Abs once a week- why?

DavPul

If you want to do 10 mins of abs 2 or even 3x per week and it's something you enjoy, go right ahead. As long as it doesn't supplant "real" work, knock yourself out. There's nothing wrong with that

DavPul

At one point in my life I could squat 500 and deadlift 600. But I couldn't hold a plank for 15 seconds workout feeling like I was gonna die. Any other strenuous core activity was also a no go. Until I started specifically working my core. When everyone says that squats and deadlifts are enough it doesn't mesh with my particular life experience

MisterDerpington

Like any muscle it needs rest to recover and become stronger. However, I think 2-3x a week is fine. Just not every damn day.

MisterDerpington

If you enjoy doing ab workouts, then keep doing them.

Pretty much.

Personally don't remember the last time I've done ab work.

Squats/DL work them enough for me

My reasoning is because the core is usually hit by full body workouts, deadlift, squat, etc.., so that isolated core work isn't required IMHO.

Really? You feel like your abs get worked enough in the Squat and DL? How exactly?

Even at max weight with proper form, they are only used to stabalize... ab work is necessary if you want to sufficiently strengthen the abdominals, though not with 3+ exercises and 100+ rep sets like many people think.

For me, I do about 3-4 sets of 12-18 rep cable crunches twice a week.

Also, to answer OP's question, it's a muscle like anything else. People apply a "high rep" approach to them, but the truth is they get stronger with greater resistance, just like all the other muscles. Make sure to give them rest as well, and you'll be fine. One day on, one day off, etc... should be fine.

Technically, the abdominals are there to stabilize in most situations. Floor work is not a natural state for humans. However, I do like feeling a pump in the abdominals (even at 460lb I can feel my abs under the layers of fat after working them directly). I think 3x8-15 of two different exercises is plenty for an ab workout. I've been doing one abs and one oblique. An example would be Cable Crunches and Landmine 180's.

Panama081407

That is right one with what my personal trainer told me

mustgetmuscles1

I work them directly twice per week. Usually a mixture of twisting motion, for flexibility/mobility, and higher rep or isometric for endurance.

I think people take things to either extreme to often. One person destroys them daily and the next doesn't think it necessary to work them directly at all.

If all you care about it visible abs then it is true that you dont have to do anything except lose body fat.

If you work them daily you are not going to get any better results than the person doing them once or twice per week so why waste the time.

msf74

Really? You feel like your abs get worked enough in the Squat and DL? How exactly?

I guess it's what you define as "worked enough" and the purpose you are working them for.

In a dynamic exercise working through a full range of motion many muscle groups work isometrically to support the movement - including your abs. As such you get sufficient core activation in something like a squat / OHP whatever for them to be worked enough for your general activities of daily living - it is works the unit (your body as a whole) to function in a way it does naturally.

As such additional core work won't really be necessary.

QuietBloom

I never do abs. I do kettlebell = lots of core work.

cafeaulait7

I do them with weights/low reps 2x a week.

I work them everyday, though, because they are my favorite bodypart to use in warming up, lol. They don't get tired easily, so I like to get the blood flowing with ab work. They also don't give me tendon problems like other moves that I have to watch my time on. I haven't noticed any problems at all in not giving them the solid rest I give my other muscles. I consider it a bit like jogging or walking on rest days or before lifting, except I use my abs. Since they recover quickly, it just works best for me.

YouHadMyCuriosity

So many great responses guys! So, trying to figure out the general consensus in my case, I'm getting:

-Keep doing the once a week kettlebell core focused workout (plenty of squats, deadlifts, etc in there), because that is getting my abs most of what they need.

- My 10-15 minute sessions twice a week while watching TV may not be doing much extra GOOD, but they're not really harming anything either, as they are not a "waste of time" in the sense that I would be doing anything else in that time aside from sitting on the couch. I can see that if those 20-30 minutes a week would be spent on a different workout, they might be more beneficial overall, but those are just during my "catching up on my shows" time- maybe I'll mix it up and do some isolation curls, or something else in that time once a week. (I assume I don't overtrain them because they are my only strong body part, and the only body part that rarely gets tired).

Is that somewhat correct?

DavPul

hehehe. you're gonna replace some of your direct ab work with some isolation bicep curl work. that's cute. you must be new here

LiveLoveLift67

I do one core day a week but, i also do one or two core exercises most every day as well. I dont do it for the six pack....i do it for the core strength that it will give me and help me in my lifting. It is one area you can work every day.

YouHadMyCuriosity

hehehe. you're gonna replace some of your direct ab work with some isolation bicep curl work. that's cute. you must be new here

I AM new here, in fact, and trying to learn! I totally deserve any snark and sarcasm that comes my way, I'm a complete noob. But I'm working with what I know, what I've done, and the weights I own. If you have a better suggestion, or a reason why I'm in the wrong, I would love to hear it. (I know that this is the internet, so you can't tell my tone- I mean this in the least sarcastic, defensive way possible... I WANT to do things correctly. If someone can steer me in a better direction, I am 100% open to suggestions).

