Don't train abs?

[6packguy]

Just out of curiosity I was wondering how many people on here don't train abs? Is it true that ab training will make your waist grow?

 

[7_Deadly_Sins]

Squats train mine enough.

 

[Dad]

I do some hanging leg raises - a few sets twice a week, but that's it.

But, I train without a belt on my lifts, so abs get a pretty good working over doing that. Ab muscles grow just like any other, and if it's in yuor genetics to have a wide or thick waist, yuo will, if not yuo won't.

 

[Ness]

I only do 1 or maybe 2 high rep sets of crunches per week. Imo, the rest of my routine hit the abs enough.

 

[abolish the weak]

I train them almost everyday right now since I'm dieting. In the off season I still manage to hit them twice/wk. It makes a big difference for me, my abs seem to get stronger when I train them more often. I have a rep day, and then a resistance day for abs. eo workout will be one or the other, on resistance day I do my crunches with a plate behind my head

 

[nickman...]

abs

I try to do abs like twice a weak...

 

[shawnkarbabacz]

I train them almost everyday right now since I'm dieting. In the off season I still manage to hit them twice/wk. It makes a big difference for me, my abs seem to get stronger when I train them more often. I have a rep day, and then a resistance day for abs. eo workout will be one or the other, on resistance day I do my crunches with a plate behind my head

i follow the exact same routine when im dieting as well. I personally think training abs (when dieting) is important. Seems alot of people say dieting makes the abs but its a muscle and IMHO needs to be trained like one. This last yr when i was trying to put on some weight i concentrated more on core excercises getting me the workout for my stomach and only really worked abs out alone maybe twice a week. Last yr at my buddies show, one of the judges who was nice enough to give me pointers for my show the next yr (the one i will be doing this saturday actually) told me to ditch my lifting belt and focus on keeping my stomach tight on lifts like squats and deads. He said that would help turn my, what he refered to as 'underwear model abs' into BB abs, with better thickness. The comment was kind of embarassing but i think t he idea worked

 

[Lenny]

I do some hanging leg raises, bicycle crunch, and some weighted crunches, but no very many sets. One day I will choose the leg raises, then maybe 2 days later I might do bicycle crunches...just like 3 total sets of 15-20 reps. Nothing to crazy.

 

[kcbuilder]

I train abs every other week. My thought is that you need strong abs in order to increase back stregenth. Your abs and your back work like a balancing act. Having strong abs prevents a lot of back injuries as well. Imagine working biceps but never triceps. They need balance.

Hope this helps.

 

[UncleMings]

Just out of curiosity I was wondering how many people on here don't train abs? Is it true that ab training will make your waist grow?

i stopped training abs for awhile cuz one i dont compete, 2) certain movements hits ur abs and i wanted to test this. i found for me i cant completly abandon ab training. strengthening ur core helps for major lifts. plus i can keep my stomach area tighter.

I would do a set or too of sit ups and prob the same for leg raises.

 

[Designbuilt]

I never did before, because I always read that low body fat levels will show the abs, and training them will make the waist thicker, and is a waste of time, bla, bla, bla, but I've never had them.

Last year before my first show, I trained them almost every workout, and guess what? They appeared like magic! What do you know? So ab work is necessary for them to develop and show.

The best exercises IMO are hanging leg raises. I do those at the end of my workout. I also do 4 giant sets as follows. The Nautilus crunch machine, seated machine sit up, knee raises then hyper extensions, so a total of 16 sets. I do that at the begining of my workout precontest, then after I train, I do 4 sets of hang leg raises.

Last year was the first that I had any ab development at all.

 

[6packguy]

Thanks for all the input guys. I have always done abs at least 2 times a week. Especially when I'm dieting which I am now. I do mostly weighted movements and work till failure. I thought this was the best way to get tone and definition, but there seems to be some different opinions.....

 

[Shelby]

Some people have poor genetics for ab development, and need to train them just like any other bodypart for hypertrophy.

Beginners should always train abs, for the lower back / balance / safety issues mentioned above.

Personally, I haven't trained abs in quite a few years. They get enough development from the other training I do (as stabilizing muscles) and are plenty strong to support me during big lifts.

I also wear a belt when squatting and deadlifting.. the abs still get plenty of work when wearing a belt.

 

[jm425]

I don't train abs. I get enough of workout on them doing heavy compound movements. When I cut during the summer I will go back to training them 2-3 times a week.

 

[SacToSD]

Toning is a myth, and no, your waist won't explode from crunches. Drop a google on "toning myth"

 

[concreteguy]

Some people have poor genetics for ab .

My genetics are complete trash, so I do 400 cable crunches mon,tue,thur,fri and on wed I go in and do OneThousand cable crunches. I do them all in set of one hundred.

 

[Shelby]

My genetics are complete trash, so I do 400 cable crunches mon,tue,thur,fri and on wed I go in and do OneThousand cable crunches. I do them all in set of one hundred.

How's that working out for you?

 

[shawnkarbabacz]

How's that working out for you?

hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!

 

[6packguy]

My genetics are complete trash, so I do 400 cable crunches mon,tue,thur,fri and on wed I go in and do OneThousand cable crunches. I do them all in set of one hundred.

I honestly think I would just quit if it ever came down to that lol

 

[Animal Mother]

I honestly think I would just quit if it ever came down to that lol

I cant even count to 1000!! :ac:ion-sm