Hating on abs, I get it, but who doesnt want a strong core?

chrisdavey

Planks, side planks, roll/walk outs, L-sits, V-Sits, Hollow body, superman, front levers, back levers, wipers, flag progressions, etc.

That plus dragon flags and hanging leg raises minus the isometric stuff (except for beginners) is what I typically recommend for building core strength.

Having people who have only ever done crunches for "ab work" do some ab wheel rollouts can be interesting. That is where you see the entire core being used not just the rectus abdominus

bumblebums

I am still holding out for that day when someone posts a thread on how to get a super-buff psoas or quadratus lumborum. Oh wait, you can't see those. Nevermind.

Sarauk2sf

I don't think my post came across as intended, I blame it being early on monday. I never advocated crunches or other ab isolation exercises as a way of building a strong core.

Not everyone cares to, or wants to do heavy squatting, dead lifting & over head presses, yet many here will make you believe that's the best/only way to strengthen your core. All I am saying is that there are a TON of other movements & holds out there that can be done that will engage your core as good if not better. No one ever gives people those options as suggested advice.
Planks, side planks, roll/walk outs, L-sits, V-Sits, Hollow body, superman, front levers, back levers, wipers, flag progressions, etc.

It's really a time/efficiency thing imo.

chrisdavey

I am still holding out for that day when someone posts a thread on how to get a super-buff psoas or quadratus lumborum. Oh wait, you can't see those. Nevermind.

I'm weird but I complimented my GF on her spinal erectors the other day :laugh: Lucky she knows I'm weird and accepted the compliment.

sarahmoo12

bump for a read later

bumblebums

I am still holding out for that day when someone posts a thread on how to get a super-buff psoas or quadratus lumborum. Oh wait, you can't see those. Nevermind.

I'm weird but I complimented my GF on her spinal erectors the other day :laugh: Lucky she knows I'm weird and accepted the compliment.

You want weird, compliment her on her levator ani.

No_Finish_Line

i'm glad i'm seeing at least a few guys that look as though they've been lifting for awhile advocating the direct core work.

Are squats and deadlifts better at building functional core strenght? well if by functional you mean lifting heavy things or even light things from somewhat award postiions, then the answer is yes (obivoulsy).

might not help you that much when it comes to climbing a rope, doing pull ups, riding a sport bike etc.

Anyone who thinks one form of exercise covers all basis of being fit, has a very limited view of fitness in general.

I"d say the bottom line is that if you just want a relatively healthy core, then squats dead lifts etc are fine, but if you want it to be as pretty as it can then you should do some direct work

No_Finish_Line

i guess in the end it all comes down to what your goals are. if strength is your most important goal then its clear what you got to focus on.

idk, as long as your eating appropriately, i don't see any exercise as really being a waste of time.

da_bears10089

I get plenty of core worth with my compound movements, and throwing in some Turkish Get-Ups and occasional push ups.

DavPul

Maybe weird or doing it wrong, but I could squat, deadlift and OHP with the strongest people in my gym but that never gave me enough core work. I couldn't even hold a basic plank.

Now I do focused core and ab work, and not only is my core stronger, the numbers on my big lifts have increased.

3laine75

i think the 'hate' is for isolation work. you're getting an ab workout with the big compound lifts - you're just using your body more naturally, in the way it was intended - there isn't alot of everyday use for crunches etc.

i'm i a believer in doing what you enjoy though - so if you like crunches, you should do them if you want

phatguerilla

There might be one out of a hundred people who would find no benefit from direct ab work, but the rest of us are much better served by doing a mix of weighted and isometric ab work, even if you're already doing heavy compounds. There no way training your abs intelligently will make you less stable in the squat.

PikaKnight

I do agree that you can get in some work doing compound exercises, such as squats, push ups, etc. But I've personally found that I'm able to do these exercises better because I included core isolation exercises such as crunches and planks.

ETA: But I like what someone else said that basically the reason people "le sigh" isn't because of the exercise, but because of the assumed notions that exist thanks to the advertising of such ab only workouts. Also, more often than not, the person asking isn't really concerned about actually strengthening their core but getting rid of the fat there and are looking for specific answers to fat loss, versus strength.

jwdieter

i think the 'hate' is for isolation work. you're getting an ab workout with the big compound lifts - you're just using your body more naturally, in the way it was intended - there isn't alot of everyday use for crunches etc.

i'm i a believer in doing what you enjoy though - so if you like crunches, you should do them if you want

I feel the same way, except standard compound lifts I don't consider particularly natural movements. Depends on what you do, but I swing and climb and vault a lot more than I deadlift and squat outside the gym. Crunches are meh, but there are a lot of very useful core exercises.

WendyTerry420

Maybe weird or doing it wrong, but I could squat, deadlift and OHP with the strongest people in my gym but that never gave me enough core work. I couldn't even hold a basic plank.

Now I do focused core and ab work, and not only is my core stronger, the numbers on my big lifts have increased.

:drinker:

CoderGal

might not help you that much when it comes to climbing a rope, doing pull ups, riding a sport bike etc.

I love how riding sport bike gets clumped in with climbing rope and pull ups! :laugh:

contingencyplan

might not help you that much when it comes to climbing a rope, doing pull ups, riding a sport bike etc.

I love how riding sport bike gets clumped in with climbing rope and pull ups! :laugh:

Crashing one unfortunately does not. =P

MyChocolateDiet

I thought it was because most of today's workouts engage the core as a major part of the move? Unlike the workouts of the past that were very spot specific and thusly you HAD to do a specific one for abs.

Maybe someone will be able to tell me if I'm right in assuming that when I do most of my today style workouts my core is being engaged in my attempts to balance myself or weights I've added for resistance. Staying off of machines seems to engage my core for everything I do from stairs, to yoga, to lifting a free weight, to pilates, to treadmill on an incline to etc. Am I wrong in this assumption?

CoderGal

might not help you that much when it comes to climbing a rope, doing pull ups, riding a sport bike etc.

I love how riding sport bike gets clumped in with climbing rope and pull ups! :laugh:

Crashing one unfortunately does not. =P

You're one to talk, nice new plastics

Escape_Artist

I'm one of those awful people who advocate not doing separate abs workouts. What for? Squats? Core engaged. Deadlifts? Core engaged. Pushups? Core engaged. And so on and on. You can check my pictures to see how awful my belly is.

This.

Also, nice abs there