Your philosophy on ab training

[qbkilla]

I've heard everything from 1x a week, to every day. From progressive overload, to bodyweight only from train the core/tva, to train to get deep cuts

What exercises, frequency, volume do you do?

I personally think ab shape is genetic. I've seen people post pics at 10 percent and have abs and seen people with no fat just have a flat stomach and no abs

I think with distension being such an issue among many, it's smarter to train the core to keep tight, planks, vaccumes, leg raises in the chair, etc

What is your philosophy, training, etc?

 

[Simon90]

I do hanging leg raises 3 or 4 sets to failure and weighted rope crunches 3or 4sets 15-25 reps usualy superset them one after the other no rest at end of every session.
I do vaccums every day when dieting I'd do them all the time but when my food is high I can't do them properly

 

[5Noles]

I do hanging leg raises 3 or 4 sets to failure and weighted rope crunches 3or 4sets 15-25 reps usualy superset them one after the other no rest at end of every session.
I do vaccums every day when dieting I'd do them all the time but when my food is high I can't do them properly

Same.
When I train progressive overload it’s weighted crunches and hanging leg raises. Look at nick walker. Abs/calves are genetic, but they can get thicker.

 

[Simon90]

Same.
When I train progressive overload it’s weighted crunches and hanging leg raises. Look at nick walker. Abs/calves are genetic, but they can get thicker.

Exactly.
Some don't like the look of thick abs, I personally like the look of thick abs so I train them heavy and focus on progressing the weights and reps, I used to do them 2x a week but experimented with every session and found I was able to train them frequently with no issues so stuck with it.

 

[krman]

I try to incorporate ab training into many of the exercises that I do. I mostly stick with bodyweight stuff, but I do weighted hanging leg raises from time to time also. I think I might start doing them with some more weight though. I want to get that thicker look.

 

[blmcgee81]

I have never done lots of isolated ab work but I do think it's beneficial to throw in hanging leg raises a few times a week. Aiming for 16-20 sets of 20 reps per week.

I always feel my abs get hit for several heavy compound moves.

 

[fisther69]

I do hanging leg raises and Roman chair lower back raises before every workout..opens up the hips and gets abs out of the way

 

[qbkilla]

When you guys say hanging leg raises, you mean hanging from a bar or chin-up bar correct? I know some people do them in the chair (usually the one that is attached to a dip bar), but feel like hanging from a chin-up bar is better more effective, and hits the whole core.

 

[danieltx]

I've heard everything from 1x a week, to every day. From progressive overload, to bodyweight only from train the core/tva, to train to get deep cuts

What exercises, frequency, volume do you do?

I personally think ab shape is genetic. I've seen people post pics at 10 percent and have abs and seen people with no fat just have a flat stomach and no abs

I think with distension being such an issue among many, it's smarter to train the core to keep tight, planks, vaccumes, leg raises in the chair, etc

What is your philosophy, training, etc?

These days I only train abs 2-3 time per week when dieting. I do vacuums year-round for midsection control - 3 holds in the shower after training.

I use one of the crunch machines I like and do 3 sets of around 25 reps.

I think there's benefit to training abs with heavier weight when you're starting out. You need to develop the abs some if you want them to really pop (think Nick Walker).

Not sure what you mean by 'ab shape' being genetic - I think you really mean fat distribution and ab development. Fat distribution differences are why some guys have abs at peak offseaon weight and some need to be 5% to really see them. Ab development is what helps determine if your abs pop (Nick Walker) or are flat (James Hollingshead, Jason Lowe).

The biggest genetic component to abs is how they look - an even 6 pack with 3 and 3 or a staggered look where one set starts higher up than the other. This is due to tendon placement. The abs are really one single muscle; how tendons run across it determines how it looks.

I've never felt leg raises for the lower abs despite trying multiple variations of them. I've given up anything but crunches at this point - even at 5% body fat my lower abs have never popped out

 

[Cabron]

i train them heavy and hard - just like any other muscle

 

[Fit2Serve]

These days I only train abs 2-3 time per week when dieting. I do vacuums year-round for midsection control - 3 holds in the shower after training.

I use one of the crunch machines I like and do 3 sets of around 25 reps.

