabolism! Keep these meals small. Each meal should have a good portion of the day's protein to allow for a steady nitrogen balance.

Consume carbohydrates only around your workouts (weight training or intense cardio) and upon waking. Besides that, it is okay to have some dairy. Before going to bed, many people like to consume cottage cheese for its anti-catabolic properties.

You should not even be thinking about simple carbohydrates and there are a million reasons for this. 2 good ones include that sugar lowers blood sugar, making you crave more sugar, and that having sugar will lead to a good environment for fat gain instead of fat loss. Simple carbs are okay to having around a workout for recovery purposes though.

Tips for eating out:

1- ask questions - spit in your food has no calories! :rolleyes:
2- request substitutions or changes
3- get sauce on the side always.
4- ask for lower fat condiments if necesary
5- eat smaller amounts
6- alcohol is high in calories ;)

Supplements

You can add in supplements as you see fit if you can afford them. There is a whole world of supplements out there. Picking up a fat loss product like a thermogenic or hormone related product will speed up the amount of fat lost. Stimulants will help energy levels and keep you in a good mood to be motivated and train hard!

*note, caffeine can lower blood sugar making you hungry, and dehydrate you.

Exercise selection

To start this section, I should say that ab exercises are just like exercises for any other muscle- you can use machines, dumbbells, plates, whatever you like best, just as long as you can consistently make progress on the exercises. For me, I like the trunk twist machine, cable crunches, and legs-straight-out leg raises. I know someone else who likes to do super high rep bodyweight exercises. Whatever you do, aim to improve.

Applying math to your cut

Let's say to get a good set of abs you need to be at 10% body fat. At the end of your priming stage you are at 16 to 18% bodyfat and 160 to 200 pounds or higher depending on height. This means to lose 1% of bodyfat you must lose 1% of your total body weight, or 1.6 to 2.0lbs. As you cut down weight loss tends to slow, however, so it may look something like this:

Week 1- 6lbs lost (water weight included)
Week 2- 3lbs lost, or about 1 to 1.5% bf lost
Week 3- 1.5lbs lost or about .5 to 1% bf lost
Week 4- 1.5lbs lost

etc etc.

Using this knowledge, you can decide what will be a good time frame for you to lose enough fat to have a nice set of abs.

Each week you should not just see more of your abs but also more definition in your entire body. The end result will be worth all of the consistency that you put in.

Bonus

I know a nice ab superset that can be done when you are off on vacation to keep your abs solid.

First, lie on the edge of a bed and hold your upper body steady. Raise your legs up from parallel to the ground until they are just short of perpendicular to the ground and at the top raise your hips up. Repeat this until failure. Then, immediately go into a crunch position with your feet in the air and do crunches until failure.

This superset hits every part of the stomach and while it's probably not a good idea to rely on that for your abdominal size gains all the time, it is enough to maintain size over a vacation period.

BornOK 1st Time

06-25-2005, 01:34 AM

The answer can be summed up in 4 phrases:

Cardio
Weight Training
Proper Diet
light/moderate Ab exercises

live4this13

06-25-2005, 07:41 AM

Good job guys.....sword chucks, change the name of that article bro :cool:

LPA

06-26-2005, 12:15 AM

Hey, I need help calculating my BodyFat.. Just a random guess for any of you.. If I'm 5'7 and I weight 142 pounds.. What a close guess to that could be?

jgb99

06-26-2005, 05:08 AM

WEEK THIRTY :: What Is The Best Ab Training Routine?

What is the first thing people notice when your shirt is off? What do the girls go crazy over? Abs. But, how do you get that ripped six-pack you have always dreamed about?

Anatomy

Before we jump into discussing how the abdominals should be trained, and other related things, we must first look at the muscles themselves. The two main muscles in your abdominal region are the rectus abdominus and the obliques (made up of the internal and external obliques).

The rectus abdominus is what people label the ‘six pack abs’, when visible. It’s role is to move the thorax towards the pelvis (flexion).

The obliques, are on both sides of the the rectus abdominus (about where your elbow is when your arm hangs down, I know bad example but it’s the easiest way to explain it), they are a great accompaniment for a defined ‘six pack’. It like the rectus abdominus is involved in flexion, as well as rotating the thorax (rotation) and lateral movement away from the middle of your body (abduction).

What does it take to get a great set of abs?

Firstly it takes a low bodyfat. Without a low bodyfat your abdominal muscles will not be visible, as they will be covered by a layer of adipose tissue.

Secondly it takes well built abdominal muscles. Sure you’ll have a faint six pack with low bodyfat, but if you want a “great set of abs” that really stand out above others, you need to possess a fair amount of muscle in the abdominal region.

Hundreds of reps every day?

Not at all. Sure you can do hundreds of reps per day, but you will be training for local muscular endurance. People seem to believe that doing hundreds of sit ups will not only build nice abdominal muscles, but will allow you to reduce fat storage in the midsection. Again wrong. Fat loss in your body is a result of age, hormones and genetics. By doing abdominal exercises, you are targeting the abdominal muscles underneath the layer of fat, not the fat. If you want to lose bodyfat perform cardiovascular training 3-4 times a week and pay attention to your diet (I will discuss this later). The common belief that high reps burn fat is merely a myth.

And training every day? Again wrong. Your muscles need rest to grow, you would have heard this numerous times. The result of engaging in weight training or some other similar sort of exercise, is you produce beneficial little tears in your skeletal muscles, known as microtrauma. When you rest it allows for your body to repair these tissues, making your muscles bigger and stronger.

Low reps and high resistance?

This is better. However don’t keep reps too low (below 6) as it can result in injuries through improper form. I would recommend working in the 8-12 rep range as it is in a safe range, where you can work with a weight that allows you to perform reps with good form and it is also in a range that is promoting hypertrophy.

How often should you work your abs?

Once to twice a week is good enough for the majority of people. The abdominal muscles are involved in a quite a few compound movements, especially leg and lower back exercises like Squats and Deadlifts, so keep volume low as you don’t want the abdominals to be overtrained.

What are the most effective ab training exercises?

As long as they can be weighted, allowing for progressive overload almost all abdominal exercises are good…

My pool of exercises I use for my abdominal muscles are:

Rectus Abdominus (1 exercise, 3 sets of 8-12 reps)

- Weighted Hanging Leg Raises
- Weighted Decline Sit ups
- Cable Crunches

Obliques (1 exercise, 2 sets of 8-12 reps)

- Weighted Twisted Crunch
- Dumbbell Side Bends

How does nutrition play a role in it?

Diet is the most important part of reducing bodyfat, so you can see your abdominal muscles, and not have them covered by a layer of fat.

