Thread: abs

Just try a few different exercises and vary your resistance. Use additional resistance if necessary. Anything from 6-25 repetitions could be conducive to hypertrophy.

The following movements involve keeping the lower body stationary and moving the upper body:

Decline situps, spread eagle situps, cable crunches, crunches, etc.


The following movements involve keeping the upper body stationary and moving the lower body:

Leg Raises, hanging knee/leg raises, hanging upside down lateral gyrations, etc.


The following movements involve static contraction of the abs:

Superman pushups, planks/hovers, planks/hovers on a stability ball, etc.


Also consider the usage of unilateral and unbalanced movements and/or the usage of akward amorphous implements for weights.

is that true that you need to actualy need to work the abs hard to make them show out? coz i've read from people before that after they diet their abs look just as good whether they train them or not..

Originally Posted by zapedy

is that true that you need to actualy need to work the abs hard to make them show out? coz i've read from people before that after they diet their abs look just as good whether they train them or not..

Generally this is true. However, additional training can't hurt.

can you explain the third part of that? the "static", not sure what that and the excersises mean/do

Originally Posted by palam

can you explain the third part of that? the "static", not sure what that and the excersises mean/do

I don't know the definition of static in terms of weight training--but static excercises usually don't have an end point- you stop as far as you can go...

I.E: static pushups are done elevated with hands and feet up on lets say three chairs--when you dip down for the pushup, you go as far down as you feel comfortable going since there is no ground underneath you..

static situps-which i think are planks/hovers- are when you lay your feet flat on a bench, have a friend hold your feet down, then you start with your back hanging over the bench and only your legs and butt on the bench and do the situp-like motion with no ground for your back

I think the purpose is to continuously strain your muscles during repititions

Static contractions (Isometric) involve no shortening or lengthening of the muscle. Clenching your first would be an example of a isometric contraction. Pushing against an immovable object such as a wall would be another.

MP Fit's explanation of a plank is a little off. Basically, get in pushup position, except you will rest on your forearms instead of your palms. Keep your body straight and rigid. If you do this on a stability ball the difficulty is increased.

I found when I did weighted situps and weighted leg raise my abs grew and showed much better than just being thin.

With weighted leg raise, I lay on floor with dumbell held with feet and a 25lb BB plate on my chest to anchor me, 2X25 25lb DB

Situps, keep feet anchored and DB behind neck, 2X25 30lb DB

I'm curious as to why people put DBs behind their necks for sit ups. Wouldn't that impair ROM and be extremely uncomfortable? I used to just lay a plate on my chest with my arms crossed over it. It just seems like the other way is too awkward to me. Oh well, to each his/her own.

IMO weight resistance for abs is a poor idea unless you training for boxing/football..etc

if you want them to "pop" out you just need to grow in general....I was 128 w/ 7-8%BF and had a flat stomach with 2 dimensional abs.... Just get your body to grow as a whole and you abs will follow suit.

getting them to really "pop" out like BB competitors and models you need to pull some water out of your system

Originally Posted by lnvanry

IMO weight resistance for abs is a poor idea unless you training for boxing/football..etc

if you want them to "pop" out you just need to grow in general....I was 128 w/ 7-8%BF and had a flat stomach with 2 dimensional abs.... Just get your body to grow as a whole and you abs will follow suit.

getting them to really "pop" out like BB competitors and models you need to pull some water out of your system

That's a little like saying that weight resistance for the back is a poor idea unless you canoe all the time IMO. It's just another muscle, so why not train it? If you're going for strength and want to strengthen your entire body, the abs can be a very important part of the core that will allow you to move bigger weights with other exercises. Getting them bigger is the same as with other muscles - train them and they'll grow; don't and they won't. Just make sure you're at a low enough BF before you expect results. That's how I see it at least.