Muscle and Fitness Complete Guide to ABS ABS AND MORE ABS

Hi Ladies

You know how we all bitch and complain about our abs but we never seem to know what to do and always stuck at the beginning or we have a six pack already but we really would like to try something new but not sure. This little booklet has it all.

Well this booklet was delivered along with an order I had placed and I've been meaning to share it with you now for a couple of months. I wanted to post it in the training section but I know the images won't show.

I do apologize for holding out on you so here is it:
[url]http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=109102971&p=893858581&viewfull=1#post893858581[/url]

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Performance Pointers: Spinal Alignment. Even though your spine flexes during most ab movements (especially those for the upper abs), you should keep your cervical spine (neck), head and shoulders in alignment whilst exercising. Proper positioning will prevent unwanted forces from causing injury to the neck. One of the most critical components in achieving alignment is hand placement. If you interlock your hands behind you head, you'll pull your head forward and disrupt alignment. Instead, cup your hands behind your ears or place your hands on the sides of your head to support it.

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If you are truly committed to building you best midsection ever, then you can't rely on just the basic crunch. You will need a three-pronged attack that devotes equal time to each portion of the abdominal musculature; the upper area, lower area and obliques, which lie on either side, with a variety of effective exercises.

Start your training off right or break out of your workout rut with the help of the comprehensive booklet of the best ab exercises. It's divided into four sections, allowing you to focus your efforts on one area of the abdominals at a time or train more than one area simultaneously with combination exercises.

Each move listed within a section has a scale of difficulty that signifies whether it's best for beginners, intermediates or advanced trainees; some are good choices for than one ability level.

Beginners should choose the easier options first; once you can complete 15 to 20 reps with good form, advance to a more difficult exercise.

Make sure you train each area of your abdominals in your workout, switching which area you start each time. If you are new to the gym or abdominal training then begin with one set for each area; upper, lower and obliques. Intermediates can perform 2 to 3 sets of one exercise each for the three different areas; advanced lifters might do 2 to 3 sets of two exercises for each area.

Wow, amazing post. Thanks for sharing.

First :D

[QUOTE=HudsonHicks;189922621]Wow, amazing post. Thanks for sharing.

First :D[/QUOTE]

Thank you and pleasure :)

LOL @ first :D

AWESOME!

thanks.. wont let me rep you though, so I'll be back! (with sore abs, no doubt ;))

You won't get abs if you eat like crap. Diet is 70% while working out is 30%. Anybody can workout but if you want a ripped and/or toned abs you need to adhere to a sensible diet. Just sayin'.

All the oblique exercises look hard. But I used to do 40 partner-assisted leg raises.

[QUOTE=M1k3y;189958531]You won't get abs if you eat like crap. Diet is 70% while working out is 30%. Anybody can workout but if you want a ripped and/or toned abs you need to adhere to a sensible diet. Just sayin'.[/QUOTE]

Absolutely agreed and I know all the ladies on this site are aware of this however sometimes we just need a little variety in our ab exercises because diet alone isn't going to give you what you want.

It's a combination of both. :)

[QUOTE=skinny_Waw;189959951]All the oblique exercises look hard. But I used to do 40 partner-assisted leg raises.[/QUOTE]

They do look tough but it's worth it :)

Try some intermediate stuff first then for the more complex movements. :)

I don't have any equipment like that at my gym...

[QUOTE=Amanda76;189972161]I don't have any equipment like that at my gym...[/QUOTE]

are you trying to get out of doing abs :p

your gym doesn't have a mat or medicine ball?

decline ab bench

ok that crunchy machine thing I think is stupid but most of them are lying on the floor or hanging off your pull up bar :D :p

of course just to add to this let's not forget planks

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for this girls remember bum down and keep the back in a nice straight line no cheating and suck in those abs to keep you solid.

When you advance you can go for dynamic planks:

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or

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Ladies if you don't want to do this on the ball then simply lift your leg off off the floor

and lets not forget the side plank for those obliques ladies

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again once you've got these down you can go for dynamic side planks

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[QUOTE=Mindi911;189974101]are you trying to get out of doing abs :p

your gym doesn't have a mat or medicine ball?

decline ab bench

ok that crunchy machine thing I think is stupid but most of them are lying on the floor or hanging off your pull up bar :D :p[/QUOTE]

Oh...I didn't even notice THAT stuff in the pictures...:D

[QUOTE=Amanda76;190007131]Oh...I didn't even notice THAT stuff in the pictures...:D[/QUOTE]

Oh I see :p

It IS a great article though. :D

I think my favorite ab exercise lately is leg raises off a stability ball (lay on the ball, hold onto something above your head and do straight leg raises). You're barely stable at all so you can't use momentum or you're going down...and it's harder to re-balance if you rest your feet on the floor at the bottom so it really encourages you to keep your abs engaged. I've been trying to add a hip thrust at the top but the leg raises themselves are hard like that.

[QUOTE=Amanda76;190046921]It IS a great article though. :D

I think my favorite ab exercise lately is leg raises off a stability ball (lay on the ball, hold onto something above your head and do straight leg raises). You're barely stable at all so you can't use momentum or you're going down...and it's harder to re-balance if you rest your feet on the floor at the bottom so it really encourages you to keep your abs engaged. I've been trying to add a hip thrust at the top but the leg raises themselves are hard like that.[/QUOTE]

Damn awesome new avi girl!

that's sound really hard to do - what do you hold onto?

[QUOTE=Mindi911;190048751]Damn awesome new avi girl!

that's sound really hard to do - what do you hold onto?[/QUOTE]

Thanks. :)

Just another piece of equipment at the gym. Pretty much anything works. One leg of a power rack works, for example...that's the perfect size to grab comfortably with both hands and there are lots of things that shape (doesn't have to be that tall, obviously) at the gym.

Closest I can find...like what this guy is doing but do straight leg raises instead of reverse crunches. He's probably a bit more stable than I normally am because I don't grip so wide, but this definitely gives you an idea:

[img]http://www.weightliftingdiscussion.com/reversecrunch1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.weightliftingdiscussion.com/reversecrunch.jpg[/img]


Oh...and another EDIT...LOL You can make it more difficult by keeping the ball higher on your back instead of supporting your hips as much.

I am so giving them a go they look like they hurt :eek: :D

Great post- I really struggle to challenge myself with ab work so I can't wait to give some of the 'advanced' moves a go!

how often are you suppose to do these exercises?

[QUOTE=skinny_Waw;190083051]how often are you suppose to do these exercises?[/QUOTE]

When do you do your abs in your routine?

your 14 though so I would say you'd benefit from doing them once a week :)

bump :)

This is one of the best threads I've ever seen. Thank you very much!