abs - a little confusion

[v1rt]

I met someone at the gym early this year. He gave me tips on different exercises. For abs though, he told me not to work on it. He told me that I should work on my diet and fats around it will just melt. He told me that if I exercise my abs a lot, it will get bigger(protruding).

What are your thoughts about this?

Thanks!

 

[thyrod]

Abs are made in the kitchen.

 

[tilldeath]

diet for abs, I think it's good to lift 4-8sets once a week to keep things tight and have a solid core, but unless you're aiming at competing no real need to train them. They will be there when you cut bodyfat low enough.

 

[EasyEJL]

he was basically right although with a couple of caveats. diet is what will have abs show or not show. how thick and heavy they are will depend on how much they are worked. With thicker/heavier ab muscles you will still show abs at 1-2% higher bodyfat, but your overall waistline can end up being an inch or maybe more bigger

 

[Torobestia]

he was basically right although with a couple of caveats. diet is what will have abs show or not show. how thick and heavy they are will depend on how much they are worked. With thicker/heavier ab muscles you will still show abs at 1-2% higher bodyfat, but your overall waistline can end up being an inch or maybe more bigger

It also depends upon your goal. Training your abs/core is essential for those in strength-specific sports. This is because you need great abdominal strength to maintaining a neutral spine while pulling, squatting, or pressing heavy loads over your head. If you're training for aesthetics, this may not be as essential.

Basically, training your abs can strengthen and bulk the abdominal muscles up. However, whether or not you can see the muscles is dependent on your degree of leanness, which is dependent on your diet.

 

[v1rt]

Cool folks! All the things you wrote is the same thing he told me. Abs are made in the kitchen.

 

[boogyman]

I do about 6 sets of abs a week. I also do vacuum holds a couple nights a week and have noticed a "trimming" effect from these.

 

[v1rt]

vacuum? how is it done? do you suck in your stomach for this exercise?

 

[boogyman]

Basically. I lie in bed, and suck my stomach toward my spine. Start with 5 second holds and work towards 20 or more. Google it, i am sure you can find a better explanation of how to do them.

 

[johnathan1995]

^there was an article about this.try too look back at some articles posted at the news feed before this

 

[edje007]

^there was an article about this.try too look back at some articles posted at the news feed before this

I think it was last week...

 

[Jiigzz]

IF yur going to work everything else, or do any exercise that requires a strong core/spine for proper from then you are potentially putting yourself at risk by not working the core. Of course, many people do not DIRECTY hit their cores with training, but do it through much heavier, indirect training which is also ok.

Do exercises that isolate body parts and not enough compound will mean you need to hit the core directly or risk injury.