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Abs

GetSwullll

Registered User
Jun 9, 2006
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First off, I've been training for a long time and understand that DIET is a major factor in abs and getting a good physical core to look sharp.

Now, I've followed a routine of two abdominal exercises per workout (usually total of 6 per week) hitting different angles like leg raises, crunches, and side obliques on every different exercise.

So...what are some tips and suggestions as far as EXERCISE?!?! Sets, how many exercises per week, per day, reps...better off using resistance or just free body movements of high reps?!?

Thanks people..this forum is the best to tips
 

Elvia1023

AnaSCI VET / Donating Member
Oct 28, 2007
5,816
14
38
GetSwullll said:
First off, I've been training for a long time and understand that DIET is a major factor in abs and getting a good physical core to look sharp.

Now, I've followed a routine of two abdominal exercises per workout (usually total of 6 per week) hitting different angles like leg raises, crunches, and side obliques on every different exercise.

So...what are some tips and suggestions as far as EXERCISE?!?! Sets, how many exercises per week, per day, reps...better off using resistance or just free body movements of high reps?!?

Thanks people..this forum is the best to tips

Diet a major factor.... diet is everything. 6 packs are made in the kitchen and not the gym. You could do one ab workout per week and have a 6 pack. But of course ab workouts are great and are well needed. I personally think 3 times weekly is great. I personally do them on my days off the gym. I use 3 different methods each day. The key to abs is feeling them... thats sounds alittle strange... I just mean getting a connection with them. Like it is easy with your bi-ceps etc but abs are more difficult. A top tip is to train them when they are hurting. I don't mean if you can barely move. Just try doing some at night. It is best to pick a pretty standard movement and have 4/5 attempts at that movement. Moving nice and slow and ensuring form is perfect. So if you can do 20 then do 20, 40 then 40. Then when you fail have 1 min rest and have other attempt... repeat that 4/5 times... so each time should be less reps till attempt 5 is maybe 8 reps.

Then after you sleep try a ab routine first thing in the morning. It will burn so much but you really do feel them. Then have a protein shake afterwards and wait alittle before eating. I don't rec doing the above all the time but maybe once per week.

In regards to movements just go on you-tube and write in "ab workouts". There is alot of crap but there are some amazing vids. You should easily find one vid that basically goes through all the ab workouts possible. The guy just does 20 secs for each (literally about 30-40 routines) in about 10 mins. They will just show you numerous movements you can use. Just pick 3 or 4 and do them for each workout. Then pick other 3 or 4. You could do some workouts were you do 5-10 different movements . The key is to just mix it up but have some stability in your routine.

Just remember the best thing you can do for abs is to research about diet and nutrition. The key is to have loads of protein and only a few carbs and fats in the day. Those fats should be essential fats and not saturated. Try to avoid carbs late at night. Weight training 3 times weekly speeds up your metobolic rate and it all adds to you burning fat. One last thing cardio is just as important for 6 packs as ab workouts. Hope it helps
 

GetSwullll

Registered User
Jun 9, 2006
478
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I know plenty of exercises, i've been training sine 17 and was personal trainer for little over 2 years so i'm always reading on new stuff. I just wanted some ideas of reps and sets people follow, and how many exercises for abs per day people were doing in their work out?!?!

* I read all the time in the Muscle Tech magz to never do more than 40 reps of ANY ab exercise, and if you can do more than 40 with flawless form, to add resistance to that exercise...just wondering what other people do
 

Elvia1023

AnaSCI VET / Donating Member
Oct 28, 2007
5,816
14
38
GetSwullll said:
I know plenty of exercises, i've been training sine 17 and was personal trainer for little over 2 years so i'm always reading on new stuff. I just wanted some ideas of reps and sets people follow, and how many exercises for abs per day people were doing in their work out?!?!

* I read all the time in the Muscle Tech magz to never do more than 40 reps of ANY ab exercise, and if you can do more than 40 with flawless form, to add resistance to that exercise...just wondering what other people do

If thats the case why ask. The way you worded your thread it basically stated you wanted info on the exercise element of abs. But if you truly knew what you said you do you wouldn't ask what you did... cos like I said 6 packs are made in the kitchen. And anyone who is struggling to get a 6 pack is usually doing so cos their diet is not spot on all their supplementation is wrong (dbol, adrol etc). It's not cos they are doing one extra set or 1 less day then they should or any of those things. Although of course cardio and abs workouts are vital for achieving a toned stomach.

Your right you shouldn't do massive rep routines. But the way I mentioned is great... I got that info from a natural bodybuilder and it really does work. But again with most things there are 1001 ways to do things. But the usual 5 sets of 12 etc is not always the best way. I solely give you that info about you-tube cos I know loads of ab routines and when I watched it I was like fuck that is alot. The source of the info isn't great but it's just a good vid to watch cos it shows you many different approaches to ab work.

By the way when I said do as many as you can. I did mean with perfect form and very slowly... so if you do proper exercises the most anyone should manage is not a huge number. But to say you must not do over 40 is wrong (I am not saying do over 40)... not like once you hit 40 you start hurting yourself. I find the key with most exercises is to not have boundaries... not have numbers in your head... for they are a mental barrier. You tell yourself to not be able to go beyond that point... 40 being an example. I am not saying go out and do huge numbers (that isa bad) but just plan out well so if done properly you manage 30 or so.

I just said about that vid cos you asked about different ab exercises.

