What are some good weighted ab exercises?

[Jimbo]

Now that im into P/L. I want to really thicken my abs (plus it will help with my lower back pain). for upper I have

Weighted cruches
Forgot what its called but you go to the cable machine and you do a crunch.

Anyone have and suggestion for lower?????????

 

[Ry Roid]

Lay on a bench and put a light dumbell in your feet. Then just pull your knees to your chest. Great exercise!!

RY

 

[Jimbo]

Should I use the same weight for upper abs as i do for lower? Can you create an imbalance if you heavier weights for upper?

 

[raybravo]

there's nothing called working upper abs only or lower abs only , so dont think there will be an imbalance as the whole abdomen contracts , ofcourse with some priority to the upper abs or lower abs depending on the exercise .
best exercises ive found is incline weighted sit ups , rope crunches and leg raises on an incline bench , and the exercise ry roid suggested works really well too .

 

[stevehnsn]

decline weighted sit ups. keep your back flat the whole time, and stop shy of perpendicular to the floor, also stop shy of lying all the way back down on the bench... that is, until you're so wasted you can't sit up anymore, then feel free to flop.

 

[LATS]

BRAVO IS RIGHT, there is no way the abs can contract (upper vs lower) in a way to cause muscle imbalances. when the abs contract, they contract...the whole.

 

[SWALE]

IMPO leg raises can only hurt you. They put tremendous stress upon the lumbar section, literally thousands of pounds of force per square inch, on very thin ligamentous tissue. At best, they cause hypertonicity of the iliopsoas complex, which inhibits athletic ability and increases the lordotic curvature of the lumbar section (which forther predisposes one to lower back injury). Doing knee raises from a dip bar position, however, works the abs in a similar manner while avoiding the risk of injury.

 

[anabolicdragon]

IMPO leg raises can only hurt you. They put tremendous stress upon the lumbar section, literally thousands of pounds of force per square inch, on very thin ligamentous tissue. At best, they cause hypertonicity of the iliopsoas complex, which inhibits athletic ability and increases the lordotic curvature of the lumbar section (which forther predisposes one to lower back injury). Doing knee raises from a dip bar position, however, works the abs in a similar manner while avoiding the risk of injury.

Never knew this

 

[SWALE]

ANY leg lift movement (or swinging leg raises on the dip rack--as opposed to bringing your knees straight up into your chest) grinds the anterior lip of the vertebrae together. That squeezes the disk towards the back. The Posterior Longitudinal ligament runs right down the middle, to protect the spinal cord. It deflects the disk into a postero-lateral position. Guess what is there? The nerve roots--which is why a herniated disk is so exquisitely painful. If you have ever lifted the lid from a brand new jar of grape jelly; that is what a disk actually feels like (not much to it). So now add the thousands of pounds of force you actually generate when you move those big legs (especially when it is done ballistically), along with the unnatural enhanced lumbar lordosis they induce, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Many will say they have been doing leg lifts for years, with no problem. I then tell them that 60% of the people who have a herniated disk don't know it (yet!).

It is an excercise which has no benefit, but tremendous risk of injury. plus they, well, suck. So why do them?

For my Orthopedic Surgeon friends: sorry to cut into your business.

 

[anabolicdragon]

ANY leg lift movement (or swinging leg raises on the dip rack--as opposed to bringing your knees straight up into your chest) grinds the anterior lip of the vertebrae together. That squeezes the disk towards the back. The Posterior Longitudinal ligament runs right down the middle, to protect the spinal cord. It deflects the disk into a postero-lateral position. Guess what is there? The nerve roots--which is why a herniated disk is so exquisitely painful. If you have ever lifted the lid from a brand new jar of grape jelly; that is what a disk actually feels like (not much to it). So now add the thousands of pounds of force you actually generate when you move those big legs (especially when it is done ballistically), along with the unnatural enhanced lumbar lordosis they induce, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Many will say they have been doing leg lifts for years, with no problem. I then tell them that 60% of the people who have a herniated disk don't know it (yet!).

It is an excercise which has no benefit, but tremendous risk of injury. plus they, well, suck. So why do them?

For my Orthopedic Surgeon friends: sorry to cut into your business.

great post