ab overtraining

[0nyx]

jus wonderin if you could overtrain ur abs going 3days on 1 off .. or 2 days on 1 day off ..??

 

[string_bean00]

Abs really depend on the person, I feel. They seem to recover faster than most muscles. I could do 2 on, 1 off, but 3 on, 1 off would be overdoing it for me.

But hey, Stand McQuay CLAIMS to train abs 5 days per week.

 

[performance_issues]

you can overtrain your abs and cause a tear in them if you train them hard enough i have never seen it though but have heard it is quite painful

 

[Littlewilly]

It is also said too much ab training will hinder muscle growth for the rest of your body.

I have trained abs 2 days in a row, but for me I prefer 2 times a week.

 

[hornedfrogs07]

It is also said too much ab training will hinder muscle growth for the rest of your body.

I have trained abs 2 days in a row, but for me I prefer 2 times a week.

Yep. I have trained abs 5 days/week before, because that's what the dumbass coaches told me to do, and I got no results. I train them 1-2 days/week now and still don't get results really. (At least like this, they're not shrinking like they were on the 5days/week deal.)

 

[derbyhound]

I think it depends on what exercises you are doing. I usually will tell some of my clients, typically the fat ones, to start with 50 crunches a day. This is not overtraining in my opinion. But if you work abs hard everyday you definately will hinder growth. Abs will tighten with training just like any other muscle. You risk no gains at all or even worse a tear.

 

[0nyx]

hmm .. interesting

i have very low b/f % , would that affect my training at all?

 

[Bast]

Abs are as any muscle and respond to weight, if you train youre legs 5times/week what happens? Same shit with the abs.
Train them HEAVY 2x/week and youll see results

 

[pipes]

I only train my abs directly 2Xper week. You need to realise that you core muscles are involved in almost every exercise your perform. So if you are training your abs 5 times per week and doing other exercises your abs will never get a chance to recover. If you are using all machines you limit your core involvement, but if you are using free weights your abs play a key role in balance and stability. Keep that in mind for future ab training.

 

[string_bean00]

I only train my abs directly 2Xper week. You need to realise that you core muscles are involved in almost every exercise your perform. So if you are training your abs 5 times per week and doing other exercises your abs will never get a chance to recover. If you are using all machines you limit your core involvement, but if you are using free weights your abs play a key role in balance and stability. Keep that in mind for future ab training.

That's a good point. Due to a back injury I couldn't train abs directly for about 1.5 months, but I switched a lot of exerices I'd normally do seated (military press, hammer curls, barbell curls, overhead extensions) to standing variations so my abs would get some work, and I suffered no ab atrophy at all.