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Dr. Pain, paging Dr. Pain

Freeman

Freeman

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I knew this would grab everyone's attention. Ok, this isn't just for DP, but I know he knows everything about everything! lol

As you know, I have a weak/sore back..therefore, to help out, I've decided to strengthen my abs for better back support etc. my abs are pretty weak and undefined as well. What is a good ab workout I can do to build ab strength. I guess you could consider me somewhere between beginner to intermediate as far as abs go. i usually do swiss ball crunches - sets of 25....then standing side bends...100...and then standing twists, 100. Sometimes I throw in a set or two of leg lifts where you hold yourself up on that thing with the back on it that can also be used for dip?? know what i mean? this workout probably sucks ass, but it's all I've come up with..

What about decline crunches? Are those good? I did a few today seem to tighten my stomach up....I left after that though, cuz I already was there too long and was exhausted! lol

Thanks DP and anyone else who can help a struggling future ripped bastard!:D
 
Big Heads.....Hmm! :p

For abs...you kind of want an "A", a "B" and a "C" ....W/O so you can vary the exercises. High reps are not the answer, resistance, good form and lower reps are.

The side bends need to w8ed...as do the others, lower the rep range to 12-20 depending on the exercise. Leg up (on a bench or in the air) crunches w/w8 are better than decline...reverse cruches for lower abs!

Don't forget the one I mentioned for psoas......resistance against the leg lifting upward! :thumb:

DP
 
Maybe w8 will help out and post a vid of a reverse crunch...I mentioned in your back post...when your legs come towards your torso...you hit the lower rectus (abs) more effectively. In a RC your legs are lifted off the mat/pad/bench in an upward direction, and as your hips and ass come up...you squeeze your lower abs. (hard to describe)

Psoas (graphic help would be appreci8ted) is a muscle that runs from your lower abs into your upper thigh, it satabilizes the hips and thereby indirectly the lower back. Usually an SI joint injury will improve from working the psoas. :D

D
 
w8...thanks for looking anyway.

Thanks DP. I think I know what a reverse crunch is...I point my leggs straight up? I've seen ppl doing those before.....or, is it where I bend the knees slightly and bring them towards my chest while contracting my abs? I think that is what you're referring to right?

Also, I've only been doing abs one day a week b/c I've always figured they're just like any other muscle group, and I only train my other groups once a week...should I do them twice?
 
Iliopsoas



Reverse Crunch

ExRx calls it a hip raise, i believe that is what DP is talking about. I've seen many variations of it, some where you keep your legs straight and together pointed toward the ceiling then you just raise your ass off the mat and flex your abs.
 
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Thanks w8 and thanks Yan......:)

On the reverse crunch, your feet go up in the air, almost str8, and your abs pull your hips up and off the surface.

The exercise shown, would work more psoas.....(which we want to do, but the other way I mentioned is more direct)

Freeman....you want to work your abs about twice a week......allowing a minimum of 48 hours for recovery, 72 hours are even better. :D

DP
 
As long as the topic is abs, can I toss a few quick questions the the good doctor, or anyone:

- The AB chair type machine (plates behind, rope over shoulders)
could they effectively replace crunches? Are there drawbacks?

- Broomstick twists, should they be weighted in some way. it feels like such a waste of time.
 
Those chairs, or the way we simulate them below the cable machine in the gym with ah igh incline or chair...are just an exercise to be used with your plethora of other exercises......it's a good hit, but most do these incorrectly, bending at the hip. It's a very short range of motion in the rectus.

Seated twists are one exercise that high reps are useful in......or a very lightly w8ed shaft...no more than 15 pounds. The tricks are a slight foward or backward bend, and NO pulling.....pushing with the obliques and intercostal.....so a rep mentally is push, push (as in left, right) ;D


DP
 
Thank you, Doc.
 
Originally posted by Dr. Pain

Seated twists are one exercise that high reps are useful in......or a very lightly w8ed shaft...no more than 15 pounds. The tricks are a slight foward or backward bend, and NO pulling.....pushing with the obliques and intercostal.....so a rep mentally is push, push (as in left, right) ;D


DP
Click to expand...


And just to add on to that, because it may seem like a waste of time if you don't do it right....make sure you keep your abs tight throughout the movement....you could twist side to side all day and not feel it if you don't have your abs tight enough and you're using your whole body to twist. As DP said, make sure you're using your obliques to move, abs drawn in tight, and twisting at the waist, not the hip.
 
Thank you w8...good point...the other common mistake w/that exercise is letting your head move from side to side.....eyes, face and head, remain fixed, looking forward! :thumb:


DDDDDDDPPPPPPPP
 
Getting your abs stronger through traditional ab exercises is wonderful, but do not neglect true "core" strengthening exercises...overhead dumbell sidebends, standing cable twists from upper and lower pulleys, swiss ball cable twists, single arm overhead dumbell (or barbell...more advanced) presses, single arm deadlifts, etc.

Also, make sure you are not wearing a weight belt for all of your exercises which teaches your trunk muscles to relax and weaken.
 
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