A brilliant diet I’ve discovered recently by reading on bodybuilding.com is Dr Squat’s “ZigZag Diet.” (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drsquat6.htm) This diet basically alternates periods of positive calorie balance with periods of negative calorie balance, allowing you to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

To get your bodyfat levels low enough so you can see those abs, you need to lose fat. In the article Dr Squat states, if your goal is to lose fat, you must follow these guidelines:

Subtract 2 calories per pound of body weight from your daily caloric intake.
The reduced calories should come mostly from fat calories, and NOT protein.
This caloric reduction should be applied to all of your 5 meals; NEVER skip meals!
For example, assuming that you weight 150 pounds, and you're eating 5 meals per day (highly recommended), you should reduce each meal by 60 calories (total of 300 calories reuction over a full day).
By reducing your daily caloric intake by 300 calories, you can expect to lose about 2 1/2 pounds of fat per month, assuming you're weight training for muscle mass preservation or increase.
Increase your caloric intake two days per week by 2 calories per pound of body weight, to ensure that you're getting enough calories to put on lean muscle, and that upward BMR adjustments are being made (called "zigzag dieting").
A quick synopsis of the rules of the diet are:

- Eat 5-7 meals per day
- In each of your meals the guideline for fat/protein/carbohydrate ratio should be 1 part fat/2 parts protein/3 parts carbohydrates, HOWEVER this can vary, and is not a strict guideline
- Assess what you are doing for the next few hours and eat according e.g. exercise (more carbohydrates), sleep (more protein, less carbohyrdates)
- Zigzag your calorie intake depending on your goals.
- Supplement your diet with multivitamins, minerals and EFAs.

What about supplements?

Supplements can be helpful to you, but will only supplement (as the name suggests) the hard work you do in dieting and training.

As I’ve told you so far. If you want visible abs you have to have a low bodyfat. Supplements that will help you do this are supplements that boost your metabolism and aid you in the process of burning excess fat.

These supplements have been mentioned in a previous topic (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek27.htm) of the week. If you are too lazy to go through the top posts, in summary what the majority of these guys believe to be the best fat burning supplements are (in no particular order):

Nutrex Lipo 6 (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/nutrex/lipo6.html) – contains many proven compounds that assist in the fat burning process

Avant Labs Sesathin (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/al/sesa.html) – based on a EFA that allows your body to burn fat, by using it as your energy fuel

Man Scorch (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/man/scorch.html) – speeds up your metabolism and suppresses your appetite. Also decreases presence of stress, depression and fatigue.

How long does it take to see results?

Depends on the person. Different people will progress at different rates. For some noticeable changes can occur within a month, for others it can take over 2 months.

Do genetics play a role?

Of course they do. Genetics will determine your ability to gain muscle or lose fat. Some people will have an easier time of it, others not so much. But it’s important not to let it affect you if you feel you’ve been given the rough end of the stick, as you can still make progress even if it is at a slower rate, and has more work involved, it will be all the more satisfying in the end.

jgb99

06-26-2005, 05:10 AM

Continued......

BONUS QUESTION: What are the best bodyweight ab exercises? What ab training routine would you following while on vacation, away from ANY weights or weight training machines?

There aren’t many challenging bodyweight abdominal exercises, that will allow you to just be able to perform 8-12 reps. A lot of people have trouble doing hanging leg raises, so they may want to try them, when on holiday, off the childrens play equipment at a park (I’m sure you’ll be able to find one in most places). To make them harder you can do them straight legged instead of bent legged. Shoot for 8-12 reps.

If you are on holiday I would say relax, don’t bother with any training while you’re there, just enjoy yourself and give your muscles a break, then train when you get back. However if your holiday stretches a bit further, over three weeks, then you might feel the need to do some training. If you go on long holidays fairly often, then you might want to look into getting some resistance bands. Not only can you workout your abs with these, but you can also train the rest of your body. For your abs the light resistance bands (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/gl/rescable.html) (5-60lbs band tension) should fit your needs, however for your other muscle groups (e.g. chest) you will probably need to look at getting the higher resistance bands (100lbs+ band tension), which they do not sell at bodybuilding.com…

To perform weighted crunches with the band simply wrap it around something e.g. a post, grab both handles, wrap arms around chest in an ‘X shape’ and perform crunches as you normally would. Shoot for 3 sets of 8-12 reps. You can also perform kneeling cable crunches, if you can find something which you can fix it to.

Resources and Helpful Links

Anatomy of the abdominals (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/abs.htm)

Abdominal exercises (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Real=%3C%3D+7&Name=&MainMuscle=Abdominals&Equip=&Isolation=&order=Name )

More abdominal exercises (http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/WaistWt.html)

Dr Squat’s ZigZag Diet (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drsquat6.htm)

Weight training myths (inc. spot reduction, lower abs myth and high reps burn fat) (http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Myths.html)

TOPIC OF THE WEEK 27:: What Are The Best Fat Burners Out Now? (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek27.htm)

Light Resistance Bands (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/gl/rescable.html)

hepennypacker52

06-26-2005, 08:25 AM

Hey, I need help calculating my BodyFat.. Just a random guess for any of you.. If I'm 5'7 and I weight 142 pounds.. What a close guess to that could be?

lol, anywere from 4-40% I would say. This isn't the section for that, and without caliper measurements we can't tell you anything. There's no way of guessing from what you gave...but post in another section.

NakanBrad

06-26-2005, 10:32 AM

The best way to work abs is to use low reps and high resistance.
You musn't just think of the way others do it with body weight rather do lower reps but use weighhts.
With that being said abs then become like any other muscle that needes 48 hours rest so abs should be worked on Day 1, Day3 and Day 5.
On all days using weights all the time.

All the abs exercises are good as long as proper form is used they will work very well. Best: Leg raises with weights and Traditional crunches with weight behind you head.

Nutrition is a very big part so you have to stay away from the high fat produts only have them on you off day whitch must be one day a week. Yes supplements do help any supplement that works for the rest of your muscles will work for your abs. Diffrent supplements work for diffrent people.

I would say train abs proply for 1 mounth and you'll see results but you'll only see results if your nutrition is right.

Bonus Quetion: The best is leg raises. While on holiday the best would be 6 inches, Traditional crunches, i dont know the exercise name but when you sit and bring your kneese to your chest and then straighten your legs again.

People must stop thinking of a six pack and start thinking of 8 packs.

Brad
For the week of: June 21st - June 28th.

Be-Be

06-27-2005, 08:16 AM

I think I'm more confused than when we started.

Tarkana

06-27-2005, 08:44 AM

yeah, i know what u mean. hey, u live in kc too? missouri or kansas?

sword chucks

06-27-2005, 08:34 PM

wow nice article everyone.

drummindave

06-27-2005, 08:49 PM

jgb99

06-28-2005, 12:57 AM

BigNorwegian

06-28-2005, 07:43 AM

I live in KC =). Suburb actually, Kansas side.
I tried weights with abs today, how the hell can u use good form and ROM in a lying down exersize when you have a 25 lb plate across your chest, it just gets in the way of the excersize it seems. (I'm not saying weights are bad for abs, I want to start doing it more, I'm just trying to find how)

What I do is, I put the decline one "number 4". Then I grab the 25lb weight by crossing my arms. I do 20 perfect form crunches; when I go down, I do my negatives very slowly, then I come back up fairly slowly as well. But what I found to be killer is, I place the weight directly on my chest as I go down, and put my arms to my sides, and contract my abs as hard as I can, and do my negatives for 5 seconds. I found this to be one of the best ab excersises when done correctly :)

Hope this helps,
-BigNorg-

doggiejoe

06-28-2005, 09:45 AM

Ab Priorities 101

Summer time is upon us and it’s the time of the year were the shirts come off. Everyone has their coolers ready and are heading out to the beach. When the t-shirt comes off, you better believe everyone’s eyes are on your midsection. Yes, the muscle everyone strives for and all the girls die for. Everyone wants washboard abs but in reality no one wants to stick to the priorities.

