Training abs

[hard2gain]

I am posting this in fear of being a total cliché but it's a question I still would like to know. What is the best way to train abs? Weighted or unweighted? How many sets and reps? How many times per week? Beginning or end of your normal lift?

I know the first answer people always give is DIET and CARDIO but I do think the actual training of the abdominal muscles are important with this as well.

I have personally worked my way into the single digit bodyfats and had my abs showing but they weren't exactly impressive. I believe this is due to not training them properly and some extremely stubborn water weight that I tend to get (carb sensitive?) Anyways I'd like to see some opinions on this, especially from some guys that have reached their goal with abs.

Oh yea one more question. At what percent bodyfat do you guys feel that the abs will really start to "pop"?? My guess would be around 8%.

 

[darkside06]

I am posting this in fear of being a total cliché but it's a question I still would like to know. What is the best way to train abs? Weighted or unweighted? How many sets and reps? How many times per week? Beginning or end of your normal lift?

I know the first answer people always give is DIET and CARDIO but I do think the actual training of the abdominal muscles are important with this as well.

I have personally worked my way into the single digit bodyfats and had my abs showing but they weren't exactly impressive. I believe this is due to not training them properly and some extremely stubborn water weight that I tend to get (carb sensitive?) Anyways I'd like to see some opinions on this, especially from some guys that have reached their goal with abs.

Oh yea one more question. At what percent bodyfat do you guys feel that the abs will really start to "pop"?? My guess would be around 8%.

I know what you're refering to. had that problem once myself.

I train my abs 2 times a week.....sometimes 3 but always take a day in between.

For me......what really made my abs pop was focusing on more excersises for my core like planks and stuff like that.

Hanging lag raises are bread & butter for me....along with swiss ball jackknifes.

 

[rds63799]

rollouts. You're welcome.

Trains your whole midsection. Try it, just make sure to use good form or you'll hyperextend your back and it'll hurt.

If your back hurts when you try them squeeze the hell out of your glutes

 

[XenoBuild]

Training Abs i always go for high reps ... 20+

 

[BeastinTheEast]

I usually go with body-weight ab training because once you start throwing resistance on them they will grow just like any other muscle and need recovery just like any other group. It does depend on what you want though, if reducing fat levels doesn't yield your wanted result then start adding weight and see where you end up. I'd keep a days rest between training them as well. At one point i did these side raise sit ups for obliques and they ended up growing more than i though giving me a wider waist which i didn't want so i stopped training them and they went back to where i wanted.

 

[OmegaReign]

Best abs I ever had was when I did them 3 days a week. Would do 4 sets 20 hanging leg raises. 4 sets weighted crunches with rope on cables. 4 sets weighted decline full sit ups 20 reps. Then various floor stuff to finish them off. Would take like 20 min. But core was strong and looked good. Tough for me to keep them though. But using weighted worked good for me. Right now however in doIng the p90x abs. 2-3 times per week just to keep my core strong. If I cut will go back to my old routine.

 

[DaHurt]

nightly pelvic thrusts with the old lady gets the job done

 

[Zero V]

When I had my 8 pack(Just the way mt muscles develope) I would do 3 sets of 50 sit ups a day. Doing 20 normal sit ups then switching into alternating to the left and right while sitting up for the last 30.

My abs were strong enough that I would stand there and let my buddies wail on em full force until they hurt their wrists ....

Now I am inspired again! Be right back lol.

 

[DaHurt]

On a more serious note though, I usually do 4 sets of 30 normal, to each side, and reverse crunches, usually followed by hanging leg raises and planks. I don't do weighted abs, as I want them developed, but not protruding, and I don't want to risk thickening my waist.

But the pelvic thrusts are more fun

 

[hard2gain]

Best abs I ever had was when I did them 3 days a week. Would do 4 sets 20 hanging leg raises. 4 sets weighted crunches with rope on cables. 4 sets weighted decline full sit ups 20 reps. Then various floor stuff to finish them off. Would take like 20 min. But core was strong and looked good. Tough for me to keep them though. But using weighted worked good for me. Right now however in doIng the p90x abs. 2-3 times per week just to keep my core strong. If I cut will go back to my old routine.

Holy hell 12+ sets thats a shit ton bro!

