should beginners work out abs??

[hoffpot]

I know this sounds a strange question but i do get some differing answers.
At the moment I do not do much in the way of abdominal exercises, although I do do core exercises such as Waiters bow , plank , dumbell woodchop.
My routines are for fat loss at the moment and I do seem to be making some gains. I have been training for 2 whole months now and would like to know whether or not I should be doing any ab w/outs at this stage.
here is my first month progress pic I have lost a bit more since but it shows the level of weight I have around my waist.

[subpolarbear]

Abs are a big part of working out. Do them.

[MT_Pawkits]

IMO YES, Core strength is important! besides its soooo much fun!

[GreenWave1]

Yes. Abs effect many movements.

[DeathtoToasters]

Great Question, I was wondering the same thing!

Thanks for asking!

[freebirdmac]

I guess I'm the odd-man out. I've yet to work abs directly. I actually think squats make the best ab exercise with many other exercises also hitting them indirectly. Nothing wrong with ab work, I keep threatening to do some, but I think all of the other exercises are more important.

[eomrat]

I would have to say that it depends on what your purpose in doing them is. If it is to get a six-pack then I would say Ab work is an absolute waste of time and energy. Well defined abs are a result of diet. If you are doing what a beginner should be doing (focusing on core strengthening exercises) you will get plenty of Ab work as a secondary benefit. Working abs may also be detrimental to progress if you are fatiguing your core to the point that it affects other lifts.

If your purpose is to facilitate other lifts and you plan to work abs as an assistance exercise then there can be some benefit to that, but they must be done on the same day you do those exercises that require a strong un-fatigued core i.e. Squats, overhead press, etc, and they should be done last.

I really think if your primary goal is weight loss you should consider that every second spent doing ab work is a second not doing cardio.

[LyingSac]

eat donuts instead......dee dee deeeeeeeeee

[IronCharles]

If you work your lower back, you need to work the abs to balance your torso out. One or the other much stronger than the other, and you risk injury, and in that area you are usually looking at spinal issues. Abs also help you maintain good posture, and the more muscle you have period, the more calories you will burn.

The disadvantages to doing abs are.... well..... um..... er.....

Case closed!

[Do_Somethin]

Janda sit-ups are the best ab exercise in my opinion.

[vnmama]

Originally Posted by hoffpot

I know this sounds a strange question but i do get some differing answers.
At the moment I do not do much in the way of abdominal exercises, although I do do core exercises such as Waiters bow , plank , dumbell woodchop.
My routines are for fat loss at the moment and I do seem to be making some gains. I have been training for 2 whole months now and would like to know whether or not I should be doing any ab w/outs at this stage.
here is my first month progress pic I have lost a bit more since but it shows the level of weight I have around my waist.

For a beginner, I believe your time is better spent on legs, back, chest and shoulders. Skip abs and arms, and cardio.... for now.

[pac8x8]

Originally Posted by vnmama

For a beginner, I believe your time is better spent on legs, back, chest and shoulders. Skip abs and arms, and cardio.... for now.

^^^to keep the waist small, this is the ideal suggestion for a bb'r - make sure to maintain a tensed stabilized spine while working foundation muscle groups to prevent back injury -plenty of midsection strength is garnered doing basic exercises such as deads, squats, rows, and presses if performed correctly. Focusing on abs directly can take strength gains away from much needed foundation exercises. Doesn't hurt to warm up using high rep standing pulley "partial" crunches which is what I use to help tense the midsection in between beginning pyramiding weight acclimation sets of rack pulls or any exercise for that matter...2 or 3 sets of 70-100 reps until you feel a good burn is sufficient, because I don't rely on the powerlifting belt. I get definite stabilization of the spine and added strength going into the heavier sets.

[kimm4]

Originally Posted by vnmama

For a beginner, I believe your time is better spent on legs, back, chest and shoulders. Skip abs and arms, and cardio.... for now.