No, you can’t get 6-pack abs by doing 1000 crunches a day and downing a coke afterwards for refreshment. There’s more to abs than you believe. In reality the actual ab training wouldn’t even come in 1st on my priority list to getting abs. If you want to know what number it falls too and what are the other top priorities then read on!

Top 5 Priorities To Top Shape Abs

#5 Supplements

Some people put supplements #1 on their priority lists. Although supplements are important, they alone will not give you results. Supplements do their job, which is to supplement your training. They can even put you over the hump and help you drop those last 5 pounds on your love handles. If you follow the rest of the priorities, supplements will do their job wonderfully and you’ll grow to love them.

Here are my 3 necessary supplements to help you get abs…

Protein

Everyone needs protein, and it should be the staple in everyone’s supplement list no matter what his or her goals are. Don’t think because you are trying to cut down on body fat that you need to cut down on protein. On the contrary, you will need even more protein to prevent muscle loss while going on a cutting diet, which I’ll go into later.

My recommendation for Whey Protein is Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard.

Multi-Vitamin

Just like protein, multi-vitamins are a must in everybody’s supplement arsenal, no matter your goal. Not just any muti-vitamin will work for a bodybuilder/athlete, you’ll need a multi-vitamin specially made for people that train hard and lose more than the average person. In addition, you’ll need even more vitamins because you’re going to deprive your body of them from food while trying to cut down on body fat.

My recommendation for a Multi-Vitamin is AST Multi Pro 32x

Fat Burners

You want to lose fat? Well, there’s nothing better than fat burners to assist you on your mission. Don’t believe all the label claims like “lose 10 pounds in 1 week”. Fact is that most fat burners don’t even work. But there are still some that get the job done. And these fat burners work because they actually have ingredients that suppress your appetite and eat away at your fat.

My Top 6 For Top 6-Pack Abs

#6- Primaforce Lean Green
#5- Nutrex Lipo 6
#4- S.A.N Tight
#3- Avant Labs Sesathin
#2- Man Scorch
#1- ECY Stack (Mega-Pro Vasopro, Higher Power Caffeine, Primaforce Yohimbine)

For more on Fat Burners go here… http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek27.htm

#4 Cardio

To get the layers of fat off your midsection, you’re going to have to do cardio. End of story. I don’t recommend the old fashion cardio were you run on a treadmill for 60 minutes and lose valuable muscle. I recommend the new way of doing cardio, which is called HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). This type of cardio is a great and fast way to melt the fat away. Gone are the boring 60-minute treadmill sessions and in is HIIT cardio!

The basic idea of HIIT is to go all out for a short period of time then rest at a moderate rate then repeat. What this means is that you can do HIIT for 10 minutes and you’ll burn the same amount of calories as if you were doing 60 minutes of regular cardio. In addition, you won’t go into a stage were you lose muscle because HIIT sessions are brief. So you’ll get what you want which is maintaining muscle mass while dropping body fat.

How To Perform HIIT

First, select a cardio station (treadmill, stair climbers, bike, regular running, etc) then perform the regular exercise all out for 30 seconds (called working time) then pace yourself for another 30 seconds (called resting time). You should set a goal depending on your athlete level then increase as needed. I don’t recommend doing a HIIT session for any longer than 15 minutes. You may also increase or decrease working and resting time as you please.

#3 Ab Training

Yes, the actual ab training is not #1 on my priority list, it does in fact fall to #3. In reality abs are the core of your body and control all your movements. No wonder why every athlete needs a strong core. And no you can’t workout your abs everyday. Abs are like any other muscle in your body and will need at least 48 hours to rest. So working them out 2 times a week is more than enough.

Form

Form is the most important thing in performing exercises and getting results. This is no different when wanting to get abs. Most people try to use momentum to perform ab exercises. And this is definitely a no, no. Matter of fact ab exercises should be performed slowly and concentrated. Breathing is also an important factor and you should focus on it while performing ab exercises. And ALWAYS remember to keep your stomach tight and concentrate on them on each and every rep.

My Top 6 Exercises To Top 6-Pack Abs

#6-Stomach Vacuums- An isometric way to trim your waist.

#5-Side Crunches- Great exercise to drop the love handles.

#4-Crunches- This is the standard exercise for sculpting 6-pack abs.

#3-Decline Weighted Sit Ups- A great weighted exercise for the abs.

#2-6 Inch Razors- These will really burn your midsection.

#1-Weight Jackknives- Grab a 10 pound plate and give these a try, you won’t be disappointed.

Remember to keep all these exercises under 20 reps as anything more is useless. I recommend 3 sets of 15 reps for each exercise and 3 sets of 30 seconds for stomach vacuums.

#2 Diet

You can do all the crunches and cardio you want, but if you don’t have your diet in check, you can forget about a 6-pack. Everyone has a 6-pack. Yes you heard right, everyone has a 6-pack! Now how much fat is covering it, is personal. The only way to make your abs show is by dropping your body fat. So if you have too much body fat then your going to have to go on a cutting diet to drop the body fat. You’re also going to have to drop the junk food.

Going on a cutting diet means that you would consume less calories than you would usually to maintain your weight. When going on a cutting cycle I recommend consuming 11 times your bodyweight for a total calorie amount each day. Meaning someone weighing in at 200 pounds would consume 2200 calories a day. This way you’ll lose an average of 1-2 pounds a week and not anymore which is unhealthy. In addition to depriving yourself of calories, I suggest keeping your diet clean and staying on a 55-25-20 ratio of protein-carbs-fats, while getting at least 1.5 grams of protein per bodyweight to prevent muscle loss. You also want to spread out your meal so you up end eating at least every 2-3 hours, which should be 5-6 meals. This will speed up your metabolism and help you on your war against fat.

The final touch to dropping the body fat is water! Yes, good old water, it works for everything. You need lots of water when cutting so you can suppress appetite and clean out your system. Drinking lots of water (more than a gallon) will also give you a more “ripped” look and that’s certainly something you want for you abs. Water can also replace juices and other drinks which contain calories. That’s the great thing about water it has 0 calories, so you can stay under the calorie level you set for yourself. Not to mention all the other benefits water has for your body!

#1 STICKING TO YOUR PRIORITIES!

The #1 priority is keeping your priorities? Yes! People quit because they don’t see results. You know why people see no results? Because they don’t stick to the priorities! Even knowing all the priorities they believe they can skip one and get away with it. Wrong! You need to know your priorities and stick to them just like in the “real world”. Not just one, but all of them! I can’t stress enough the importance of consistency.

You need to be consistent with your ab training in order to see results. Don’t think you’ll see results in a week or less. Changes in your body take time. So give everything here at least 6 weeks before quitting. I guarantee if you stick to ALL the priorities you’ll see results within 6 weeks. Patience is the key to success.

How To Implement Your Priorities

Monday
Weight room, HIIT Cardio, Supplements, Diet

Tuesday
Ab Training, HIIT Cardio, Supplements, Diet

Wednesday
Weight Room, HIIT Cardio, Supplements, Diet

Thursday
Ab Training, HIIT Cardio, Supplements, Diet

Friday
Weight Room, HIIT Cardio, Supplements, Diet

Saturday/Sunday
Supplements, Diet

Continued…

doggiejoe

06-28-2005, 09:47 AM

Continued…

BONUS QUESTION: What are the best bodyweight ab exercises? What ab training routine would you following while on vacation, away from ANY weights or weight training machines?