I think there's benefit to training abs with heavier weight when you're starting out. You need to develop the abs some if you want them to really pop (think Nick Walker).

Not sure what you mean by 'ab shape' being genetic - I think you really mean fat distribution and ab development. Fat distribution differences are why some guys have abs at peak offseaon weight and some need to be 5% to really see them. Ab development is what helps determine if your abs pop (Nick Walker) or are flat (James Hollingshead, Jason Lowe).

The biggest genetic component to abs is how they look - an even 6 pack with 3 and 3 or a staggered look where one set starts higher up than the other. This is due to tendon placement. The abs are really one single muscle; how tendons run across it determines how it looks.

I've never felt leg raises for the lower abs despite trying multiple variations of them. I've given up anything but crunches at this point - even at 5% body fat my lower abs have never popped out

ugh i am tired and a bit stoned but pretty sure i disagree w a lot of that.
will chime in tomo morn
need sleepies...
short answer: hadexcellent abs entire competitive time rarely trained em. never year round. just during prep. never w weight. just body weight.
edit: imo jay cutlers abs never popped. ya think he isnt smart enough to train em optimally? remember hadar somebody his abs were nuts popped like crazy. me thinks largely genetic.
edit again: steve kuclos abs dont pop at all but i bet it aint for lack of trying

 

[Dens228]

I do crunches, 25 or so reps, squeezed for a second at contraction, one set.
Every workout except legs. I guess I could do them on leg workouts to. Or not.
I've always felt they don't need too much work since you work them a lot for other movements. I could be wrong, or I could be right. LOL

 

[MasteroniPepperoni]

I do abs very frequently, core in general! My philosophy is to do them frequently and train the entire abdominal wall/core, including lower back.

1 weighted ab movement such as a crunch machine , 1 body weight high rep sit up, 1 leg raise, and 1 movement for obliques. You also need to do vacuums frequently for the transverse abdominals

I'll do crunch and decline sit ups twice a week and the other two times , A leg raise and cable side crunch for the obliques. 1-2 x a week I do the lower back machine or reverse hyperextensions. Vacuums daily.

Try to train abs on an empty stomach so you can contract the easiest too. If you feel like you have a full stomach, best to avoid abs and do vacuums instead.

Also practicing posing your abs help.

I use to have a full abdominal day , but I switched to this style. I may go back to one full ab day.

If abs were made in the kitchen , I guess every other body part is too. I'll stop training legs... lmao

 

[fisther69]

When you guys say hanging leg raises, you mean hanging from a bar or chin-up bar correct? I know some people do them in the chair (usually the one that is attached to a dip bar), but feel like hanging from a chin-up bar is better more effective, and hits the whole core.

When I do mine I’m hanging by my elbows. I want no back support at all due to it being part of a warmup

 

[Simon90]

When you guys say hanging leg raises, you mean hanging from a bar or chin-up bar correct? I know some people do them in the chair (usually the one that is attached to a dip bar), but feel like hanging from a chin-up bar is better more effective, and hits the whole core.

Yes mate hanging from a chin bar, feel them way more, I do hanging straight leg raises squeezing at the top and lower slowly, once I fail I'll bend my legs and bring my knees to chest to finish them off
I never do them pressed against the pad thing

 

[Flex500]

I start most of my workouts with abs. Generally low weight to bodyweight type of stuff. It's a good warm-up after 10 minutes on the stair stepper and I always feel good doing that before deadlifts, squats, etc. Usually 4 sets of 20ish with some sort of ab exercise. I don't think about it much, I like the way my stomach looks when I'm lean so basically use it for a warm-up type thing.

 

[Heath82]

If I do abs I’ll alternate days. One day sit-ups/crunches, the next day leg raises laying upside down on a decline bench

 

[grizzly978]

I do them 5 days a week and keep it simple.
2 sets of 100 leg raises( the ones where you lift your butt off the ground, not the typical hip flexor ones)
2 sets of 50 crunches on a medicine ball. I have a six pack all year and have been doing the same for awhile.

 

[Tomgrass]

question for you guys: how do you think what will build thicker abs?
Squats heavy rows rackpulls deadlifts with heavy ass weight or…..
Some legs raising???
I do them too but i know that my abs was always build due to fact i do lot of heavy compounds and this leg raising is just for fun.