Why would you skip abs, arms and cardio because you're a beginner? This makes no sense to me.

Diet is the most important when it comes to abs, but I would treat them like any other muscle and throw them in at least once a week.

Train every muscle group for a better overall physique...that's the idea

[oldsuperman]

Originally Posted by pac8x8

^^^to keep the waist small, this is the ideal suggestion for a bb'r - make sure to maintain a tensed stabilized spine while working foundation muscle groups to prevent back injury -plenty of midsection strength is garnered doing basic exercises such as deads, squats, rows, and presses if performed correctly. Focusing on abs directly can take strength gains away from much needed foundation exercises. Doesn't hurt to warm up using high rep standing pulley "partial" crunches which is what I use to help tense the midsection in between beginning pyramiding weight acclimation sets of rack pulls or any exercise for that matter...2 or 3 sets of 70-100 reps until you feel a good burn is sufficient, because I don't rely on the powerlifting belt. I get definite stabilization of the spine and added strength going into the heavier sets.

I pretty much agree with this. I only do abs for a few weeks before a competition. If you are training with weights you will work your abs. Doing crunches will not spot reduce the waist. In fact, with compound ab work, you will actually increase your waist size.

ABS ARE MADE IN THE KITCHEN.

[RBH58]

Originally Posted by oldsuperman

Doing crunches will not spot reduce the waist. In fact, with compound ab work, you will actually increase your waist size.

ABS ARE MADE IN THE KITCHEN.

I can get the logic here. A friend of mine once remarked, "Why do I want to exercise my stomach? I don't want a bigger stomach".

Originally Posted by oldsuperman

I pretty much agree with this. I only do abs for a few weeks before a competition. If you are training with weights you will work your abs. Doing crunches will not spot reduce the waist. In fact, with compound ab work, you will actually increase your waist size.

ABS ARE MADE IN THE KITCHEN.

Put me in this camp as well. Except I dont compete but I only train abs when I cut. It might be becuase I dont care for ab work.

[hoffpot]

Thanx alot guys
I was in the same thinking that If I trained my abs it would probably throw my jelly belly out a bit further
I will keep on as I am for a while longer then as I seem to be losing it nicely so far.
Thanx again for your input.

[thor93]

Originally Posted by vnmama

For a beginner, I believe your time is better spent on legs, back, chest and shoulders. Skip abs and arms, and cardio.... for now.

i basically agree with this because,most beginners will give up if they think they have to work abs regularly(or at all for that matter).

ab work is just no fun.a beginner needs to feel motivated and enthralled about working out or weightlifting.ab work is neither fun nor enthralling.it is pure drudgery and misery.and those gimmick ab products are just that.gimmicks.

personally,i do work abs "fairly regularly". i actually do in fact use a sort of gimmicky looking device to do my crunches as well. and even though i acknowledge that most ab devices are nothing more than gimmicks,i can honestly say that the "ab shaper" crunch assister i incorporate is a keeper and not a throw in the garbage piece of gimmickry.

also,i train abs more for strengthening them than for looks.
i want to have strong abs and i've actually aquired a strange sort of addiction to the pain involved.i just really enjoy how i feel afterwards when i've just subjected myself to a brief but brutal 5-8 min ab session.

but yes,for a newbie or even a re-starter looking to get it back,i would advise to not focus on the abs.worry about refining em later after you've really gotten yourself into a consistent routine and you're feeling yourself becomming a well seasoned but somewhat stagnated workout junkie or gym rat before you decide you're really going to specifically train the abs with some legitimately willfull intentions.

like others have allready said though,great looking abs are truly made in the kitchen but on the other hand,strong powerfull abs are created through dedicated,willfull and hard earned consistent ab workouts focusing specifically on strengthening all the areas of the abdominal region.

[pmartel]

Originally Posted by freebirdmac

I guess I'm the odd-man out. I've yet to work abs directly. I actually think squats make the best ab exercise with many other exercises also hitting them indirectly. Nothing wrong with ab work, I keep threatening to do some, but I think all of the other exercises are more important.