There are many bodyweight ab exercises that work. Unlike other muscles you don’t really need weights to workout and see results. Yes, weighted ab exercises work but you don’t NEED them to get abs.

Top 6 Bodyweight Ab Exercises

#6 Cross Body Crunches
#5 Air Bike
#4 Stomach Vacuums
#3 Side Crunches
#2 Crunches
#1 6 Inch Razors

Ab Routine While On Vacation

Monday
Cross Body Crunches 3x30
Air Bike 3x30
Stomach Vacuums 3x30 seconds
Side Crunches 3x15(Each Side)
Crunches 3x15
6 Inch Razors 3x15
15 minutes of HIIT Cardio (Running)

Tuesday
Off

Wednesday
Repeat Monday

Thursday
Off

Friday
Repeat Monday

Saturday/Sunday
Off

Remember to keep a clean diet while on vacation*

mivi320

06-28-2005, 11:13 AM

Very nice articles everybody! Let the best man win!

BigNorwegian

06-28-2005, 11:46 AM

Very nice articles everybody! Let the best man win!

Agreed! :)

bigcalves

06-28-2005, 10:37 PM

What Is The Best Ab Training Routine?

Abs are a very noticable muscle. When you take your shirt people are looking for them. Even though they are a considered 6 small muscles, they take a big part of your upper body. Whenever someone looks at you from front, they notice your chest and abs. Since our media is selling abs, girls are beggining to get obsessed with them. Sure abs on a female look impressive too, but it's not what the public wants. The general public has an image of skinny models and males with abs. Simply put, abs are pretty impressive and with the media these days, they get even more impressive. Visual attention is focused on the abs, and especially when bodybuilding a powerful look in the midsection is required.

Abs are not only used for looks. They are your core and are used by your body all the time. Sit down, and feel on your abs. They tighten, which means that they are working to stabalize and balance your body. Without any abs, visible or not, our bodies would be alot weaker. When you do heavy compound movements such as squats and dead lifts, your abs are used. Your core is very important to your body. Abs are an important muscle that every one has, no matter if you can see it poping out or not. Sure, it's more pleasant to have the legendary 'six pack' instead of the '1 keg'. Abs are here to stay. They stabalize and balance yourbody. My job is to explain how to make them stronger and more visible. So if you want razor sharp abs, read on.

THE BIG MISTAKE

Most people try to get abs the wrong way. They think that doing 300 sit ups every night will make their abs pop out of the skin. Well, let me say this only one time, NO! Doing that will only waist your time. Abs are about bodyfat. Sure you need some muscle, but most people that try to get abs already have theirs build, now it's time to go to the kitchen to define them. Lee Priest is a professional bodybuilder that has perfect abs. When asked what he does, he said that he never trains abs. Sure he does squats and dead lifts to make them bigger, but at the end it all comes to diet and your bodyfat. Lee get's very fat during offseason, but when he shows up for a contest his abs are always razor sharp, poping out of his stomach. It's every guys dream and then some. That should tell us how important diet and bodyfat is. Remember that abs are build in the gym, but skulpted in the kitchen.

Our goal is tight, and lean abs. In order to do that your abs must be build and then you have to lower your bodyfat. Most guys don't have a diet plan. They don't realize how important diet is. If you are 120lbs and you cut all your calories down to lean out and get abs it won't happen. You need to have muscle to get abs. Also the guys that are 250lbs, over weight and are doing sit ups in hopes of one day waking up and seeing themselves with abs. That won't happend either. Abs are a delicate muscle, and you need some education to know how to get them. How many 6' skinny kids have you seen with abs? Personally they are everywhere. How many people with 18 inch arms and up with abs have you seen? Not many. This proves that abs are not about training, or diet alone. You need to first bulk up, build your abs first and then lean out revieling your perfect abs. 99% of the population trying to get abs will not do this, and that's why you don't see alot of big muscular guys with abs. It takes dedication, hard work and some education to get the perfect abs.

NUTRITION AND CARDIO

Nutrition is very important in getting great abs. I don't care if your abs are bigger than Ronnie Coleman's, but if you have fat covering them they will not be visible. Your have to understand that what you eat, will reflect later on, on your body. So eating bad and working out will give you no benefit, especially on your abs. If you eat fatty foods and over your daily values, you will stay fat. In order to loose that belly fat you need to lower you calories. Lowe them gradually. Let's say you need 3000 calories per day. Currently you are eating around 3000 and you go to 1500 to cut the fat. It won't happen. You body will go in state of shock and it will hang on to its fat for dear life. Sure you will loose some weight, but it will be water and muscle. By loosing that weight you will look worse, and your muscles will get smaller. The body will go in shock and not burn fat. Not to mention that you will feel bad, and most people will cheat and gain more fat. Clearly that's not the way to go. You have to take it slow and steady. Remember to keep a food diary, writing all the things you eat, and counting your calories. Lower your calories gradually to loose fat. It's estiamted that 3500 calories are 1 pound of fat. So if your cut 300 a week, that will be 2100 calories burned.

You will also need to perform cardio. Start slowly and gradually increase. Never go past 45 minutes, but always do 2-4 sessions per week. By doing cardio you will burn around 200-400 calories per day, which will add to the 2100 burned from caloric deficiancy and go to around 4200 calories burned per week, which will equal more than 1 pound of pure fat. It's very hard and almost impossible to loose more than 2 pounds of fat per week so you have to shoot for about 1-2 lbs or 3500-7000 calories burned per week. Never starve yourself, or run for long periods of time in hopes of faster fatloss. It won't happen. Your body is made for survival and when you starve or extercise too much it goes in state of shock that makes fat burning impossible, and turn to other souces such as muscle. If you loose muscle and keep the fat your weight will go down, but you will look even worse than before. So stay smart, and do everything in balance.

AB EXERCISES

My clients always ask me what they should do. Should they perform thousand of light reps or should they strap the 35 plate to themselves and do 8-15 reps. The answer might seem simple but it's not. Most people are different. Abs are a different muscle than the other. All of this makes ab training very hard to figure out. I would relate abs to calves. Long lasting muscle fibers that are made to have endurance. When you walk you use your abs, and a human can walk for a long time and the abs are there supporting every move. This tells us that abs are a muslce fiber that is made for endurance and not for short quick movements. If that was the case everyone would need a break after taking a few steps. So using these few facts, common sense would tell us that you need heavy resistance to stress the abs. Personally i would recommend warming up with 2 sets of sit ups with no weight. After that I would perform 5 more sets with resistance.

Each set we will increase the weight, making a pyramid routine. You don't need to get the exact weight. Find whatever works for you and keep the sets with weight below 25 reps. Make sure you stretch your abs out. If you go too fast you will put your lower back, and hips to use. Also remember to work on your obliques which are the sides of your abs. People overlook them, but they can be pretty impressive at low bodyfat levels.

