Abs or no Abs?

**WilliamB** · 04-09-2007, 10:14 PM

I do a typical power lifts with a friend deads, squats, rows, who's in relativley good shape yet still has a gut somehow, kinda an Endomorph, about 185 5'10''. Diet sounds pretty good; front loads carbs, high protein lower carb intake, etc., does cardio about 3-4 times a week. Says he doesnt do much for ab's because even at his lowest body fat was he able to see them. In all reality how beneficial is doing direct ab work for someone like this?

**P-funk** · 04-09-2007, 10:21 PM

i see the benefit in doing some sort of core work (strength, stability, rotation) for everyone. Not for the purpose of seeing your abs, but for the purpose of strengthining muscles wich stabilize and protect the spine.

**iMan323** · 04-10-2007, 05:34 AM

Everyone should do abs.

**juggernaut2005** · 04-10-2007, 07:12 AM

Deadlifting & squats = my ab exercises

**bigsahm21** · 04-10-2007, 07:34 AM

I agree with P-Funk on that one you can't underestimate the importance of a strong core. Has he tried HIIT before?

**WilliamB** · 04-10-2007, 11:39 AM

Does doing specific movements for the abs get more results then just ab work from weight lifting in general? I mean my abs I feel are decent just from racking and unracking weight practically.

Originally Posted by juggernaut2005

Deadlifting & squats = my ab exercises

Feels great when you actually feel the abs getting hit doing this.

HIIT cardio you mean? Or is there HIIT specifically for abs?

**Mystik** · 04-10-2007, 01:24 PM

I like doin abs feels good to be able to sit up straight.

**Bakerboy** · 04-10-2007, 03:22 PM

I don't think it is as simple as abs or no abs. Most people have alignment issues and imbalances to address as well that's why stretching and stability work is in my opinion critical. If your pelvis tilts too far up or down you are going to open yourself up for lower back injuries down the road. This is why I like planks so much- they train your body stay in proper alignment. It's more about learning how to control your core so that when you are moving, sitting, lifting etc. you can activate those core muscles. Staying 'tight' in your core while doing movements like overhead presses, deads and squats etc. will do wonders for a persons core strength and performance.
A thing that I feel gets neglected a lot in the gym is rotational and stability work both being very critical tools to aiding us in our daily lives as well as our additional athletic pursuits be it recreational or otherwise.

**fUnc17** · 04-11-2007, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Bakerboy

I don't think it is as simple as abs or no abs. Most people have alignment issues and imbalances to address as well that's why stretching and stability work is in my opinion critical. If your pelvis tilts too far up or down you are going to open yourself up for lower back injuries down the road. This is why I like planks so much- they train your body stay in proper alignment. It's more about learning how to control your core so that when you are moving, sitting, lifting etc. you can activate those core muscles. Staying 'tight' in your core while doing movements like overhead presses, deads and squats etc. will do wonders for a persons core strength and performance.
A thing that I feel gets neglected a lot in the gym is rotational and stability work both being very critical tools to aiding us in our daily lives as well as our additional athletic pursuits be it recreational or otherwise.

I agree 1000%

**WilliamB** · 04-16-2007, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by Bakerboy

I don't think it is as simple as abs or no abs. Most people have alignment issues and imbalances to address as well that's why stretching and stability work is in my opinion critical. If your pelvis tilts too far up or down you are going to open yourself up for lower back injuries down the road. This is why I like planks so much- they train your body stay in proper alignment. It's more about learning how to control your core so that when you are moving, sitting, lifting etc. you can activate those core muscles. Staying 'tight' in your core while doing movements like overhead presses, deads and squats etc. will do wonders for a persons core strength and performance.
A thing that I feel gets neglected a lot in the gym is rotational and stability work both being very critical tools to aiding us in our daily lives as well as our additional athletic pursuits be it recreational or otherwise.

Well said. Part that stuck out to me was about staying 'tight' while doing overhead press, squats, etc. Sometimes I really have to concentrate to keep this going set after set.

**danny81** · 04-17-2007, 01:06 PM

so when doing all compund lifts(squats, DLs, Bench,etc) i should keep my core tight?

BTW i do core because of boxing, but thats only because im constantly getting hit there.

**Duncans Donuts** · 04-17-2007, 01:10 PM

Is is really necessary to train the stabilizing components of the spine seperately than the movement ones? I am virtually certain that the stabilizers are trained to some degree during functional movement...is this the case or not?

**Dale Mabry** · 04-17-2007, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by Duncans Donuts

Is is really necessary to train the stabilizing components of the spine seperately than the movement ones? I am virtually certain that the stabilizers are trained to some degree during functional movement...is this the case or not?

Yes, I think the reason to train the core separately would be to enhance an ability that doesn't get trained through the squat, dead, etc. For example, there is no rotational component to either the squat or the deadlift. Sure, you are, in essence, resisting rotation, but it is rotation that an imbalance you have may be causing, not the weight itself. If you periodize appropriately, you are going to have times where functional training movements are limited because strength movements are the emphasis. I feel incorporating some form of direct ab work should be employed to prevent detraining, but not a ton, 6 sets maybe. Also, core strength and core stability are 2 different things, core strength causes movement, core stability resists it. Core stability gets trained in the squat, core strength will probably be negligibly affected.

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