Thread: ABS how long ? how often??

abs are a muscle group like any other.

train them the way you train your other muscles.

I do mine on leg day once a week. Train them hard and that's all you need.

It depends, some do it once a week, some do it five. Find what works for you.

I do mine three times a week. I do a triset of three different exercises and do 3 sets. This is killer and gives you a great failure without having to do much weight.

People often ask how often should you work your abs. Well, remember that the abdominals are a muscle and they require recovery just like any other muscle, although they do recover relatively quickly compared to other muscles due to their inherent fiber type. If you’re training your abs from an injury prevention perspective then you could train them 3-4 days per week using light loads, e.g. non-weighted crunches, performing 3-4 sets. However, if your goal is to develop your abs either for bodybuilding or sport performance, then you should only train them 2-3 days per week using more advanced techniques, e.g. weighted incline crunches performing 6-8 sets. As far as when to train the abs, it really does not matter; you could train them at the beginning of your workout if you’re prioritizing them. However if you plan to fatigue them it may be a better idea to work them last. Since the abs play a major role in stabilization it could hinder performance in compound lifts such as squats. An even better idea if feasible for you would be to train them on a day where you work smaller body parts and no compound lifts that involve the entire body.

excerpt from an article I wrote here: http://www.ironmagazine.com/article42.html

good advice

I think ab training is inconsequential from an aesthetic point of view, I think muscularity and vascularity in the abdominal area is achieved entirely through good, sound dieting techniques, but that's just me. I mean, I went off abdominal training altogether for 8 weeks, and retained my abs from a clean diet and heavy squats/deadlifts. Now I've gone back on solely because I believe in the merits of a solid core, which has lead to higher poundages in all my core-based lifts. I recommend a 5x5 routine, composed of cable crunches, incline Russian twists and dragon flags/weighted knee raises. You can alternate these with weighted Swiss ball crunches, ab roller crunches, abdominal bridges, hanging leg raises, Swiss ball rolls, etc. As far as oblique strength goes I like one-armed deadlifts and twisting cable crunches. One exercise that DOES help with abdominal separation, though, I must say, are vacuums.

Peace.

I also don't recommend performing ab exercises first in your workout...this would pre-fatigue them and affect your performance in core-based exercises, ie squats, deadlifts, hell, probably even pull-ups. You should actually schedule a whole day a week exclusively for core training, working on your lower back, obliques and abdominal area. Once a week is more than enough. Your abs are stressed in nearly every exercise you do as a stabiliser, so really you work them a lot more often than you might think...

Peace.

premo thanks for the info thats what i was looking for i just want to maintain i will take your advice and single out a day like when i do my squats and deads

I do mine twice a week.

I do alternate workouts based on the week...one for strength and one for stability and balance.