THE ROUTINE

Roman Chair Sit Ups- 1 set 50-100 reps
Flat Bench Sit Ups- 1 set 50-100 reps
Decline Bench Sit Ups- 1 set with 25lb plate
Decline Bench Sit Ups- 1 set with 25lb plate
Decline Bench Sit Ups- 1 set with 35lb plate
Decline Bench Sit Ups- 1 set with 35lb plate
Decline Bench Sit Ups- 1 set with 45lb plate
Oblique Twists - 2 sets

CONTINUED...

bigcalves

06-28-2005, 10:38 PM

CONTINUED

Supplements

Supplements can play a very important factor in getting the perfect abs. Sure some can cost alot of money but they are worth it. They give you an extra boost that can help you overcome a platuea and reach your goal. Always remember that supplements alone will not achieve anything. Hard work, perfect diet and recovery will make sure you achieve your goals, but with supplements you can always expect the 5-10% boost. Supplementing is definatly worth it and you can always count on BodyBuilding.com for the best brands and lowest prices on the market. Remember to read all directions and labels before starting. Do your homework and focus on fat burning supplaments that will strenghten you and help you loose the bodyfat that has been covering the abs.

TIPS ON SUPPLEMENTS(CLOSER LOOK)

Creatine
Creatine is a wonderful supplement. It almost doubles ATP enegry stores which are responsible for energy and short term movements of muscles, or during a heavy workout. By having extra ATP, you will be able to lift more, and last longer than people with normal creatine levels in them. Creatine is all natural and used by thousands of athletes worldwide.

Whey Protein
Whey protein is a must. It's protein that is fastly dissolved in the blood stream. It's a must for after a workout and any other time you need protein in you, fast! With normal diets, most people don't get enough protein and by supplementing with whey protein you are increasing your protein and helping your body build up. It's a must in the fitness lifestyle.

Multi Vitamin
In today's diets we don't get enough vitamins and minerals. You simply cannot supplement all your needs with food, so multi vitamins are extremely needed. Even people that don't workout use them, imagine how important they are to atheltes, especially when looking to overcome a plateau.

Glutamine
Glutamin is a very popular supplement. It is an amino acid that prevents muscle loss and helps recovery. Good for when bulking and a must for cutting. It can give you a boost with recover and that can 'push' you through your plateau. It is a must to have and it is completely natural and used by thousands of athletes worldwide.

Fat Burner
Fat burners are not magic pills that burn fat. They are filled with ingridients that 'wake up' the metabolism and make it faster. That will result in burnign more calories and then fat loss. If you are cutting and stuck and not losing body fat, then consider using a fat burner. From personal experience i can say that they work, and especially when in a plateau they can help a lot. Especially when trying to lower your bodyfat a fat burner is a must. BodyBuilding.com's fat burners are the most effective ones I've used.

How long does it take to see results? Do genetics play a role?

Don't expect results overnight. Consistency is what makes people unable to attain their dream body. Sure every week you will lose 1-2lbs, and that's great but don't expect your dream body to 'arrive' after 2 weeks of serious training and dieting. Sure some people are blessed with better genetics. Some people loose bodyfat rapidly, as if their body is build for fatloss. For some fatloss is a nightmare and losing the fat is slow and painful. It doesn't matter which one you are, hard work, dedication, and consistency is needed. So before you say, "I can't do this anymore", think about how hard you are trying. If you run only 2 times per week, and are cheating throughout the week on your diet, don't expect anything differnt than what your seeing. Now if you want serious results you need a serious dedication to what you are doing.

Believe it or not I started bodybuilding because of my abs. As a skinny kid (5'6 119lb) I wondered how come I don't have abs. As summer came, i dedicated myself to running every day and eating healthy. For that whole summer, i ran EVERY DAY and I ate around 1000 calories per day. My results were futile. I lost weight, but didn't get the six pack I dreamed of. Soon i got on the internet and educated myself about how my body works and what I needed to you. I had dedication and consistency and now, a few months later, I stand at 5'6 180 with a sixpack. My weight goes to 200 lbs in the offseason but a sixpack is always waiting for me when I lean out and manage my diet and cardio. I hope this was motivation for you, and that you too will meet your goals.

BONUS QUESTION: What are the best bodyweight ab exercises? What ab training routine would you following while on vacation, away from ANY weights or weight training machines?

Saying crunches are the best bodyweight extercise can be questionable. But I do feel that crunches are the best. Sit Ups use too much of your hip and lower back to be effective. Since you are crunching and only using your abs, your neck is the only way you can cheat. But if you control your neck you can target your abs and make those babies burn. Make sure that you always are careful not to hurt your neck or lower back, but instead perform slow, almost negative reps to hit the abs directly. Crunches contract your abs while Sit Ups contract your whole body making it harder to hit the abs.

While at vacation, all you need is a floor. Simple lay and start doing crunches. Warm up with no resistance and when your done you can get something random from the room that will add weight. It might be your small suitcase or a heavy book in the room, whatever works for you will work for your abs. Make sure to isolate them and use other muscles as less as possible. The muscles to watch out most are neck and lower back. Also don't swing your legs and hips. You are only waisting your time if your trying to cheat. Do it once, do it effectively. Make sure that each rep counts and that you get the benefit.

Good Luck!

hepennypacker52

06-29-2005, 05:58 AM

^^Uh oh, that's late ;). Automatic 20% off.

BigNorwegian

06-29-2005, 06:41 AM

^^Uh oh, that's late ;). Automatic 20% off.

lol

bigcalves

06-29-2005, 10:08 AM

^^Uh oh, that's late ;). Automatic 20% off.
Uh oh, i'm in SEATTLE, and this was posted on TUESDAY NIGHT.

Learn about time zones buddy ;)

BigNorwegian

06-29-2005, 10:39 AM

THE ROUTINE

Roman Chair Sit Ups- 1 set 50-100 reps
Flat Bench Sit Ups- 1 set 50-100 reps
Incline Bench Sit Ups- 1 set with 25lb plate
Incline Bench Sit Ups- 1 set with 25lb plate
Incline Bench Sit Ups- 1 set with 35lb plate
Incline Bench Sit Ups- 1 set with 35lb plate
Incline Bench Sit Ups- 1 set with 45lb plate
Oblique Twists - 2 sets

I think you mean decline ;)

bigcalves

06-29-2005, 10:51 AM

I think you mean decline ;)
lol ya.

bigcalves

06-29-2005, 10:55 AM

Anyways, let the best man win!

Ifrit

06-29-2005, 11:45 AM

Didn't have fuggin time to do this weeks either. I would still like to add my 2 cents. Ab exercises are 1% of results and the rest is diet and cardio period. If you don't have a six pack at 8% BF you are never going to and that's when you have to face genetics. You may have a four pack and a half lol. Girls prefer shoulders over abs anyways.

bigcalves

06-29-2005, 12:21 PM

HardBod23

06-29-2005, 08:47 PM

Abs are what every guy wants. The guys with the Packs get the girls, it's just how it is. What does everybody notice when you take your shirt off? Well its your abs. Girls go absolutely crazy for them. I practice what I preach and I can tell you when I take my shirt off I make all the hunnies Blush. So you want some? I can tell you how to get those abs that you desire. Just follow my plan like your life depended on it. I'LL KEEP IT SHORT AND To THE POINT.

