New Trainer says "no Ab work"

[GT FIT]

I have been weight training for about a year seriously and I include an ab workout at least 3-4 times per week. I have flat abs but no muscle mass. I am working with a trainer now and he said for me not do to ANY ab workouts until he tells me I can. I am having trouble understanding his logic behind this. Can anyone help me understand where he is going with this?

[arose70]

If you lift heavy enough with squats and deads, direct ab work without weight doesn't have much of a place. If you want to add muscle mass and make your abs pop, then you have to do weighted ab work.

he probably just wants to gage your lifting abilities now, while direct ab work may not be necessary.

[thirsty4chicken]

If you lift heavy enough with squats and deads, direct ab work without weight doesn't have much of a place. If you want to add muscle mass and make your abs pop, then you have to do weighted ab work.

he probably just wants to gage your lifting abilities now, while direct ab work may not be necessary.

^^^^ Also, if your trainer is, indeed, acessing your core lifts (deadlifts, squats), then extra ab work may be detrimental, as it will tire out your supporting muscles.

[GT FIT]

He does have me doing heavy squats, deadlifts and leg Press.
Squats - 4 sets 8 reps heavy as possible
Deadlifts - 3 sets 8 reps same
Leg Press - 3 set 8 reps got 320# yesterday (whew)

I am just "old school" I guess....you don't leave the gym without doing
abs !!!!!!!!!

[Athena]

Three to four times a week with no weights is ... um ... well, what kind of results do you feel you're getting this way?

I do abs now only once a week and work them HARD. I generally feel it the next day or two. If you're really hitting them hard that many times a week and they're not getting much rest then, yeah, you're gonna hinder your performance on other power moves.

Trust his judgment ... for now ...

[Defiant1]

I have been weight training for about a year seriously and I include an ab workout at least 3-4 times per week. I have flat abs but no muscle mass. I am working with a trainer now and he said for me not do to ANY ab workouts until he tells me I can. I am having trouble understanding his logic behind this. Can anyone help me understand where he is going with this?


I agree with you.

"no abs" is silly. He is giving "fad" advice.

The whole "core" thing is true to an extent, but the "abs" are not just the transverse abdominus and the obliques.

To REALLY work a muscle, you need to contract it against resistance, not just contract it isometrically.

[egoatdoor]

I agree with you.

"no abs" is silly. He is giving "fad" advice.



I agree with the trainer. I suspect this woman, like many women, are overtraining certain bodyparts ( such as abs and legs) and ignoring others ( just like guys, who train arms and chest all the time and never do legs). He is taking her out of her "comfort" zone and probably trying to work on the imbalances she has probably developed not only physique wise, but in training methods.

I had a similar case with a co worker a couple of years ago who asked me to train her. She had the self same problem and I told her right off the bat that I was going to test her mettle by not allowing her to train legs for 3 weeks while we focused on other parts that she never trained. If she was willing to buy into this, I would train her. Otherwise, she had to find another trainer. She bought in and lo and behold, she didn't "go to pot" in those 3 weeks.

He did not say never train abs again. He said not to do it until he said so.

[Defiant1]

I agree with the trainer. I suspect this woman, like many women, are overtraining certain bodyparts ( such as abs and legs) and ignoring others ( just like guys, who train arms and chest all the time and never do legs). He is taking her out of her "comfort" zone and probably trying to work on the imbalances she has probably developed not only physique wise, but in training methods.

I had a similar case with a co worker a couple of years ago who asked me to train her. She had the self same problem and I told her right off the bat that I was going to test her mettle by not allowing her to train legs for 3 weeks while we focused on other parts that she never trained. If she was willing to buy into this, I would train her. Otherwise, she had to find another trainer. She bought in and lo and behold, she didn't "go to pot" in those 3 weeks.

He did not say never train abs again. He said not to do it until he said so.


Your argument would be one for reduced training, not elimination of training of a certain bodypart that is obviously important to the trainee.

She flat out says her abs lack muscular development. A program based on indirect effect of compound exercises is may develop the transverse abdominus, but will not develop the rectus abdominus (certainly not the lower) and will likely increase the size and thickness of the obliques.

It is typical of the "revisionist training" being preached now in gyms by misinformed "trainers", that all ends have the same means, and should all be trained the same way. An irresponsible fad that will have run it's course in a few years.

[egoatdoor]

I still disagree. She says she has "flat abs" and no "muscle mass". So why train the abs at all?????

She has no muscle and that's what the trainer wants to work on; She has to focus all of her energy on this and forget about the abs for a short period of time.

[Defiant1]

I still disagree. She says she has "flat abs" and no "muscle mass". So why train the abs at all?????

She has no muscle and that's what the trainer wants to work on; She has to focus all of her energy on this and forget about the abs for a short period of time.

Then, simply, he should explain himself and his logic. The fact is, if he is implementing a specific training methodology, yet can't explain the whys or the goals-he doesn't know what he is doing and is simply painting by numbers. Obviously, again, abs are important to the trainee. Further stench of the compound based uber program being jammed indiscriminately down peoples throats.

It is not either or. I doubt she is on such a hardcore training program that abs must be cast aside lest she cross into systemic overtraining due to being "so close to the edge".

[egoatdoor]

Then, simply, he should explain himself and his logic. The fact is, if he is implementing a specific training methodology, yet can't explain the whys or the goals-
I agree with you there. She needs to ask him and he needs to explain why he is doing what he is doing.

[terracotta]

My abs started popping as my weights went up in squats and deads. I do NO direct ab work. I have done it before, but it didn't change how my abs looked at all. Weighted ab work will make them pop a bit more, but without weights you are wasting your time.

If you are concerned about the methodology question the trainer as to his long term plans with you :)