getting frustrated need motivation

live to lift

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I got up to 207 this winter sporting a 37 to 38" waist while bulking. Im now sitting at 175 lbs 5'8" 31.5" waist and still cant see the full 6 pack unless under awesome lighting. Ive been on leangains and have been cutting for 3 months but im losing motivation i want to get ripped but how much more weight do i have to drop my face is sunk in and i just look flat and its harder and harder to get a pump
 
benmayro

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this wont help 100%, but youtube "motivational" and watch 2,3,10 videos. i do everynight
 
live to lift

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Yea i use to do that and strangely enough rap motivates me even though i hate rap music but i love lifting to it. I just want someone that is around 5'8" and jacked to post a pic lol i think if i drop 10 lbs ill be where i want to be but 165 is girl weight in my mind so its depressing
 
benmayro

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im 5ft 8in, but at 190lbs i am no where near stastified with my weight or size. i think that is what motivates me to continue. I dont think I ever be, rarely someone is or should be completely stastidied with their body. Whats mire stastifying at the top, the fact your physicaly at the top or the journey you made
 
Rodja

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Have you had a body comp test done? Do you train your abs with weights or just BW?
 
Rodja

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Pasamoto: crunches are not ideal. Any spine/ back physician will tell you that bending your spine in that fashion will likely cause complications later on. Also, it is well known that crunches are not a highly effective core exercise.
You're saying that abdominal flexion is going to cause complications?
 
Rodja

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A crunch motion, or any motion where your spine is being pulled or extended, is potentially harmful on your spine. I can list plenty of lower flexion core exercises to no flexion where your core is being engaged more completely and effectively than the crunch. I mean if you think the flexing of your spine is good then you must be saying that rounding your back during a deadlift and squat is good for your back. Its just completely contradictory to healthy and proper form. And yes, i have been personally told through physicians that it is not optimal. Im sorry icant provide you with a source right now
What kind of crunches are you doing that cause the spine to extend? Where did I say rounding the lumbar was a good idea? Abdominal flexion is primarily in the thoracic spine, not the lumbar. Crunches in and of themselves are not bad, but people tend to jerk on their neck throughout the movement, which is not optimal technique. Like any other exercise, doing them improperly has the potential to cause problems, but to say unequivocally that crunches are bad for you is a lie.
 
Rodja

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I do agree with you. There is no dispute there. But i would disagree with claiming that crunches are good. If you want results, i would steer clear of them. As a matter Of fact, i, and many of my lifting partners have seen more significant gains and strength improvement in their cores by avoiding crunches. Realistically, the crunch is a fundamental movement but you are robbing yourself of gains and imrovements by providing your abs with simple crunches. The only crunch i would ever recommend would be the oblique crunch. Even that can be triumphed by restistance ball "crunches" and hanging side leg lifts

You're obviously limiting yourself to thinking that crunches are only ground based.
 
Rodja

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Absolutely not. Cable crunches where your spine is flat are great. Many bodybuilders apply that. Cable rope crunches on incline bench. Crunches on decline bench. List goes on. For future reference, avoid ambiguity in merely stating crunches
Don't assume that I'm speaking merely about ground-based crunches. BTW, you need spinal FLEXION to really hit the core. If you do not move towards the mid-line (like you're saying not to do), then you're shifting emphasis. You act like the spine is a delicate little flower and you have to have a flat back at all times.
 
Rodja

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I actually do see the spine that way as back injuries are all too common. Many physicians recommond the ab wheel as its a moving plank and incorporates your whole core. Resistance ball crunches are low flexion and are a top core exercise. Hanging leg raises require you to stabilize your entire core and body with minimal flexion. Floor wipers are flexion but low flexion and you stabilize your whole core. I think youre missing the fact that your entire core can be incorporate without simply crunching it. That is a common misconception
Back injuries happen because people have ****ty technique and don't train it enough. The spine is not brittle at all. If it was, then you wouldn't see people squatting 1100+ lbs. Rounding the lumbar and hyperflexion is a result of someone being a moron and not doing an exercise correctly. Did I say that you needed to do crunches to engage the whole core? No. You're putting words into my mouth again.
 