First GET INTO THE KITCHEN! Yes I said kitchen. It all starts in the kitchen. You have abs, but you just can's see them right now because off that big gut that won't let you see your feet. You have to clean up your diet. Eat reall Foods that are healthy. Get at least 1 gram of protein per pound. Also eat at least 6 small meals a day that are about 2 hours and 30 min. apart. This will keep your meatabilism kickin all day long so you won't store as much body fat. Also eat equal almounts of protein per meal. So if you weigh 180lbs, then you'll want to eat about 30 grams of protein per meal. Also don't consume as much fat but don't eliminate it either becuase some fats are good for the body. Just limit the saturated fats. If you really need a boost to get rid of some fat you a fat burner. It will help to give you that boost that you mentally need. A meal plan that can work for you is.....

6:30- 20-40 grams of whey, 1/2 cup oatmeal (measured after cooking) with banana and sliced apples

9:00- can of tuna, Medium sized salad

11:30- (pre-training meal) 20-40 grams whey, Mixed fruit (some melon, cantaloupe, watermelon, and strawberries.

2:00- (post workout) 40 grams whey, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 5 egg whites

4:30- 6 oz buffalo meat, large salad

7:00- 2 chicken breasts, small salad
LAST MEAL!!! Don't eat after this because you are less active and whatever you eat will be stored as fat.

THE WORKOUT:

1)To develop ABS you have to do two things..

2)Stripp away the body fat so that you can see your abs. (with the diet plan this will be easy). But for extreme fat loss add this to your workout.

Do at least 40 min. of Cardio 3 times Weekly, Cut Calories, Less Fat intake, and you must WEIGHT LIFT.

Like other muscles groups, the abs can be over trained very easly so don't train the more than 3 times per week, unless your muscles recover faster.

The workouts that Im going to stress to you don't take long, but you must do them with good form.. Bad form will not give you the results you want to acheive..

So do this workout about 3 times per week.. ex.. Mon., Wed., Fri

Oblique Crunch- 3 sets/ 20-100 reps

Leg Raise (weighted)- 3 sets/ 20-100

Hip Thrust- 3 sets/ 20-50 Reps

Crunches-2 sets/ Until Failure

Weighted Decline situps-3 sets/ 25 Reps
( I use 35lbs plates on my chest)

So Abs need lots of High intensity Training. Never the less, do not over train them because results will plateau.

This is all you need to know to get your Ripped Abs you always wanted..
"Abs are formed in the kitchen, not the gym"

Just rememeber all bodies are different, what works for somebody might not work for the other guy.

AND..its not all about Genetics..Everybody has abs, But not everybody has the discipline to shed the fat.

BigNorwegian

06-29-2005, 08:54 PM

bigcalves

06-29-2005, 09:46 PM

YOU my friend, are deffinately late :P
tru dat :p

tek.

06-29-2005, 10:00 PM

hanging knee raises with a weight between yur feet and cable crunches, nothing else is needed.. resistance builds muscle not 500sets of situps, work yur abs like any other muscle drop yur bf to <12% and lets see what im talkin bout

ho_124

06-29-2005, 11:23 PM

Abs of Steel

Getting a great set of abs may come naturally to some but very hard for others. For those who find it hard to get a six pack, help is on the way. In order to get a six pack, there are two goals that a person must have, the loss of fat around the stomach and growth of abs. Because different people have different body types, they may have different goals. Some may want to loose more fat, or some skinny people may want their abs to grow. To achieve these goals people must be determined to weight train hard and properly, eat a balanced diet, supplementation, perform cardiovascular exercises and keep a record of your progress.

Training

When training the abdominal muscles, it is important to work the whole core including the oblique, and rib cage muscles. It is also important to recognize that different exercises stimulate different muscles in the core region. Here are the basics: any type of leg raise will work the lower abs, any type of twisting leg raise will work the lower abs, and give you the V-taper, any type of flat crunch will work the entire abdominal region, and declined crunches work the upper abs. Any type of twisting motion will work the oblique and declined twisting crunches work the rib cage muscles.
When training these different muscles, it is very important to concentrate on a certain muscle and make sure that other body parts are not helping. It is also important to breathe out as your abs contract because your abs cannot fully contract when there is air within the lungs. Training your abs with weight and low reps (8-12) is very important for growth of the muscle since your abs mainly contain fast twitch muscle fibers. They can be trained 1-3 times a week giving at least a 48 hour rest after an ab workout. This is why training abs with too many reps is useless. Here are some exercises for each individual muscle groups.

Lower abs:
Lying leg raises
Hanging leg raises or knee raises
Dip stand leg raises.
Decline reverse crunch
Note: If you add twisting motions to these exercises you will improve your v-taper.
Note: Lower abs are usually the set of abs neglected by most people. How many times do you see people in the guy doing some kind of leg raise?

Upper abs

Decline crunches
Cable crunch

Oblique
Dumbbell twist
Oblique crunches
Dumbbell side bend

Rib Cage muscles
Twisting cable crunches
Decline crunches

Note: Any of these exercises can use weights, medicine ball or ankle weights for a harder work out.

Weight training will also help with fat loss since the more muscle you have the more calories your muscles will require.

Cardio

Cardio is one of the most important parts in loosing fat all around the body including the abdominal area. The reasoning behind this is that it burns calories, therefore any type of exercise (depending on how many calories you burn) could aid in fat loss. Some of the best types of cardio are performing long distance cardio eg. 40min-1hr or interval training eg. 2min fast, 3 min slow 6-10 times. I found that doing a variety of cardio such as rowing, running, skipping and biking is effective. For example, Monday – rowing, Wednesday – Skipping and Saturday running. You can also do cardio back to back if they are different cardio exercises (eg. Monday skipping, Tuesday biking)I also found playing sports (basketball, tennis) in addition would help burn even more calories.

Diet and Nutrition

It is very important to keep a well balanced diet. Eating a variety of foods is what many people must stick to. Many just eat egg whites or something for breakfast. Eating a variety of foods will ensure that you are getting all the different nutrients, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It is very important to eat proper ratio of good carbohydrates, good fats and proteins. Any excess proteins, carbohydrates and fats you eat, your body will store as fat. This is why we cannot eat too much protein as many do. It is also improper to cut back on carbohydrates since it is the main source of energy during your workouts. The ration of carbs, proteins and fats vary from person to person because of their body types. I personally eat about 50% carbs, 30% proteins and 20% fats.
In addition, we must also be careful in choosing the right foods. We choose proper foods to eat for two reasons, nutrition and time it takes for digestion. The following will help you choose better sources of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Carbohydrates:
When choosing foods that are rich in carbohydrates, choose foods with a low GI (Glycemic Index). Carbohydrates with a low GI will take longer to digest and keep you fuller for longer. It is also good because it releases energy slowly. High GI foods are absorbed faster and make you hungry quicker. This is the main problem with many Americans. The most foods they eat are fast foods or highly processed which are both high GI foods. The only time a high GI carbohydrate should be eaten is after a workout. Here are some good carbohydrates (Legumes, whole wheat pasta, oats, all-bran, most vegetables and oatmeal) Fruits are great after a workout. Here are some bad carbohydrates (sugary foods, potatoes, candy, chips and highly processed foods such as instant oatmeal or minute rice)

Protein:
Choosing meats which are leaner is much better since meats mostly contain saturated fats, especially beef. This is why meats like hamburgers or hotdogs are very bad. If you choose lean cuts of beef, it provides many minerals such as iron. Whey protein should only be consumed after a workout since it is quickly absorbed. If you eat whey protein (highly processed) during other meals, you will feel hungry very quickly. On the other hand, if you eat some chicken or eggs, the protein takes a long time to digest.

