crunches or situps?

[SkinnyKid]

which exercise makes your abs more cut? my goal is Brad pitt's abs in Fight Club, haha. lately i've been doing situps on this sloped bench, so theres much more range of motion on the situp, then i do a ton of crunches till i roll over and gasp for air, then i do leg lifts or whatever you call them, where i lie on my back and lift my heels 6 inches above the ground for as long as possible, resting, then going again.

but anyways, should i just stop doing situps and do twice as many crunches?

 

[PreMier]

You will need a balanced diet. You cant get abs "like in fight club" by just doing situps.

 

[Jezziah]

You are correct sir

 

[JLB001]

crunchs are better than situps. IMO

 

[P-funk]

Originally posted by JLB001
crunchs are better than situps. IMO

Why? I don't think one can be better than the other. they are both great exercises and both should be used in my opinoin. Also, I actually prefer sit ups because it is a full range of motion.

 

[JLB001]

situps are too hard on the back imo.

 

[seabee]

What ever you do, no jerking or swinging. Go slow..use intense mind/muscle connection...picture each row of muscles like an accordian (pretend you are training each individual muscle). challenge your muscles on an incline or with weight. I go 5 days a week, 8 sets/ 10-15 reps (incline or weighted). After 3 months its happeneing...although I do HIIT 6 days and lift 5 (2500 cals/proper ratios and supplements). Most would say I workout too much and don't eat enough, and too much HIIT = muscle loss. Not yet for me. Remember Brad Pitt in Fight Club was depleted of everything at the time, and was contracting abs w/lungs deflated, had skin color for definition...Just like the pros, when the director says "cut", those abs look smoother. Oh, and unless you have gifted shoulders, they are the first to shrink(sad) if you cut even the slightest muscle (look at Pitt in Thelma & Louise...no muscles development, but genetic shoulders...if thats not you, be careful). Good luck.

 

[Jake]

I do them both. Its like doing bench press and then flies to exaust the muscle. Start compound work to isolation. I never had any back problems with situps though.
Have you tried the hanging upside-down-like variety JBL? Those are fun juts because, well, your hanging upside down! How could it not be fun?

 

[Rocco32]

Are they alot harder Jake?

 

[CourtQueen]

What is it about all these guys that want to look like Brad Pitt (or his body doubles) in Fight Club?!?!?!?!
Geesh

 

[JLB001]

I don't have to work my abs very hard. I was blessed with good abs so I can do very little and they pop out.

 

[Jake]

They can be, but you have to concentate on making the abs do the work, otherwise you just get your hip flexors taking over, and no ab work is done. They are harder then ab board situps though, just because you are moving more of your bodyweight. They work for me, thats for sure.

 

[Rocco32]

I'm afraid I'd get upside down and then not be able to unhook myself, or unhook only one leg!

 

[KiDNotorious]

do a search on these forums for good ab workouts, a couple i can think of off the top of my head are captains chairs, reverse crunches and weighted crunches....

 

[DimebagDarrell]

youre only gonna get abs if you drop the fat.

crunches have been shown to be better than situps because you get just as much muscle contraction with less strain on your back and other parts of your body

 

[jaim91]

Seeing as how his na,e is "Skinnykid" I don't know if he would have a lot of fat to drop. After seeing all these posts Skinny, what is your typical ab workout plan?

"Most would say I workout too much and don't eat enough, and too much HIIT = muscle loss" - maybe that's why you can't make gains...you don't eat enough.

 

[jcplaya40]

i need to drop some fat and strengthen my shoulders wut is a few good excersices for both i dont wanna look like brad but i would like to get some ab definition...... my workouts are mostly upper body (arms and chest- with a lil shoulders and back)...... i do wut i can for my abs but i m to busy for the gym i have weigths at home any suggestions.....

 

[CowPimp]

I do all of the following ab exercises on a regular basis:
Hanging Leg Raise
Double Crunch
Long Arm Crunch
Vertical Leg Crunch
Heel Push Crunch
Bicycle Crunch
Hover
Reverse Crunch

I find a large variety of exercises works best for my abs, just like any other muscle.

Remember that your bodyfat must be low enough for visible abs as well. Granted, working out your abs will help, but it won't make your abs visible at 25% bodyfat.

 

[Michael D]

If you want to look like Pitt, starve yourself I can't see anyone that doesn't have much bodyfat, not having abs that show. I never did more than the required situps in school and have had a six pack since middle school.

If you are on a flat hard surface, crunches could be a better choice. It takes out the risk of hurting your back. But, situps work more muscles(extensors) than just the abs. I would use a towel folded upon itself several times for a cushion if doing situps.

 

[jaim91]

Is starving yourself really the best way to go?

 

[JerseyDevil]

Originally posted by JLB001
I don't have to work my abs very hard. I was blessed with good abs so I can do very little and they pop out.

I hate you JLB...

j/k. I have an extremely difficult time getting my abs to show. Even with low bodyfat, I show the top two and that's it.

 

[Rocco32]

Originally posted by jaim91
Is starving yourself really the best way to go?

NO!

 

[Michael D]

Well that was a sarcastic way of saying diet, hence the smiley.

 

[SkinnyKid]

yeah see i have a six pack when i flex my abs, but i want to have a six pack when my abs are completely relaxed. i have less than 10% bodyfat, so i just need to build the ab muscles themselves.

 

[jaim91]

Does anyone know why girls' abs aren't completely alligned with each other. I mean, I have a 4/5 pac, but they don't look like a washboard. One is diagnol from another, and it looks kind of like a parallelogram...?

 

[Monolith]

Originally posted by jaim91
Does anyone know why girls' abs aren't completely alligned with each other. I mean, I have a 4/5 pac, but they don't look like a washboard. One is diagnol from another, and it looks kind of like a parallelogram...?

Genetics. It's not just girls who have odd-shaped abs, lots of guys and girls have the same thing.

 

[jaim91]

Oh, I didn't know. I have done every ab exercise under the sun. Hanging leg raise, jack-knife sit ups, bicycle, ab roller, reverse crunch, decline, etc. but I can't get the last two "pacs". How?!?!