Abdominal Muscles

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DanyellMcGinnis
DanyellMcGinnis Posts: 315 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been doing pretty well with weight loss this year (about 40 pounds thus far, almost to my goal). But I feel that my abdominal muscles are weak (and I also have terrible posture). Does anyone have any suggestions on how to strengthen my abdominals and/or improve my posture? I'd prefer more of a comprehensive program that includes working the back as well over suggestions like (do X number of crunches every day). Am willing to pay for books, DVDs, etc.

(I'm not asking how to get a 6-pack, I know CICO for weight loss, and you can't spot tone, and all that. And I am losing weight, albeit slowly and with more noise in the data at this point, but that's also not really an issue. Weight-wise, I'll get where I want to be by the end of the year if not sooner.)

For reference, I'm a 39-year-old woman with no particular physical limitations when it comes to the types of exercises I can do. I work out at home but have tons of equipment including a large home gym/Smith machine and bands, dumbbells, medicine balls, and kettlebells in various sizes/weights/strengths.

Replies

  • JBApplebee
    JBApplebee Posts: 481 Member
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    My favorite Ab exercise is the ab wheel. I have an ab carver & it's awesome. To make it even tougher, try it standing up instead of on your knees. With it you can start out slow & not go all the way out, then increase the distance you go out as you get stronger & you can go to each side as well.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    Join us on the November plank challenge, by the end of November you will feel much better about your abs! Keep in mind, no amount of abdominal muscles will give you a ripped six pack, only way to do that is to lose enough fat that any muscle you build will show through. However, if you want to build abs, this is a good way to do it at your own pace:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10473953/60-minutes-per-month-plank-challenge-november-2016#latest

  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,979 Member
    edited October 2016
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    Hanging straight leg raises (HSLR) are a compound body weight exercise that is considered to provide one of of the best ab workouts.

    I incorporate them into my BW routine which includes: neutral grip pullups, decline pushups and dips which are other compound BW movements that work the pecs, arms, shoulders and back, as well as the core, and have developed a 6 pack for the 1st time in my life. Of course, the 6 pack is/was largely due to weight/BF loss but you still need the underlying ab muscles in order to present a 6 pack.

    Hard to do HSLRs unless you've already got strong abs but you can do a progression to work up to them. Here are a couple of articles on the topic:

    http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/hanging-leg-raise-exercise/
    http://ignorelimits.com/hanging-leg-raises/

    Good luck!
  • sarahkw04
    sarahkw04 Posts: 87 Member
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    Planks - I can't rave enough about planks for core strength, or say how important it is to have a strong core, not just in workouts, but in your every day life - it'll help that posture you mentioned!
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    DanyellMcGinnis wrote: »
    . But I feel that my abdominal muscles are weak

    How are you determining that?

    If you're not currently doing squats and deadlifts using heavy weight, that's what i would start with.
    A good program to follow is New Rules of Lifting for Life. :+1:



  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    I thought this article provides a good overview of what "core training" actually is, or should be. Many think that a larger midsection or poor posture automatically mean "weak core", but that is not always the case. However, strengthening this area--the right way--is never a bad idea.

    https://www.t-nation.com/training/21st-century-core-training
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    Planks, Russian twists, crunches, dumbbell side bends, bridges, and check out exercises for pelvic tilt. When you're doing any exercise or just when you're living life, be sure your core is engaged.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    Paloff press
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    DanyellMcGinnis wrote: »
    I have been doing pretty well with weight loss this year (about 40 pounds thus far, almost to my goal). But I feel that my abdominal muscles are weak (and I also have terrible posture).

    in what way is your posture terrible? i'm not likely to know the answers, but fwiw: anterior pelvic tilt aka duckbutt is the bane of my life.

    i waited until after dark yesterday and then walked two miles with a resistance band round my knees. you don't htink of this as a core trainer, but with my glutes being busy keeping my pelvis out of the way everything north of my bellybutton had to start doing its share of the work for a change. i also personally love the deadbug right now. it's like the b-side of a plank ;)

    i used to just do the standard old planks, but right now i'm trying out a routine of plank, side plank, other-side plank and deadbug for that 360 effect.

  • Goober1142
    Goober1142 Posts: 219 Member
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    New Rules of Lifting author says front of women's body is stronger than the back and causes slumped posture. Lots of squats and dead lifts in his workouts.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Paloff press

    weighted carries are also nice. my shoulders especially like the one-sided overhead one they call the waiter walk.
  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
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    JBApplebee wrote: »
    My favorite Ab exercise is the ab wheel. I have an ab carver & it's awesome. To make it even tougher, try it standing up instead of on your knees. With it you can start out slow & not go all the way out, then increase the distance you go out as you get stronger & you can go to each side as well.

    Ab wheel all the way.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Have your read this?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Have your read this?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

    OP is very clear that she's not working on aesthetics here, just trying to get stronger.

    Oops, I did not see that.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    Cherimoose wrote: »

    If you're not currently doing squats and deadlifts using heavy weight, that's what i would start with.

    i actually wouldn't. if i were me, that is. a weak core (relative to the rest of me) wasn't my friend when i first started lifting, and something like a squat or a deadlift was such a firestorm of unfamiliar biofeedback to me that my chances of 'activing' my core to make sure it was working were nil.

    i'm not saying don't lift. just saying that now i've got sadder and smarter, i've found that i shouldn't even approach my real lifts until i've done a few things to make sure i'm 'in touch' with my core. diving in and just hoping that at some point along the way my abs would catch up didn't work well for me.

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