Nope, you're not alone. I've been doing everytging else but!!

[namtrag]

Squats, deads and bentover bb rows do all the ab work I need right now.

[theKurp]

Originally Posted by thor93

i
ab work is just no fun.a beginner needs to feel motivated and enthralled about working out or weightlifting.ab work is neither fun nor enthralling.it is pure drudgery and misery.and those gimmick ab products are just that.gimmicks.

I've been doing ab work for so many years I can't remember if at one time I thought it to be pure drudgery and misery.

I love doing ab work. I start every session by doing 3x30 (30 second rest between sets) of the bicycle maneuver. I do each rep in a slow controlled fashion and keep the abs and obliques engaged for the entire set. It's a good way to get warmed up, and from the sounds of my vertebrae cracking I'm guessing it's a good way to stretch my spine as well.

In 2001, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) commissioned a study by Peter Frances at the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University in which they studied 30 men and women aged 20-45 with a range of fitness and weight training expertise. The researchers used electromyography (EMG) equipment to monitor muscle activity as they exercised. The study can be found here: http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/stu...bexercises.pdf

In a nutshell, the study found the following (in order) to be the most effective ab exercises (number to the right is a weighted score):

Rectus abdominis

1. Bicycle Maneuver 248
2. Captain?s Chair 212
3. Exercise Ball Crunch 139
4. Vertical Leg Crunch 129
5. Torso Track (roll-out machine) 127
6. Long Arm Crunch 119

Obliques

1. Captain?s Chair 310
2. Bicycle Maneuver 290
3. Reverse Crunch 240
4. Hover 230
5. Vertical Leg Crunch 216
6. Exercise Ball 147

[hoffpot]

Nice to see I am on the right track really, as I don't train abs directly. In my w/outs, in w/o2, I do waiters bow, plank and woodchop with a 10lb weight, so really these are more for the core? am I right in thinking that?
Also something that was also mentioned was biceps, I only actually do 1 ex for these as I too am in the mind that at this stage all the other stuff I am doing is going to hit this area.
The next thing I need to do is read up on the best nutrition for getting me further. What I have readso far shows I am well off the mark, but I just love fruit and veggies and could not have a day without them (I dont think)
But hey thats something I have to read up on a bit more.

[thor93]

Originally Posted by theKurp

I've been doing ab work for so many years I can't remember if at one time I thought it to be pure drudgery and misery.

I love doing ab work. I start every session by doing 3x30 (30 second rest between sets) of the bicycle maneuver. I do each rep in a slow controlled fashion and keep the abs and obliques engaged for the entire set. It's a good way to get warmed up, and from the sounds of my vertebrae cracking I'm guessing it's a good way to stretch my spine as well.

In 2001, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) commissioned a study by Peter Frances at the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University in which they studied 30 men and women aged 20-45 with a range of fitness and weight training expertise. The researchers used electromyography (EMG) equipment to monitor muscle activity as they exercised. The study can be found here: http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/stu...bexercises.pdf

In a nutshell, the study found the following (in order) to be the most effective ab exercises (number to the right is a weighted score):

Rectus abdominis

1. Bicycle Maneuver 248
2. Captain?s Chair 212
3. Exercise Ball Crunch 139
4. Vertical Leg Crunch 129
5. Torso Track (roll-out machine) 127
6. Long Arm Crunch 119

Obliques

1. Captain?s Chair 310
2. Bicycle Maneuver 290
3. Reverse Crunch 240
4. Hover 230
5. Vertical Leg Crunch 216
6. Exercise Ball 147

hahaha...yes...i love ab work too, but i was simply referring to and being emphathetic with the general populace.the average joe or jane that starts aquainting themselves with meaningfull ab workouts is likely to despise em to the tilt...lol.

it's an "aquired labor of love" as i'm sure many ab affectionados out there,including myself,will attest to. ; )