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Do you workout abs everyday?

iwinulose2980

New member
ive heard that your supposed to work abs to fatigue not failure also ive heard people say "work abs everyday"
but on the other side i hear people say "rest is very important for muscle growth"

so will i get my 8 pack cut faster by training abs everyday or should i rest them?

thanks for any info
 
your "8 pack" will only become visible from a result of cutting bodyfat. Contrary to what most think, doing a bunch of situps everyday does not burn fat from the midsection, if it burns much at all.

I train abs with heavy weight much like my other muscles once or twice a week. Basically just whenever i happen to remember them when I'm in the gym. Although I do use about 10 reps instead of my usual 5.

Also remember from a body building standpoint, to achieve the V shape to your body you want a small midsection. Therefore most of your midsection work is actually done in squats and deads, you don't really have to work them out that much.

But to answer your question- try the treadmill for a few weeks instead of the situp bench.
 
good post - abs come w/ cutting bodyfat. You really can't spot reduce fat in just your midsection by doing crunches, situps, etc.

I also agree w/ hypo - train them heavy once or twice a week not everyday/eod. Muscles grow out of the gym w/ rest not by slamming them everyday.
 
That's true. Spot reduction is a myth. The body is designed to burn fat from all over rather than any one particular spot. Males are genetically predisposed to store fat in the midsection so most automatically believe crunches are the way to remove the fat.

I've read in many places that abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym. I think you have gathered the 5-day week ab training routine from one of the bodybuilding mags. Those guys sure mislead people. You may want to train abs once or twice a week and incorporate some high-intensity cardio to burn off the fat. Google HIIT (high intensity interval training).

A six/eight pack is a result of diet + weight training + cardio. The wheel would topple if any one cog is missing. Do your research and design an intelligent routine consisting of all three, and stick to it for three months, at least.
 
a little off the topic, but remember the number of seperations in your abs, and if they are symetrical or offset, will depend upon genetics. So don't get discouraged if you only see 4 abs protruding, the other four aren't hiding behind fat they simply may not exist :)
 
The best abs I ever had were when I used to train them religously, in the neighbourhood of 4 times a week. Since I backed off the training they just haven't been the same. While diet is key in displaying your abs, it is quite possible to have little or no development, which would leave not much in the way of visible abs, even at lower bodyfat levels. I've seen this especially in ectomorphic body types, where the guy has barely a sliver of fat on him, but no abs to show for it.
 
I train them twice a week with heavy weight, to failure. I'm about 11-12%bf right now and can still see my abs:D True abs are different muscle but their still muscles. For example your not going to build impressive biceps by just curling your arms without weight. If you want those highways and deep etches use weight.
 
Me too - just starting training abs with a heavy 12,10,8 rep scheme and Ive seen results in just 2 weeks.
 
What exercises do you guys find tend to garner the best results? I was performing weighted situps, until one day when I suffered a NASTY abdominal cramp that left my midsection tender for half a week.
 
Weighted situps on the floor with your legs free, and spread at a 45 degree angle or so, weighted situps on a decline bench, with a static hold for 5 seconds at slightly below parallel, crunches with weight on an exercise ball, the ab roller (try from your feet instead of your knees for best results) russian twists on a roman chair (these are torture for the obliques) and side bends.
 
I do the weighted situps on the decline bench...with a pause hold/squeeze, weighted rope-pull crunches with a pause/squeeze, weighted crunches on the execise ball, and weighted leg lifts while sitting at the end of a bench. I believe it's very important to squeeze the abs at each contraction. I don't do high reps, but rather low and heavy.
 
oh man i've had that HORRIBLE ab cramp before, it felt like the muscle just snapped into a tiny knot it was one of the most painful experiences of my life

gotta love rope crunches
 
glenihan said:
oh man i've had that HORRIBLE ab cramp before, it felt like the muscle just snapped into a tiny knot it was one of the most painful experiences of my life

gotta love rope crunches
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Damn. Sounds like hell... I never get cramps working out - it's when I wake up in the middle of the night and my hamstring or calf is cramping so badly I can't move without pain shooting up my entire body that I curse my maker.
 
I really like this Cybex seated weighted crunch machine at my gym. I can really get a good contraction with it. I havent tried the abroller but Ive heard goog things about it. Of course weighted situps like Exnihilo work great as well.

BV
 
I only train abs when I'm cutting.. It's winter, I'm not showing my abs to anyone anytime soon, so pass the fucking cheesecake! :thumbsup:
 
i've had ab cramps too...you summed it perfect; feels like it snaping into a little knot

btw - when I hit abs I use weighted rope crunches or hanging leg lifts.
 
bigpetefox said:
I only train abs when I'm cutting.. It's winter, I'm not showing my abs to anyone anytime soon, so pass the fucking cheesecake! :thumbsup:
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Your such a good role model. LOL

Watch the weighted crunches on the decline. I do them once in a while but they work your hip flexors more so then you abs. Rope crunches and work on the ball is great for targeting and isolating your abs. I also enjoy hanging straight leg raises and roman chair for my lower abs.
 
jminis said:
Your such a good role model. LOL.
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I try.. ;)

When I do work abs, I do alot of work on the resist-a-ball, or the BOSU (I'm certified to teach classes with it!).. When I cut, I do a complete ab workout on a day of its own.. I mostly do hanging leg raises, rope crunches, and light oblique twists..
 
bigpetefox said:
I try.. ;)

When I do work abs, I do alot of work on the resist-a-ball, or the BOSU (I'm certified to teach classes with it!).. When I cut, I do a complete ab workout on a day of its own.. I mostly do hanging leg raises, rope crunches, and light oblique twists..
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Oblique twist like turning to the left to dunk your krispy kreme into your coffee :icon_lol: Seriously though the ball is great for abs as well as most other muscles. Especially great if you want to work on your core muscles.
 
I'm a huge fan of dumbells on the ball. One of my workout partners always makes fun of me when I do them, I call him "power puff" :D he's fond of reminding me that he out benches me by 200lbs :(
 
Cable Crunches: These things are godly. Started doing them this summer and my abs started separating like I was modeling clay. It's very easy to extremely overload them and keep good form. Search around for a picture of them if you don't know what I'm talking about.

I do 3sets of Weighted declined crunches, and 3 sets of the Cable Crunches every 3 days. For the first time at in my life I started seeing them poke through, and this was on my last bulk at ~12%bf.

Might switch it up on next bulk just so it doesn't get stale though.
 
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