ChristineGoBrigands

I workout 4 times/week (lifting) and another 2 cardio only. I do abs and dorsal (lower back) in the end of every lifting workout. I do so, because I think it's one of the best ways to avoid posture problems and strengthen my core.

Why would you want to spend a whole training day on abs? What do you expect your body to "become"? I mean, some people that have a pot belly, think that if they do abs for an hour everyday, their belly will be gone and they will get six pack. That's completely silly. Abs are there (muscles)! You just have to make them stronger and a bit bigger and get that fat over them! You cannot burt that fat with abs excersises, you need cardio, so why spend a whole day doing nothing?

cafeaulait7

I workout 4 times/week (lifting) and another 2 cardio only. I do abs and dorsal (lower back) in the end of every lifting workout. I do so, because I think it's one of the best ways to avoid posture problems and strengthen my core.

Why would you want to spend a whole training day on abs? What do you expect your body to "become"? I mean, some people that have a pot belly, think that if they do abs for an hour everyday, their belly will be gone and they will get six pack. That's completely silly. Abs are there (muscles)! You just have to make them stronger and a bit bigger and get that fat over them! You cannot burt that fat with abs excersises, you need cardio, so why spend a whole day doing nothing?

My whole days on ab lifts are technically my rest days, lol. So that's one example. It's not a long day at all for me with weights. But I do think most people do them at the beginning or end of their usual lifts if they do isolation work on abs.

What the OP is talking about sounds like she's just getting the blood flowing compared to sitting around on the couch. No problem there, imho.

SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish

So many great responses guys! So, trying to figure out the general consensus in my case, I'm getting:

-Keep doing the once a week kettlebell core focused workout (plenty of squats, deadlifts, etc in there), because that is getting my abs most of what they need.

- My 10-15 minute sessions twice a week while watching TV may not be doing much extra GOOD, but they're not really harming anything either, as they are not a "waste of time" in the sense that I would be doing anything else in that time aside from sitting on the couch. I can see that if those 20-30 minutes a week would be spent on a different workout, they might be more beneficial overall, but those are just during my "catching up on my shows" time- maybe I'll mix it up and do some isolation curls, or something else in that time once a week. (I assume I don't overtrain them because they are my only strong body part, and the only body part that rarely gets tired).

Is that somewhat correct?

Short answer: Its not a problem to work them out a couple times/week unless you are relying on fatigued and sore abs to guard you through heavy compound lifts, but then just move your deadlift/squat/overhead press an adequate distance from abs, work them same day after or dont get them sore a few days before.

Whether you NEED to or not is another issue, I completely agree some extra work on abs is good to do if you lift heavy, in fact I specifically worked hard on my abs to protect my back as I started to get above 600lbs. I did not start with really strong abs or the ability to do very many situps (not sure but I think 40-50?) before I targeted my abs, and I had been doing deadlifts for months previously, so no your abs wont typically get "super strong" with deadlifts or squats. Of course the question of how strong they need to be is again there: yes you should never get so off balance you need that increased ab strength to recover, and yes you can use a weight belt to brace you. I was also doing a situp challenge and got to 300 situps at the time I got my deadlifts into the 700s, but it wasn't BECAUSE of the ab work. However it obviously won't hurt you. I'd recommend some ab work for lifters as they get to heavy deads and squats, but until you to get very heavy lifts, it won't matter significantly anyways, have fun with your workouts

SLLRunner

I do full body workouts three times a week, which includes abs. I do crunches too, but that's in addition to the full body strength training.

Iron_Lotus

Compound lifts work the core nicely

D8vidFitness

let's cut the cheese, gonna say this once

If you don't isolate your abs, you won't have well-defined abs.

If you want baby abs, keep doing your squats, deadlift, and forget isolating workouts just for abs

some people tell you they have a 6 pack, but doesn't isolate them. They have the genetics, you don't.

end of story

I would recommend working out your abs at least 3 times a week.

geebusuk

I have read all sorts - various things saying "you use them every day anyway so they recover faster and you can train them every day if you want" - which seems a bit of a leap of logic, being that I also tend to use my arms and legs every day too and the same isn't considered true there.

I got noticable upper-abs despite a bit of fat, after doing an additional abs routine*, which I didn't from just a SS based routine (squats every workout). Only had one workout where my 'core' has really ached after, while after I started doing my abs routine again recently, it was a week before I could sit up in bed properly!
Recently I've been doing it every workout after I've done everything else - as frankly it's mostly about vanity and getting some decent definition there when my fat levels get low enough. It SHOULD help with the climbing, but usually grip strength is more of an issue for me.

*3 x 12 decline sit up, 3x12 weighted hanging leg raise, 3x12 dumbell roll-out, 3x12 weighted side bends.