Good seeing your guy's input on this thanks! I get bored very easily so I like do do about 5-6 sets each something different do both weighted and unweighted. This obviously isn't working the way I would like though. So I'm gonna look into these.

 

[Diced]

Hit them hard,fast and frequently(whilst training) take a day off if thier saw . but all the abdominals need to b hit hard and frequently they recover quicklly during training u might notice u can do 20 sit ups rest for 10 seconds then smash out another 15-20 .
I break my ab workouts into upper,mid,core work together and obliques,lower,serratis together. Abs r like everything in the body its mainly genetics some people have more density then others some people have a 4 pak others a 6,8 ect ect. dont stress to much theyll come . train,eat,sleep,repeat

Diced

 

[hard2gain]

I like your splitting idea diced. Can you give me two examples of your workouts? Like one for each of the two splits.

 

[coolhandjames]

I am posting this in fear of being a total cliché but it's a question I still would like to know. What is the best way to train abs? Weighted or unweighted? How many sets and reps? How many times per week? Beginning or end of your normal lift? It's a metter of opinion but for me unweighted leg lifts until failure do the trick.

I know the first answer people always give is DIET and CARDIO but I do think the actual training of the abdominal muscles are important with this as well. Cardio is good because you use so much core to run.... and diet just goes without saying, less fat, better you can see the muscle

I have personally worked my way into the single digit bodyfats and had my abs showing but they weren't exactly impressive. I believe this is due to not training them properly and some extremely stubborn water weight that I tend to get (carb sensitive?) Anyways I'd like to see some opinions on this, especially from some guys that have reached their goal with abs.

Oh yea one more question. At what percent bodyfat do you guys feel that the abs will really start to "pop"?? My guess would be around 8%.

^^^^^Earlier if you site train them

 

[OmegaReign]

Holy hell 12+ sets thats a shit ton bro!

Good seeing your guy's input on this thanks! I get bored very easily so I like do do about 5-6 sets each something different do both weighted and unweighted. This obviously isn't working the way I would like though. So I'm gonna look into these.

All my fat goes to my stomach. I can gain muscle pretty easy, but hard to get low BF. plus I like to eat, so really hitting the abs hard helped me burn off the fat.

 

[hard2gain]

Omega Look into helios. Haven't ran them yet (will this summer) but it looks like a great solution for you bro!

 

[frweed]

me, i just do 3 set 16 at the begenning ( after my 10mins cycle of warm-up ) and same thing after all my excercices another 3 X 16 ... i also use some plate to put more stress.

I do this everyday i train, since abs are one of the lazyest muscle we have.

 

[hard2gain]

me, i just do 3 set 16 at the begenning ( after my 10mins cycle of warm-up ) and same thing after all my excercices another 3 X 16 ... i also use some plate to put more stress.

I do this everyday i train, since abs are one of the lazyest muscle we have.

Are you happy with your results from this?? Do you have good abs naturally?

 

[VirginMuscle]

I'm not sure if mine pop or not because of what I do because most of the time I'm not that lean, but the best things I've done to strengthen my abs have been hanging pikes and barbell/ab wheel rollouts on toes. If you can keep up with bodyweight exercises while you gain weight they'll get strong as hell.

 

[Diced]

Not a problem.

Upper - crunches 3 sets 20 reps ( in time add 2.5-5kg weight behind the neck)
mid - crunches 3 sets 15 reps (slow on the eccentric phase count to 3)
core work - roll outs ( with swiss ball or barbell or whatever ) Planks r just as good finish with this.

Obliques - oblique crunches 2 sets 20 reps either side
Lower - hanging knee raises 3 sets first 2 till 20 last one till failure
serratis - lie flat on the ground , place ur right leg over ur left (similiar to the fascia latea strech) and raise ur torso towards ur hips, repeat on otherside. 3 sets 20 reps.

Remember worik out what works for u , i found using weights on my abs made them stubby and after all abs r a muscle they will grow i prefur a V taper i try to stay away from weights on the abs , bodyweight is all u need

Diced

 

[IronReps]

Honestly, I've had abs all my life so I don't know what really works lol. I have noticed that I can make them bulge a little bit more though. I like to get on the decline bench, and go balls to the wall. Nice, slow movements really CONTRACTING the muscle properly. I don't ever let any pressure off of them. I go until they spasm or I can't do them anymore. The ab wheel is awesome also.