Abs

[Chris Nagel]

Here's something that I wrote before:

I agree with everyone here, but there's a few things I'd like to add. Start off your routine with exercises that emphasizes your lower abs, then do exercises that emphasis your obliques (e.g. side bends) or twisting exercises, then do exercises that stress your upper abs (e.g. crunches) last. The reason for this order is that if you were fatigue your abs doing exercises such as crunches first, you wouldn't be able to work your lower abs and obliques as much. Your abs still work all or nothing, there are no segments but the emphasis on particular areas vary depending on the exercise.

As for reps, first choose exercises that challenge you without being too difficult, this might be leg raises (lying down) to start with and and a couple of weeks later you can replace it with hanging leg raises. The number of reps should be about how much you can do in good form, you can also take a short break and then do another set. If you fully exercise your lower-abs and obliques first, your upper-abs will already have gotten a good share of work and you won't have to do as much crunches or whatever afterward.

I also recommend training your lower back as well, and doing stretches for your abdominals and lower back.

By the way, I have a good ebook that has a decent program for the abs I can send you or anyone else that's interested. It has different routines for different levels that you can follow. It's a nice progressive program. When the exercises get too easy, you can move to the next routine that would be more challenging.

[donnydarkoIRL]

Chrises previous post was excellent.


The lower abs are not only the hardest to traget, they also fatigue the quickest, so its advisable you begin by hitting them.

Ab training is simlar to most training.
In order to achieve the optimum level of gain you must use "shock therapy."
The cointinuous repetition of the same exercises will yield some gains, but greater results will be shown by keeping the body guessing.
Like weights its a good idea to switch your routine every 4 weeks or so.

[Youngblood]

The best my abs ever looked, as far as I think how people think the whole 'sexy ab' thing goes...came from when I had to cut a shit ton of weight in a hurry to get a fight. In one week of redic too much cardio, starving self, and even dehydrating...basically doing everything wrong a person can to lead up to a fight, I looked freakishly ripped. Sad truth of it, is that I was a long way from what people equate with that look...healthy. Was substantially weakened and putting myself at risk.

I remember the convo from it at the time, and Sharla suggesting we are likely healthier with a lil bit of fat over the abs. I tend to agree.

[Rocky Balboa]

I remember the convo from it at the time, and Sharla suggesting we are likely healthier with a lil bit of fat over the abs. I tend to agree.

Totally agreed. I am an ectomorph (low-fat build), healthy, eat properly but I still have a little bit of fat on my abs. Occasionally I try to take it off but, like Youngblood said, you getter weaker, dehydrated, etc. Live properly and you will always have a little bit of fats on your abs.

[leonisABC]

Try Janda sit-ups, russian leg-thrusts and russian twists.