Rodja

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"you really need spinal flexion to hit the core". Ok so crunches and what else please? When did i put words in your mouth the first time?
Did I say that crunches are the only thing that achieve this? No, I was speaking against your statement that you need a flat back while doing them.
 
Rodja

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In sorry but i dont really see how my argument was weakened by what you said
Flat bacl=no spinal flexion=lowered abdominal activation and emphasis.

If you want to play exercise scientists, get your facts straight.
 
Rodja

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Haha you provided no facts. Or any good advice. As a matter of fact. Youre claiming you know better than a back and spine physician. Youre the very last person i would rely on
Yeah, exercise physiologists don't understand forces on the body or how to strengthen certain areas on the body at all...
 
Rodja

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Much less than a licensed physician who specializes in that particular region of the body
That spends years in the gym learning the craft of lifting and how to properly implement lifts to strengthen weaknesses in the kinetic chain. Wait...they don't.
 
live to lift

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To be honest i havent hit abs directly in ages i use to do alot of planks decline situps and cable crunches but i havent done it in so long because i had been under the impression that compound lifts stimulated the abs enough however what do u recomend
 
Rodja

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To be honest i havent hit abs directly in ages i use to do alot of planks decline situps and cable crunches but i havent done it in so long because i had been under the impression that compound lifts stimulated the abs enough however what do u recomend
That's a common misconception. I do them at least 2x/week with my selections being ab wheel, full hanging leg raises, standing cable crunches, and trunk rotations.
 
live to lift

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Tody i did legs and abs for abs i did decline situps with med ball cable rope crunches and hanging leg raises anyone have a good motivational playlist to listen too to get in the zone
 
tigerdb2

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The core musculature has a handful of functions. Training it with the compound lifts alone doesn't include half of the functions you experience in sport or life, in general. It's also not an ideal strategy for hypertrophy, obviously.
 
live to lift

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The last part of your statement is extremely false. The compound lifts do not stimulate your core enough. Everyone has their own theories, but the reality is you need to treat each muscle group the same ( in respects to direct training). Your core and legs are the most valuable as all weight you hold runs through them.
Heres a list of some great core exercises (im sure others will add to the list):
- hanging leg raises
- resistance ball crunches (chest and head to the sky, work crunching both sides then down middle)
- ab wheel
- rockers (the ONLY full flexion exercise id consider doing. Google them).
- floor wipers (google them)
- oblique crunches (safe)
- incline bench cable situp (spine is straight)
- variations of planks
- dragon flags (extreme strength builder. These are very difficult. Only do these when your abs are pretty strong and stable).
- decline bench oblique crunches ( keep spine straight head and chest up)
- windshield wipers (like dragon flags, only when your core has become very powerful)
- woodchoppers (cables or kettlebell)
-gorilla swings (any variation, a great MMA style core builder)

I hope these help with results. Be patient. Focus heavily onform and remember to move at a CONTROLLED pace. The negatives should be slow and resistant. I guarantee you will notice changes. And any body, please feel free to add to that list.
Thanks bro
 
niZmo

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Lick it- kaskade and skrillex..that's what I start off with, and then close to the end I go with til I collapse by eminem
 
bigguyn10ec

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I didnt read every comment but just from your first post.
Do you do any weighted ab rountines? The abs are like any other muscle .You have to BUILD them too. Everyone has them just like a pec or bicep.
But we are all made different. I am one of the lucky few who can have a steel plate for a stomach but no visible abs. Yes it pisses me off too. But ever get anything out for me and even see a tiny bit of abs WEIGHTED is the way to go.
Decline situps with a 25lbs weight to failure then drop weight and go to failure x 3
Cable pulldown ( set a bar on cable machine top pin ) lot of weight and just hold with a reverse grip and crunch your abs while standing up. these BURN when done right
those are a few I like.
 

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