Fats:
Many have the wrong idea about cutting fats completely. It is very important to maintain a level of good fats. Fats take a long time to digest and good fats are essential for the body. For example some vitamins are only fat-soluble. Essential Fatty Acids include: Nuts, flax seed, olive oil, natural peanut butter, fish fat, avocados. Stay away from saturated and trans- fat since they are harder to burn off.

Important side notes:
Eat vegetables high in fibre since it takes a very long time to digest eg. Barley, oatmeal
Stay away from deep fried foods and fast foods.
Stay away from Highly processed food
Eat 4 – 6 small meals a day, breakfast being the largest meal
Avoid soft drinks and beer especially

Supplementation

The supplement you take depends on your body type. If you are skinny, and want your abs to develop, I would take some creatine and even weight gainer. If you are trying to loose the fat around your stomach I would recommend Thermogenic fat burners such as: Nutrex lipo 6, San Tight, VPX Redline. Stimulant free fat burners which prevent you from crashing are also good. They include: Avant Labs SesaThin, Universal Super Cuts 3. A multi-Vitamin should be supplemented by everyone.

Keeping a record

Keeping a record of your progress is a good way of finding out if what you are doing is working. By measuring your body fat percentage, weekly, it is possible to track your largest gains and losses and analyze whether your diet, training, and supplementation were effective and see if any changes must be made. It is also good to measure your body fat percentage to see how close you are from getting that six pack. Usually a six pack is visible at 13% body fat.

How long will it take to see results?

The amount of time it will take to see results will vary from person to person. Many have a hard time loosing fat while others have an easy time. But don’t look down on yourself. Those who have a hard time loosing fat usually gain muscle pretty easily and those who have are naturally thin have a hard time putting on muscle. So in the end everything balances out.

During Vacation

Vacation is the time where people like to have fun, eat out and relax. This is the complete opposite of what your supposed to do to maintain your six pack. To counter act this I would run for 15 minutes which will give you more energy through out the whole day. At the same time you are burning some extra calories. I would also do some superset ab exercise for about 10 minutes. These exercises are very challenging and should be done to complete fatigue. From the following pick three exercises (1oblique, 1 ab, 1 lower ab ) and do two sets of each:
Air bike (abs)
Oblique crunch (oblique)
Leg raises lying on floor (lower abs)
Tuck jumps (lower abs)
My favorite: take two chairs and put them about 2 meters apart. Put your legs on one chair and your arms on the other, hold this for as long as you can. (abs)
Crunches. (abs)
Russian twist (oblique)

Note: Many of these exercises can involve a milk or water jug for resistance.

hepennypacker52

06-30-2005, 05:39 AM

^^Wow, that's like an automatic 75% reduction right there...

:D

live4this13

06-30-2005, 08:23 AM

sorry ho_123, your an hour and 23 minutes Late.

bigcalves

06-30-2005, 08:40 AM

Your Late Ho!

{lol that sounded funny :D}

BigNorwegian

06-30-2005, 08:46 AM

Your Late Ho!

{lol that sounded funny :D}

lmao

ho_124

06-30-2005, 11:29 PM

I was only late in what ever time zone you are in but i'm pretty sure i'm not late in the time zone i was in. wut ever, peace. How do you add colour and all that other stuff?

bigcalves

07-01-2005, 08:52 AM

I posted on tuesday night at 10pm in seattle. thats teh LAST time zone buddy. you posted yours like 8 hours LATER so even if your in the north pole with santa, it ur still late. sorry ;)

Minus_83

07-01-2005, 10:34 AM

why is it that when someone asks what the best ab routine is everyone goes into diet and nutrition and cardio.

those are the factors determining whether or not your abs SHOW, but you should have all of those things in check already, if we assume they already have routines for every other body part then you should assume the person is eating correctly as well.

i work my abs between my "normal" weight training days, sometimes only once a week because they dont feel ready untill then.

what i find works for me is:

Lower abs:
Reverse crunches 15x2
Hip thrusts 15x2
Leg lifts 15x2

Obliques:
Cross body crunch 15x2
Oblique crunch 15x2
Side bends 15x2
Side bridges 15 sec hold x3

Upper abs:
hands overhead crunch 15x2
hands overhead crunch with legs straight 15 x2
feet in the air crunch 15x2

thats just what works for me, ive had several different routines that i switch in and out every now and then, some including weights, twisting, just to change things up.

deadpool87

12-21-2006, 08:44 AM

I just wanna ask if the protein shake can go with the nutrex lipo 6. Nutrex lipo 6 have alot of precautions.

ho_124

01-04-2007, 10:10 AM

I just wanna ask if the protein shake can go with the nutrex lipo 6. Nutrex lipo 6 have alot of precautions.

probably, but i would take lipo 6 15 min before shake so the nutrex is absorbed better. I would call Nutrex to make sure

danimal81

01-20-2007, 05:55 PM

TOPIC: What Is The Best Ab Training Routine?

For the week of: June 21st - June 28th.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is the first thing people notice when your shirt is off? What do the girls go crazy over? Abs. But, how do you get that ripped six-pack you have always dreamed about?

What does it take to get a great set of abs? Hundreds of reps every day? Low reps and high resistance? How often should you work your abs?

What are the most effective ab training exercises? How does nutrition play a role in it? What about supplements?

How long does it take to see results? Do genetics play a role?

BONUS QUESTION: What are the best bodyweight ab exercises? What ab training routine would you following while on vacation, away from ANY weights or weight training machines?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $75 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it. Become famous!

Thanks,
Bodybuilding.com

all ab exercises are the best as long as they are weighted. (thats my philosophy)

Bigbruiser79

01-21-2007, 07:54 AM

the best ab workout has to be incorporated into a core workout. most people get confuested and think that doign crunches is going to give them a strong midsection, but a strong core garuntees a overall better body.

some great core workouts would be any medicine ball workout routine, you would be surprised but stuff like kettleballs and clubbells also work the core and pretty much every other muscle.

a strong core can help wiht balance and cordination and you would be surprised, but it also helps wiht a lot of you main lifts.

and as said in previous post to be able to see you washboard abs than it comes down to nutrition and cardio.

dougkickboxes

02-18-2010, 07:03 AM

i literally got abs from just doing lots of running and body weight ab workouts. once i got them cut i got them huge buy using weights. now im gaining weight and there still there without having to do much to keep them.

Madmaximillion

03-06-2010, 10:02 PM

BEST is decline leg rises and hanging leg rises!

TheBodyGenie

03-08-2010, 04:45 AM

What I do is, I put the decline one "number 4". Then I grab the 25lb weight by crossing my arms. I do 20 perfect form crunches; when I go down, I do my negatives very slowly, then I come back up fairly slowly as well. But what I found to be killer is, I place the weight directly on my chest as I go down, and put my arms to my sides, and contract my abs as hard as I can, and do my negatives for 5 seconds. I found this to be one of the best ab excersises when done correctly :)

Hope this helps,
-BigNorg-

This is also my best program in my abs but, I make only 20 lbs on my chest. :)

LittleMosher

04-01-2010, 06:47 PM

everyone.

friendlyarab

04-01-2010, 07:11 PM

Suppose it's just a good amount of calories, but I love doing bicycle crunches.

hodong6389

05-22-2010, 08:27 PM

if you want a six pak just hit abbs everyother day and take **** loads of caffeen and **** loads of cla, high intensity cardio and in 2 weeks youll be ****ing fat bitches in no time

jo_el

05-23-2010, 04:49 PM

Suppose it's just a good amount of calories, but I love doing bicycle crunches.

there my fav :)

GetHyphy6

05-25-2010, 05:11 PM

I like ab ripper X, but then again I'm to fat to have abs

JoelPadua

06-20-2010, 11:53 PM

Very educational...

