If not crunches/ETC...Then what?

Happymom83

So I do lots of ab "exercises'...different variations of crunches,leg lifts,etc....My husband's physical therapist said that is the worst thing you could do for your abs???? She said it will actually make your "pooch" stick out more??:huh: Is this true? If yes...Then what in the world should I be doing instead?:ohwell: I just started lifting...I walk a lot...But I need to "tone" up my stomach..I just dont want to have "extra skin"...or at least as little as possible...4 kids will do that to you..lol:embarassed: :laugh:

erickirb

heavy squats, deadlifts, other compound lifts were you keep your core engaged. Planks are good too.

That said, I do very little direct ab work 5 mins 2 times/week, my core gets hit during my heavy lifting so just supplement it here and there

Ab work will not "tone" up your stomach. We all have 6 packs, the difference is that it is under a layer of fat, or it is not. So losing fat will get you abs, not doing ab work.

elbaldwin0525

Try the "vaccum" core exercise....it works the transverse abdominals which are the muscle that help pull your abs and organs in. just youtube how to do it.

gerla_k

I personally think that's a total bs. sorry, i've never heard that ab work is bad for you- in moderation of course.

ETA: I agree with prev. poster, that you need to lose the layer of fat on top of your abs- and crunches alone will do nothing -

BootCampCrazy

My trainer said the most effective way to work your core/abs is planks. He said it's really the only thing I need to do. I'm not so sure on crunches making your abs stick out more tho....interesting.

Mischievous_Rascal

So I do lots of ab "exercises'...different variations of crunches,leg lifts,etc....My husband's physical therapist said that is the worst thing you could do for your abs???? She said it will actually make your "pooch" stick out more??:huh: Is this true? If yes...Then what in the world should I be doing instead?:ohwell: I just started lifting...I walk a lot...But I need to "tone" up my stomach..I just dont want to have "extra skin"...or at least as little as possible...4 kids will do that to you..lol:embarassed: :laugh:

It's true if your abs have a separation, yes. It can make it much worse. And without a separation, they pretty much do nothing anyway. I do compound lifts and planks. That's it.

The extra skin is dependent, to an extent, on how much you have to lose and how fast you lose it. But mainly, it's a genetic thing. If your mom has a lot of stretchmarks, it's in your genes. You can learn to love it as a badge of honor for carrying four awesome kids, or start a savings fund for a tummy tuck. Either way, best of luck!

_lyndseybrooke_

Ok, I don't know if there's an science behind this, but the people on FitnessBlender say that you have to tighten your abs "in" as if you're sucking your belly button in, or the muscles will grow "out." I'm not sure I really believe that, but it's a way to encourage people to keep their abdominal engaged throughout an entire ab exercise.

I do know that you can't spot treat. Ab exercises will strengthen the muscles you're working just like any other exercise that engages muscles with strengthen them. However, you can do 1000 crunches a day, but you won't get a flat stomach until you lose the fat covering these muscles. That's where a good diet and cardio and/or lifting come in.

Crunches also won't get rid of extra skin left behind by pregnancy. The whole area will shrink once the fat is gone, but many moms keep that little pouch. Some women manage to go right back to normal, and I know one mother like this. My sister, on the other hand, has quite a bit of loose skin and, even though she's only 115 lbs (at 5'3"), her belly isn't flat and most likely never will be. You can feel her abdominal muscles are strong and "defined" beneath this extra skin and little bit of fat, but only a tummy tuck would allow them to be seen.

I do a core routine about twice a week, but I also lift three times per week and my core is being engaged during those exercises. I'm also in the middle of the 30 day plank challenge. I'm up to 60 seconds, working my way up to 5 minutes.

DeadliftAddict

heavy squats, deadlifts, other compound lifts were you keep your core engaged. Planks are good too.

That said, I do very little direct ab work 5 mins 2 times/week, my core gets hit during my heavy lifting so just supplement it here and there

Ab work will not "tone" up your stomach. We all have 6 packs, the difference is that it is under a layer of fat, or it is not. So losing fat will get you abs, not doing ab work.

This. That is all.

RGv2

heavy squats, deadlifts, other compound lifts were you keep your core engaged. Planks are good too.

That said, I do very little direct ab work 5 mins 2 times/week, my core gets hit during my heavy lifting so just supplement it here and there

Ab work will not "tone" up your stomach. We all have 6 packs, the difference is that it is under a layer of fat, or it is not. So losing fat will get you abs, not doing ab work.

/thread

KNarrainen

The reason it might be true, is because specific ab exercises will develop your ab muscles, but not do much for the layer of fit sitting on top of them.

I think what they are suggesting is if you have a bit of a tummy already, and then develop your abs underneath, it will push the tummy further out, not totally sure if this would be the case, you'd have to have very well developed abs for that to be the case.

Ab exercises are so that when you've lost the fat you get the best of what is revealed beneath.
Essentially everyone has a six pack of sorts, you just can't see it on most people.
Overall fitness and toning will eventually (if you watch you food intake) reveal them.

momesgoal165

I ditto the question - i just hit the "middle age spread" .... well it just reached my abdomen with a big bang! and not only did it get big but hangs down some... does anyone have good exercises to target this..

Orion782

This is only true to a certain point. Body weight exercises such as leg lifts, scissor kicks, and even your standard plank and crunches will help those muscles in tone, but will only make them "pop" to a finite amount. Definitely not enough to "add to your pooch" or whatever. You talk about loose skin/fat...you have to reduce overall body fat to hit that, and unfortunately the lower abdominal area is the last to go for many of us.

Bottom line is that you can do a billion situps and it won't get you "ripped" or even "bikini ready" if you still have fat covering them. Crunches and ab exercises are generally terrible for fat burning, so you do the math...

Anniebotnen

You can do planks for your abs instead - there are many variations that will give you a challenging progression. Also do squats, deadlifts, push-ups, etc that will condition your whole body, build muscle and burn energy. There is unfortunately no exercise that will get rid of loose skin, but it should gradually tighten up.

TFaustino67

Orion782

I ditto the question - i just hit the "middle age spread" .... well it just reached my abdomen with a big bang! and not only did it get big but hangs down some... does anyone have good exercises to target this..

Cannot spot/target reduce when it comes to fat. You can tone the muscles underneath, but it won't reduce the "hang" you speak of without a vast overall reduction of body fat.

momesgoal165

thank you.

Shropshire1959

Abs are made in the kitchen :-p

a_stronger_me13

I do compound lifts and I can almost guarantee that I will not have a 6 pack when I get to a low enough BF%. That's a broad generalization that is very misleading. I will most likely have to bulk, do some direct ab work and then cut to have a true "set of abs".

It's a muscle, just like everything else. If it's not there or well developed, dieting down will do nothing. A friend made a comment today that rings true, abs are REVEALED in the kitchen, not MADE in the kitchen.

RGv2

I ditto the question - i just hit the "middle age spread" .... well it just reached my abdomen with a big bang! and not only did it get big but hangs down some... does anyone have good exercises to target this..

There are none. You can't "target' where you lose fat from.

Platform_Heels

Your abs support your back so strong core = strong back so in that sense it's not an unnecessary exercise.

I personally do isolation ab work. I always have. I will do crunches, planks, hanging leg raises, weighted side bends and twists, decline crunches, reverse crunches, leg lifts etc. I do isolation ab work every other day and I do different exercises each time.

But that is just my preference.

BlueBombers

Planks!!