A question about Stronglifts 5x5 programme and abs
Graceious1
Posts: 716 Member
I have recently started this programme and I love it. I have noticed that my legs and arms are firming and shaping up and I can see how it will work your back and glutes but I'm not too sure about my abs. How does Stronglift 5x5 help your abs to strengthen? I look forward to the answers.
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You should be bracing your abs in all your lifts to stabilize your core. Your core works to keep you stabilized.0
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Mirrim's exactly right. Make sure you're engaging your core during every lift.
If you want to do additional core work, I know a lot of the women around here do planks.0 -
Thanks, that was very helpful.0
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You should be bracing your abs in all your lifts to stabilize your core. Your core works to keep you stabilized.
Definitely. I've been doing stronglifts for about 5 months now (my, how times flies!) and I don't do anything extra to specifically target abs, but as I lose more and more body fat and get stronger on my lifts I definitely see what could almost be called the beginning of a six pack (if you squint). My ab muscles definitely feel way stronger though.
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Well, I've been doing something wrong all along. I know the core is supposed to be engaged, but I have never really felt that.0
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The squat and dl really work the abs. It's one reason I love SL: no more crunches. I have added planks.0
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OHP gives me some nice ab feels too from all the tension and stabilization. If your core isn't stable, you are going to do wacky stuff with your back to press the weight up. (if you are doing seating OHP you won't get this).0
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I don't do any ab work - just ensure that I use my core in all my lifts, the major compound ones, and all my accessories. I really feel it during all of them - and I'm starting to see little teeny tiny abs peek through0
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Its funny cos when I updated my profile pic to one of my stomach, one of the dudes on my friends lists commented 'ooooh someones been doing their ab exercises' and I was like 'na dude, none of that here' lolz for days0
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^^Yep, a thousand crunches every day!0
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I never did anything extra for abs when doing stronglifts. Honestly, the ab and flexion type things in NROLFW are the boring parts of the stages. It's always awkward holding a 25 lb plate while trying to do a crunch on an exercise ball. Once done with the program I won't do those, though I do kind of like the back extension.
And I must admit, at the end of Grit Strength there is a short ab bit and by that time in the class I can't muster the energy to do them all. I try but struggle so much at that point.
Now I want Captain Crunch cereal...0 -
MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »^^Yep, a thousand crunches every day!
haha I should have said that to see how long he'd continue that ridiculous charade for!
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arabianhorselover wrote: »Well, I've been doing something wrong all along. I know the core is supposed to be engaged, but I have never really felt that.
mine seems to take a really long time to wake up. if i just go right in, then around the time i'm moving on to the next lift after squats, that's the point where my core's in the game and has the couldashouldawoulda's. so for me, it goes better on the days when i give it a headstart by doing some planks while i'm stretching etc in warmup.
i basically have to kick my core muscles in the butt to get them awake and moving. i know sl does use it, because mine is probably my most limiting factor.
agree with @awkwardsoul about the ohp thing as well. when i was on that chapter in starting strength i noted rippetoe saying most people with a strong overhead press have 'thick' abdominal walls, and i went 'uh huh' because it didn't surprise me at all. not that it's done me much good
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canadianlbs wrote: »arabianhorselover wrote: »Well, I've been doing something wrong all along. I know the core is supposed to be engaged, but I have never really felt that. mine seems to take a really long time to wake up. if i just go right in, then around the time i'm moving on to the next lift after squats, that's the point where my core's in the game and has the couldashouldawoulda's. so for me, it goes better on the days when i give it a headstart by doing some planks while i'm stretching etc in warmup.
i basically have to kick my core muscles in the butt to get them awake and moving. i know sl does use it, because mine is probably my most limiting factor.
agree with @awkwardsoul about the ohp thing as well. when i was on that chapter in starting strength i noted rippetoe saying most people with a strong overhead press have 'thick' abdominal walls, and i went 'uh huh' because it didn't surprise me at all. not that it's done me much good
Well, I guess I could try doing planks first. I've been doing a lot of stomach work, since it's a problem area for me.
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I'm around 9 weeks in now and I have a lot of flabby fat around my abs. I want to burn it off now because it is really annoying me now
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I'm in the same boat. Tummy is soft and mushy at week 7 and want it to get tight. I'm hoping that eventually all these SL exercises will help and may need to add exercise core work. No wonder why my back arches when I do overhead presses. My core is very weak so I may start planks again.0
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It takes time for your abs to catch up to the rest of your muscles. Your other muscles (i.e. glutes, hamstrings, quads, etc.) are the primary muscles used in the lifts. Your core is a stablizing muscle, meaning it gets used but is not directly worked in the moves you're doing. Yes, you should be bracing your core in each lift. Yes, it will flatten out and "tone up," but it is slower going than the primary muscle groups you use. My stomach has flattened out significantly since I started SL, and I have done almost no ab work (a little here and there since a crossfit class I attend infrequently sometimes includes ab stuff).0
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now that i think about it, rows are probably big contributors too. it's pretty hard to stay stable while pulling up if you leave the whole job to your back.0
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Don't forget the number one tho - Abs are made in the kitchen0
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I hear ya on abs being made in the kitchen. I'll keep going anyway because I want this to work.0
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Someone told me, "...abs are made in the gym and revealed in the kitchen..." or something like that....0
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arabianhorselover wrote: »I guess I could try doing planks first. I've been doing a lot of stomach work, since it's a problem area for me.
maybe the reason why you don't feel your core in the lifts is because it's so strong from all of the other stuff the lifts are not really a challenge for it.
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should have mentioned. . . there's a sticky thread just for core exercises at the top of this forum. i've opened it up and just shuddered a couple of times, but it's there.0
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canadianlbs wrote: »arabianhorselover wrote: »I guess I could try doing planks first. I've been doing a lot of stomach work, since it's a problem area for me.
maybe the reason why you don't feel your core in the lifts is because it's so strong from all of the other stuff the lifts are not really a challenge for it.
Well, I suppose that's possible, since I have worked my abs for at least three years now.
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