Thank you contributors...

seanyboy1

07-09-2010, 02:16 PM

The best way to get abs is not just about ab training. Its a bunch of things. Besides the obvious ones like proper nutrition and work ethic it requires over all body fitness. A lot of what goes into a 6 pack is cardio. You have to have low body fat in order to attain one. You will have to do things like running and biking to help lose the body fat which hides your abs. Be that as it may, I find the best workout without a doubt is bicycles. I try to do 3 sets of a minute and a half each with one minute of rest. Also, decline sit ups with weights are great because it makes your muscles much stronger.

Hope it helps

bertito

08-01-2010, 06:54 PM

I like the AB Ripper X as a ABS routine. I feel the burn!

Lee_stk

08-23-2010, 02:21 PM

Thanks for taking the time to write the great articles guys!

~ Lee

JayJayz

08-25-2010, 07:30 AM

10,000th post in this section ya rly

kwhitte

08-25-2010, 03:37 PM

Best body weight ab/core exercies there are a bunch. I personally love my routine its all bodyweight, and all you need is a pull up bar!

4 sets 15 reps each (if you can make it!)

Gorilla Crunches
Pikes
Hanging Leg Raises
Wind Shield Wipers (1 rep is back and forth hitting both sides)

If this doesn't hurt you aren't using good form, or you are a beast!

r2473

10-14-2010, 03:54 PM

wwwDOTt-nationDOTcom/testosterone-magazine-627

I can't post links.

JCTWP46

10-14-2010, 05:55 PM

AB Ripper X is legit.

MadMuscleMania

10-15-2010, 09:07 AM

Key to Great Abs: 20-rep breathing squats, heavy bench, and heavy deadlifts
Breathing Squats - absolutely. All but forgotten in my gym im afraid!
For me the best routines are varied and shocking. i personally find my abs become very resilient to the same routine very fast. Also, dumbbell pullovers are a good exercise where abs are admitedly secondary but still get a very deep workout if your going heavy enough. Core exercises, also key and of course...
As much as i hate it - its all about the cardio. I only see my abs (unless holding in) when my BF is 15% or under.
The routines im following right now are short but sweet (for the last 5 weeks) in addition to losts of HIT cardio and a completely clean diet plan: Here it is if anyones interested...Best Ab Workout Routines (http://madformuscle.com/reviews/best-ab-workout-routines) like anything though, real results only come through the big four. Consistency in training intensity, variety of exercises and quality rest and diet...The truth is their is no shortcut. just a hell of a lot of pain and effort.
Its all worth it though right!

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Marwan101

08-27-2012, 04:53 AM

The legendary six-pack

It's summer time now, and everyone wants to trim bown for the beach weather. And no matter how muscular the rest of your body is, it wouldn't look quite right without those nice set of abs. We all know everyone wants them, which is why the tv is polluted with infomercials of these so-called ab machines, leading to many myths about ab training.

Now whether you train them or not, your abs are still there, and with low enough body fat, can appear even if they are untrained. So henceforth, lowering your body fat is the most important thing in acheiving those abs, especially since men to accumulate most of their fat right where those abs are. And doing sit-ups and crunches doesn't burn fat. But if you really want those rock-hard abs with really deep groves, then they must be trained.

The truth about abs training

What many people seem to forget is that abdominals are a muscle just like any other. The only difference is they are a smaller muscle group and recover a bit faster. But just like any muscle, the workload must keep on going up for them to keep growing. This is why unweighted exercises are inefficient. And you should also notice that those ab-rolling machines have the same problem, so if you bought one, prepare to burn it, as they are only good for they extremely out-of-shape.

Since abs recover faster, I train them 3 times a week (you could do 4 if you recover faster). To make sure my abs are trained completely, with every muscle fiber, I use a different rep range for each of the 3 days. Since weight is needed, the ab exercises I use are weighted decline sit-ups, leg-raises with a weight in your legs (I can't hold that much though) and cable crunches (these can be done on bowflex/crossbow type machines). So this is what my routine looks like:

Light weight/high rep day: 40 decline situps with 10 lbs in each hand, 30 cable crunches (i cant give the weight on these becaus what the machine says is pretty off, but trust that i use more on heavier days), 20 leg raises, 2.5 lbs, usually 2-3 sets

Heavy weight/low rep day: 10 decline sit-ups with 35 lbs in each hand, 15 cable crunches, 7 leg raises, 10 lbs

Medium weight/rep day: 25 decline sit-ups with 20 lbs in each hand, 20 cable crunches, 12 leg raises, 5 lbs

Now for different people the weight will be different, as I'll have to increase the weight eventually too, but the template would be the same, trying to get to almost failure on each set, then failure on the last one. Beyond that, there's alo the cardio that is done to burn fat, and I find HIIT to be good.

The six-pack diet (heheheh)

As I've said, the most important part of visible abs is low bady fat, so of course the diet would be the standard cutting diet. Now if you are a very patient person, then I would recommend doing the ab routine on a bulking phase so they will grow faster, then amze yourself with the results once you cut, but it can be done on a mderate diet too. So basically the diet is whatever best suits you for your cutting phase; keep high GI carbs to a minumum, same with saturated fatand trans fatty acids, eat lots of clean protein, most of us are pretty familiar with the drill, and this website has tons of articles on cutting, and you can find them here:
As far as supplements go, those too would be ones that help you burn fat. We all know protein powder is the standard, adding to the diet and preserving muscle when cutting. As far as fat-burners go, Lipo 6 seems to be the favorite if you don't mind a lot of sitmulants. I, personally, am not a big fan of stimulants, and although I've never had the need for a fat-burner since I tend to be rather skinny anyways, but I would probably use something more along the lines of NOW CLA extreme, and its ingredients, to my understanding, help preserve muscle too.

The final results

How long it takes depends on how far you are right now, and, as your physique always depends on, genetics. This happens to be one of those times where naturally skinny people like me have it a bit easier, though ab training is stilla good thing. If your abs are already well trained and you just have a little weight to lose, or are just amazimgly blessed, you could probably pull off a nice six-pack in a few weeks. But, assuming your not one who just can't seems to lose weight, you could probably get some nice abs in a little over a month, with enough time after to enjoy the rest of summer.

Bonus question:

Although I wouldn't normally do many bodyweight exercises, If one were away from any exercise equipment, what I would advise wouldn't be sit-ups. I once read somewhere, then found it true when I examined it with myself, is thatsit-ups actually use a muscle in your lower back to thighs more and that will tire out before your abs are trained well enough. Also they can hurt your lower spine. So the best bodyweight ab exercises, which I sometimes use to supplement my ab workout, are modified jack-knives (where i bring my legs upp more) and that thing we do in highschool sports where you lie on the groung with your hands under your arse and hold your legs about 6 inches above the ground for a few minutes.

Only and idiot would take LIPO 6 knowing its nervous side effects and on the GIT.