Training abs, who does not?

[cachexic]

During my years of bodybuilding forum hopping there seems to be two schools of bodybuilders. The people who believe the abs are like any other muscle and train them with the same care they give any other body part, and then there's the people who do no ab/core exercises and say they are completely unnecessary provided you are doing your major compound lifts to proper intensity.

Which camp are you in?

 

[kingpeon]

Indirect ab training camp for me.

I'll be honest, the only muscle group I loathe training is abdominals.

So I found a way to cheat and still get decent results.

Any exercise I can do standing, I do standing.

I use bodyweight exercises with added weight as often as possible.

I never wear a belt for squats, deads, military, or anything.

I try to keep the abs contracted during any lift. And last but not least if I want to show abs I just drop calories for a few weeks.

 

[Phidias]

I love doing abs. There's always plenty of girls in the ab corner at my gym. I can correct them...

 

[tenny]

for once a half-way decent poll thread

abs only precontest for me

my abs get hit indirectly with
-heavy tri pushdowns
-front sqauts
-dumbbell pullovers
-straight arm pulldowns (for lats)

 

[cachexic]

I'll be honest, the only muscle group I loathe training is abdominals.

So I found a way to cheat and still get decent results.

Any exercise I can do standing, I do standing.

I use bodyweight exercises with added weight as often as possible.

I never wear a belt for squats, deads, military, or anything.

I try to keep the abs contracted during any lift. And last but not least if I want to show abs I just drop calories for a few weeks.

Every single line in your post may as well have come out of my mouth. I loathe ab training and also do any exercise standing if it's possible to try and make up for it. And keep my abs contracted during exercises too.

 

[cachexic]

abs only precontest for me

Why? What does this do for you? Deeper cuts or something?

 

[tenny]

Why? What does this do for you? Deeper cuts or something?

well......i think its more of a habit then anything else

but i do notice when i do them pre contest
(about 6 to 8 weeks out)
i start to see them (jump) out alittle more

but i only do bodyweight stuff
never any added weight
and always do lower body raises

i'll do standing twists with broomstick and legs raises

 

[cachexic]

Very well. Thanks for the response.

 

[ojs]

I also only do abs pre-contest. Most of the heavier lifts I do would be impossible without abs. But pre-contest I want a little more muscle belly showing in the abs. Plus it makes them easier to flex. So I usually start hitting them about 2 months out. This last contest I didn't hit them but maybe once every other week. I just kept forgetting.

 

[dukkitdalaw]

Ive never specifically trained abs

But since I have injured my lower back in a car accident, I have been doing more core work/stretches.

Which has def strengthened my abs a bit more. I also feel like they are alot more solid now.

 

[Flex2019]

In the offseason I train abs very infrequently, maybe once every two to three weeks. They get hit on plenty of other movements. Precontest is a different story, and I like to train them 2x per week for the final 12 weeks of my prep. Nothing crazy- I use crunches, hanging leg raises, and cable crunches with a rope primarily.

 

[cpesloco]

for once a half-way decent poll thread

abs only precontest for me

my abs get hit indirectly with
-heavy tri pushdowns
-front sqauts
-dumbbell pullovers
-straight arm pulldowns (for lats)

for the most part I get my ab work the same way (minus contest as I do not compete)
I had in weighted decline abs when my BF is low or when my back is hurting. Strong abs help with back pain.

 

[GaJoe]

I've never trained abs other that pre-contest until this year. I'm hitting them twice a week since they were such a weak spot...excess skin kept them from coming through and hindered visibility....so staying lean in the offseason and hitting abs bi-weekly trying to bring them up....

 

[Dado5]

I try to do them but after 1st set i get crazy cramps and have to stop.
So no go for me on abs

 

[Michaelthomasj]

I Have always trained my abs; a few times a week. I have always done this because it really helps with wrestling,judo and jujitsu. Not to mention my back issues.

 

[10brandonr]

Hey guys, one of the biggest mistakes in bodybuilding I've made was not training abs directly. I figured heavy free weight compound movements would be enough. The reality is that they do not target the rectus abdominus significant enough. What resulted was a muscle imbalance and abdominal weakness which resulted in several back and hip injuries. I strongly encourage ab training now. But train just like any other muscle, 8-12 weighted reps 3-6 sets once a week. Start off slow though as your likely to hurt your back or injure yourself if you start them up again with too much intensity.

exrx.net has some information on abdominal weakness and exactly what I went through.

 

[DrS]

Well

I hate doing abs , but I hate getting injured worse so I work it hard front , sides , back all the way around twice a week.

 

[Ashop]

During my years of bodybuilding forum hopping there seems to be two schools of bodybuilders. The people who believe the abs are like any other muscle and train them with the same care they give any other body part, and then there's the people who do no ab/core exercises and say they are completely unnecessary provided you are doing your major compound lifts to proper intensity.

Which camp are you in?

I do think diet is everything when it comes to abs,,but it is also my opinion that they need trained too,,,unless your just blessed with those type of genetics.

 

[plang]

I think I've hit at 5 or 6 times in the last two years

 

[Thebigone]

I train them 2x per week on a seated machine with weight. One day the weight is a little lower and I do around 4sets with a 15-20rep motion. The next day(usually 3days later) i'll go heavy but still keep the sets around 4 and the reps a little higher around 10-15. I've def noticed ive built much bigger abbs which allow them to be more visible when im at a higher bodyfat or holding more what which I like. I dont do super super heavy or do any weighted oblique lifts b/c I dont want any widening of my waist.