how many times a week do you train abs?

[srocco112]

I used to hit abs everyday at the gym, which is 5 days a week. I would do a different workout each day for them at the end of my workout. i have been doing this for years and i just cant seem to notice my abs growing with the rest of my body. The only time i had noticable abs was when i was really skinny, about 3 years ago 5 foot 9 and 135 pounds. Now i only notice my abs when i flex my stomach. So, i have come to think that i am over training them and i am going to switch to doing them just 2 times a week, about 2-3 exercises each time. I am going to see how this goes. I have always been hesitant to not hit them each day because i have the fear that if i dont then i will get fat in my stomach. I have grown alot since that 135 pounds 3 years ago. I am now about172 and it is all muscle. My arms, legs, chest and back all got noticably bigger but my abs have not grown along with everything else. My theory now is that maybe i do not see the effects i want because i need to treat my abs like any other muscle on my body - i wouldnt train my shoulders 5 days a week or any other muscle, so why do that with abs? Maybe if i give them more time to recover i will see a change.

What are all of your thoughts on this? Has anyone switched up their mentality behind training abs and seen a difference? Please share!

 

[kBrown]

Abs are like any other muscle... Train them appropriately. No need to work them everday.
Remember abs STABLIZE your body. So exercises like front squats and uni-lateral exercises work your abs because you have to stablize.
Do stuff like that... then do your secondary ab exercises... like crunches.

 

[srocco112]

^^ worddddd, thanks

 

[mountainman33]

Hanging leg raises with twisting exercises and oblique exercises like side bridges twice a week MAX. Once a week is fine too since your abs get worked from stabalizing your body during compound exercises. And stay away from crunches, talk about ineffective.

 

[Wrivest]

How is your diet?

Abs are made in huge part to your diet.

 

[srocco112]

Crunches i never found to work for me, however i have been doing crunches on the swiss ball and seem to like them.

Diet is not so great which is why i aimed to hit them 5 days a week in the past lol.

 

[nicksox15]

Abs are made in the kitchen! And as others have said, no need for crunches. Hanging leg raises and compound movements will do far more for you there.

 

[Mp859]

2 days a week

 

[tjbruno]

I've never done an isolation exercise for abs and they have always been thick and visible even with relatively high bodyfat

 

[LivingStrongE]

I've barely done abs in a year and since I've cut my abs are showing up like crazy. It's really all about diet and reducing body fat % to be honest. If you have that established then you should have abs in no time.

 

[veaderko]

Sorry but I dont beleive that you gained all that weight in muscle. The reason why i say this is because you would see your abs if you had. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn. Just because things got bigger doesnt mean that it is muscle it just means you got bigger. If you want to prove me wrong show pics.

Second, I dont do abs at all. I do heavy compound movements and my abs are pretty deep and blocky which also has a bit to do with genetics. But as far as directly training them. I dont have it in my routine. The last time I did it was about a month ago when someone at the gym challenged me to hanging leg raises or toes to bar.

Abs are also just like any muscle group they need only be trained as often as other body parts. Speaking of group, that is what it is, A GROUP. You need to also train your lumbar (lower back) to get it effectivly.

 

[srocco112]

Damn no need to get offensive about it. It is "mostly" muscle. Obviously there will be some "extra skin" with that much weight in that short time. But i can tell you that most of the weight gain happened in my legs and butt. I used to have chicken legs and i really started focusing on building them and it worked.

Just looking for advice on abs, not a challenge to prove someone wrong on how i gained weight over a 3 year span. Thanks!

 

[veaderko]

Well think about it. If you have even looked at a magazine or an article online abs are made in the kitchen. No amount of training will make them show without a diet. Which only more says that even though you may have gotten stronger <---assumption and gotten bigger that if it was "mostly" muscle you would still be able to see your abs. Every client I have when they hit 10% bf their abs start to show without flexing, minus women they are naturally higher. Just saying you need to look at other things then training abs.

 

[srocco112]

It seems hanging leg raises seem to be a favorite, and one i always enjoyed as well. Do you all suggest thw hanging leg raises on the machine type thing where u also do dips? Hanging with hands on a pull up bar, or using the loops that you put ur arms through and hang?

 

[mountainman33]

Veaderko hit on one version which requires a strong ab plate, hanging bar toe touches. Hang from a bar and raise your toes all the way up to the bar until you touch the bar, or come as close as possible. You can also use the captain's chair, which really helps you gauge how well you are training the leg raise. You should be trying to nit just raise your legs, but your hips as well. When in the captain's chair you can feel when/if you have raised your legs and hips high enough to be effective. And don't let your leg hang straight down until you have finished your set. You want constant tension like any other muscle. And also as veaderko said, train you lower back as well, otherwise you will create low back issues perpetuated by an out of sync strength ratio.

 

[srocco112]

Good information, thank you

 

[rockme]

I used to hit abs everyday at the gym, which is 5 days a week. I would do a different workout each day for them at the end of my workout. i have been doing this for years and i just cant seem to notice my abs growing with the rest of my body. The only time i had noticable abs was when i was really skinny, about 3 years ago 5 foot 9 and 135 pounds. Now i only notice my abs when i flex my stomach. So, i have come to think that i am over training them and i am going to switch to doing them just 2 times a week, about 2-3 exercises each time. I am going to see how this goes. I have always been hesitant to not hit them each day because i have the fear that if i dont then i will get fat in my stomach. I have grown alot since that 135 pounds 3 years ago. I am now about172 and it is all muscle. My arms, legs, chest and back all got noticably bigger but my abs have not grown along with everything else. My theory now is that maybe i do not see the effects i want because i need to treat my abs like any other muscle on my body - i wouldnt train my shoulders 5 days a week or any other muscle, so why do that with abs? Maybe if i give them more time to recover i will see a change.

What are all of your thoughts on this? Has anyone switched up their mentality behind training abs and seen a difference? Please share!

Abs are a direct reflection of bodyfat percentage. Nothing else. The reason you cannot see your abs as clearly is because your bodyfat went up. I went from 167 to 202 over about 7 months and my abs are only visible when flexed. Don't worry about hitting abs. I hit them once a week w the Ab wheel and that's it. It's a trade off; bigger w no
abs or smaller w abs...