The truth about ab and core training?

[bananas007]

I never trained my abs much directly but would add in a few decline bench crunches or ab rope crunches here and there. But I would give it my all on squats, deads and bench press and it indirectly trained my core and abdominals.

Due to injuries I can not go balls to the walls on the compound lifts anymore. I have been working with a few athletic trainers, and almost universally everyone says that ab exercises done by the average gym rat trains your hip flexors more than the abs. Instead they prefer dead bugs, planks, quad superman etc..

People that have more knowledge regarding this, can you tell me if this is true? Does that mean all the gyms stocked with ab benches, and the bench where you crunch while sitting and your hands at shoulder level etc. are useless and I shouldn't waste my time.

I imagine the truth is somewhere in between..

I enjoy the ab exercises at the gym more, but if they are truly useless than I will start doing more deadbugs, planks.

 

[brutus69]

abs move yr ribs down to yr pelvis. all u need do is that crunch down movement. all else is flexors,legs, and the burn u feel is from merely the static contraction of said abs.

 

[Sugashane]

I prefer to use one of the ab wheels. Occasionally I might do a pulley crunch set high, but if you aren't getting in a lot of work due to the heavy compound exercises then some of the functional work like that might be beneficial.

 

[Smack]

I hardly do abs but will never do crunches. Overdoing crunches (I beleive) leads to hip flexor issues.

I like Roman Chair leg raises though.

 

[DTA707]

I squat and deadlift for abs

 

[Elvia1023]

Squats and deadlifts etc are great but I think direct ab stimulation does add a lot to the development of the abs. It is true what they said to you but like most things a combination is best. I mainly do (not very common and low volume) decline sit ups, hanging knee raises, decline bench knee/leg raises and crunches. However the core stability work is very important so a variation of planks only adds to things. I have a bad lower back so I have been incorporting more "core" work to help strengthen it and it has made a big difference. I also incorporate movements such as standing barbell presses or 1 armed db presses to help matters too.

 

[little slice]

my abs progressed tremendously after I started doing leg lifts..



it's all I do for them... ive tried everything, nothing else worked

 

[b_cornelius]

flags

 

[Olschoollftr]

I train my abs twice a week heavy, low volume. One exercise 4-5 sets. You want your abs really strong to hold up heavy weights so why would you not do isolation exercises to hit them?

 

[bananas007]

my abs progressed tremendously after I started doing leg lifts..



it's all I do for them... ive tried everything, nothing else worked

Grenada love deadlifts and squats

Grenada no able to do heavy deadlift and squats due to injury and surgery recovery.

Grenada was looking for alternative exercises for core training until he can do deadlift and squat again.

Grenada appreciate help.

 

[Olschoollftr]

Grenada love deadlifts and squats

Grenada no able to do heavy deadlift and squats due to injury and surgery recovery.

Grenada was looking for alternative exercises for core training until he can do deadlift and squat again.

Grenada appreciate help.

That's a pretty vague question without describing your injuries and surgery. There are a lot of different ways to train abs directly but without knowing your limitations, it would be hard to advise anything

 

[trt&tren]

It's funny cause I have a problem with tight hip flexors which has cause a anterior pelvic tilt. Staying away from abs till I can get them stretched out again.

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[Olschoollftr]

It's funny cause I have a problem with tight hip flexors which has cause a anterior pelvic tilt. Staying away from abs till I can get them stretched out again.

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Could that be from your abs being weak and your hips being over worked? I've seen a lot of lower back and hip injuries due to weak abs and/or bad form. Not saying that's what caused your issue. Just wondering

 

[trt&tren]

Could be a very good possibility that it's a contributing factor. When I do abs on machine my lower back hurts. But if i do a standard crunch im 100% good.

My quads are super tight and hip flexors. I've seen a massage therapist and a total of 5 of them over the past 6 years. I'm always told that not only am I tight but the muscle is abnormally dense. Just very tough even when loose. (I've had the same therapist now for about 2 years) it's actually causing me to have a forward shoulder rotation. It's just really hard to stretch and massage them every night and morning right before bed and right when you wake up.

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[TheOtherOne55]

my abs progressed tremendously after I started doing leg lifts..



it's all I do for them... ive tried everything, nothing else worked

I agree, I do some decline situps once in a blue moon but mostly just leg lifts.
People really fuck leg lifts up though and just swing using their hip flexors. Just like any other exercise, you want to feel and concentrate on using your lower abs to do like a backwards crunch.

Some guys NEVER get that V look down to their dick though hahah
Chicks loooove that shit.

 

[G.I.Bro]

my abs progressed tremendously after I started doing leg lifts..



it's all I do for them... ive tried everything, nothing else worked

Laying flat, or on incline bench, and raising legs as they are straightened out? Or do you mean like bent knee leg raises (hanging)? When I train abs I split them between regular stuff like crunches and planks with additional leg raises laying on a incline bench. I agree doing some form of "lower" ab type focus is important.

 

[Olschoollftr]

Could be a very good possibility that it's a contributing factor. When I do abs on machine my lower back hurts. But if i do a standard crunch im 100% good.

My quads are super tight and hip flexors. I've seen a massage therapist and a total of 5 of them over the past 6 years. I'm always told that not only am I tight but the muscle is abnormally dense. Just very tough even when loose. (I've had the same therapist now for about 2 years) it's actually causing me to have a forward shoulder rotation. It's just really hard to stretch and massage them every night and morning right before bed and right when you wake up.

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Yeah if your back hurts doing abs that generally an indicator they are weak, or atleast something is wrong. Deep tissue work definitely helps. Do you see a chiro? A lot of people don't like them but if you find a good one they can help.

 

[trt&tren]

I saw a chiro he sent me to this message therapist cause she deals with sports injuries and what not. She has a few clients she said were pretty big guys so when it come to me she could crush me like a twig unlike other men and woman who I've had where I'm like "have you started yet?" And their sweating.lol this woman tears my ass up without trying.

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[trt&tren]

Yeah if your back hurts doing abs that generally an indicator they are weak, or atleast something is wrong. Deep tissue work definitely helps. Do you see a chiro? A lot of people don't like them but if you find a good one they can help.

She told me that to. I just have to do a lot very often.

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