But anyway my set patterns are the above and on other days are the usual 4 sets of whatever number. I usually do 18, 15, 12, 8 when I do most ab exercises.

By the way you shouldn't add much resistance to ab exercises cos they are like any muscle they grow and it's not a good look when you have a turtle belly... other bad side of long-term steroid usage. The key is diet to reveal them without them popping out so much (unless you have a huge chest).

Your probably not bothered but I usually do 3 different exercises for abs and 4-5 sets for each exercise. I will do that one day. The other day I will do my other approach (4/5 attempts). And my 3rd day in the week I will do a mixed set of various exercises... I don't have a set routine and just pick whatever I wanna do that day.

I haven't been working my abs out much in the last few months. As I done a strong bulking cycle my 6 pack faded lots (disappeared). But as my diet has been spot on it has come back over the last few months.
 
Last edited:

ASHOP

AnaSCI VET
Aug 28, 2005
4,435
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ashop.in
GetSwullll said:
First off, I've been training for a long time and understand that DIET is a major factor in abs and getting a good physical core to look sharp.

Now, I've followed a routine of two abdominal exercises per workout (usually total of 6 per week) hitting different angles like leg raises, crunches, and side obliques on every different exercise.

So...what are some tips and suggestions as far as EXERCISE?!?! Sets, how many exercises per week, per day, reps...better off using resistance or just free body movements of high reps?!?

Thanks people..this forum is the best to tips

I hit abs hard 2x per wk.
I do tons of crunches on exercise ball.
also do 'frog' crunches that hit upper and lowe abs i feel.
 

GetSwullll

Registered User
Jun 9, 2006
478
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Thanks people...all info is good. I'm gonna stricten up on the dieting and start pre-cooking lot more food. And bump abs up to 4 sets and three times per week. I'll let ya know.
 

Elvia1023

AnaSCI VET / Donating Member
Oct 28, 2007
5,816
14
38
GetSwullll said:
Thanks people...all info is good. I'm gonna stricten up on the dieting and start pre-cooking lot more food. And bump abs up to 4 sets and three times per week. I'll let ya know.

By the way if I was alittle cheeky sorry about that... I am only playing... plus been having mood swings recently :twisted:

Yeah the 3 times weekly is good. I am doing 4 gym sessions per week now so sometimes do them on my days off but mainly just at the end of one of my workouts. The 4 sets 3 times per week is good. But to be honest sometimes doing more and really burning them is great. If your gonna do 4 sets try my attempts method for one of those (and the other 2 do 4 sets). I know you have heard otherwise but it really does work.

But yeah like I said you could have 1 ab routine per week but if your diet is spot on you should reach your goals. Goodluck matey and let us know how you get on.
 

mac762339

Registered User
Jul 17, 2005
233
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GetSwullll said:
Thanks people...all info is good. I'm gonna stricten up on the dieting and start pre-cooking lot more food. And bump abs up to 4 sets and three times per week. I'll let ya know.

The best way for having premade meals prepared is The Food Saver machine. Its a vacum sealing machine runs about $100 US .I will take two or three hours on a Sunday and prepackage and freeze egg whites ,steak,chicken sweet potatoes anything. Take out whatever I feel like eating the next day the night before. Its the shit no freezer burn no wasting of food cooking to much and not getting to eat it before it goes bad. The best peice of kitchen equiptment a dieter can have.
 

fusion600

New member
Aug 24, 2008
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go to benderball.com it costs like $20.00 it will the best $20.00 you ever invested + it comes with a dvd. it blows the big gym balls out of the water...check it out
 

Tyrone

AnaSCI VET
Feb 24, 2007
1,167
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0
fusion600 said:
go to benderball.com it costs like $20.00 it will the best $20.00 you ever invested + it comes with a dvd. it blows the big gym balls out of the water...check it out
Looks like the typical info-mercial to me...why do you think it's worth 20 bones??
 

oldfella

Registered User
Jul 31, 2007
139
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0
If you want a bigger waist line hit abs hard all the time and add resistance! Make sure you hit those obliques for permanent love handles also.

You really do not need to train abs. Your torso is going to work everytime you grab a weigh and move it. When you squat what do you think you are working here? Other than the obvious? If you do deads, what do you think is really working? Just do light ab worlouts to stay sharp, do not add resistance or they will grow!!
 

Elvia1023

AnaSCI VET / Donating Member
Oct 28, 2007
5,816
14
38
oldfella said:
If you want a bigger waist line hit abs hard all the time and add resistance! Make sure you hit those obliques for permanent love handles also.

You really do not need to train abs. Your torso is going to work everytime you grab a weigh and move it. When you squat what do you think you are working here? Other than the obvious? If you do deads, what do you think is really working? Just do light ab worlouts to stay sharp, do not add resistance or they will grow!!

I went on abit above! But anyway I sort of agree with the above. Like I have said you could have a toned stomach (6 pack) without doing any stomach exercises. 6 packs are made in the kitchen and not the gym. I would say it is approx 90% diet 10% training. And the abs are like any muscle... if you train them hard they will grow... turtle belly is not a good look. But regardless of the above imo 2 intense ab sessions per week is so much better than just relying on deadlifts etc to hit them. You just have to know how to train them and how to get that ripped look.

I see fellas adding large weights for resistance and it is silly. Do light abs workouts to stay sharp but incorporate intense floor exercises and make them burn. Because doing that sculpts them and can help with fatloss.