Thread: need good ab routine

Variety is nice. JennyB posted this on one of the journal threads:

*use 10lb min. med ball for entire routine
1. Swiss Ball Crunches: 10reps regular, 10reps left twisting, 10reps right twisting then repeat 3 times with no break

2. Abdominal Build up: series of 4 exercises performed in the following manner: A, A+B, A+B+c, A+B+C+D (15reps each exercise)
A. Regular Crunches: on ground holding ball on chest
B. Twisting Crunches: ball between your knees
C. Pulsing Crunches: ball on chest and movement is up, pulse pulse, down
D. Around the Worlds: ball between knees and movement is crunch left, centre, right, centre, left, centre, repeat

3. Med Ball Reverse Crunches: like a v-up with med ball over head and knees bent if needed: 3sets of 10reps

4. Oblique Crunches: med ball on obliques with knees falling to one side: 2sets of 25reps each side

5. Med Ball Plank Taps: holding plank position on elbows with med ball on ground in front of you, keeping back and torso flat reach out with one arm and tap med ball then repeat with other arm: 2sets of 20reps

I enjoyed this routine. She also posted another one in her journal, check it out.

Oh, and yes, I would suggest some rest. I don't think there is much point in doing this every night, as with all muscles, abs/back need rest.

I can't see how doing 200 crunches a day would be underworking the abs. My initial thoughts, the good progress on your abs has nothing to do with the crunches and everything to do with your strict diet. What's the rest of routine look like, because a lot of exercises hit the abs indirectly.

To be quite honest, my abs have responded best when I was doing lots of heavy squats (squatting 3-4 times per week) combined with some dumbell side bends and maybe a few sets of planks thrown in every once in a while.

200 crunches a day won't do much for your core. Any/all weighted ab exercises @ 2-3 times a week will yield the best results. If your looking for curb appeal, all of this means nothing without the right diet.

My abs responded best when i cut my calorie intake.

Originally Posted by rahaas

My abs responded best when i cut my calorie intake.

Werd My ab routine is called cutting.

Proper squats

Originally Posted by rahaas

My abs responded best when i cut my calorie intake.

Originally Posted by PushAndPull

Werd My ab routine is called cutting.

Originally Posted by Merkaba

Proper squats

While cutting.

Oh, and chins and sprints. Nothing hits your abs like those.

Originally Posted by Merkaba

Proper squats

proper deads
proper b/o rows
proper military press

. . go the big compound lifts, you shouldnt need much auxillary ab work

Echoing the above:heavy compounds,good diet,and also some hiit.

I'll admit I am doing some direct ab work now. My training partner is prepping for a show and is doing them so being a good spotter/training partner that i am, I'm doing them too.
I did hear a strength coach on SHR say that while doing squats and deads are good for abs, doing ab work will improve your deadlift as well.

yeah Im sure it does . . I just fkg hate doing abs . . it's a real chore. I hate doing calfs too, but im forcing myself at the moment.

Originally Posted by rahaas

I'll admit I am doing some direct ab work now. My training partner is prepping for a show and is doing them so being a good spotter/training partner that i am, I'm doing them too.
I did hear a strength coach on SHR say that while doing squats and deads are good for abs, doing ab work will improve your deadlift as well.

Louie Simmons is a big advocate of weighted ab work, especially stuff like side bends. The thinking is that you're making your base bigger for squatting.

Originally Posted by gtbmed

Louie Simmons is a big advocate of weighted ab work, especially stuff like side bends. The thinking is that you're making your base bigger for squatting.

Why side bends? Are those where you hold the dumbbell opposte the side trained and bend down and back up like a crunch for your obliques? Or, is this another name for saxon side bend? (which is pretty much the same thing, but with the weight overhead)

Widens the base you're building for squatting. Thickens the waist.

Originally Posted by Built

Widens the base you're building for squatting. Thickens the waist.

My waist is thick enough

I know, right? I see women doing these all the time at the gym and just shake my head.

Originally Posted by Built

I know, right? I see women doing these all the time at the gym and just shake my head.

Seriously. I want my waist tiny, makes everything else look all the bigger.

Originally Posted by PushAndPull

Seriously. I want my waist tiny, makes everything else look all the bigger.

LMAO that's um, honest of you!

Originally Posted by Built

LMAO that's um, honest of you!

I didn't mean it like that, you pervert -lol- I mean I like the Schwarzenegger look better than the Coleman look basically because of the waist size.

Originally Posted by Built

I know, right? I see women doing these all the time at the gym and just shake my head.

I read that the side bends "thickened" the waist, but I assumed that was a myth. Wouldn't it only develop the obliques? How would any other oblique exercises not thicken the waist as well? I'm confused.

If you're going to do some direct ab work, what would be a good oblique exercise? Not side planks. I already do weighted planks twice a week, and on side planks you can't really add weight so the sets would take forever. I've started doing some other minor ab isolation once a week with some of those planks, but I can't decide on an oblique exericse. I like the one where you hang from the pullup bar and bend your torso side to side strictly using the obliques/serratus anterior, but it can be difficiult and sometimes awkward to properly execute that one.

What worked for me really well:

- caloric deficit
- big compound lifts
- only worked abs directly 3 times a week
--- planks
--- side planks
--- Vups
--- hanging leg raises

I used to do trunk twists with a barbell in the corner. Can't really find a good corner to do them at my current gym but they're good for obliques I believe.

Can you use a cable machine instead? That way you could change the angle of resistance maybe?

Originally Posted by gtbmed

I used to do trunk twists with a barbell in the corner. Can't really find a good corner to do them at my current gym but they're good for obliques I believe.

I love these. They're also great for core strength. I think they would also hit the lats and serratus anterior.

Now I really want to do some. Haven't done them in a few months.

Oh yeah, try cleaning a heavy weight, and I don't mean power cleaning, I mean dropping into a rock-bottom front squat with that weight on your shoulders and putting it up. I'm convinced cleans are awesome for ab development.