Ab work & Back Pain

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gecho
gecho Posts: 426 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok people, like 99% of everybody my abs (or rather lack of) are one of my biggest problem areas:grumble: .

I can do crunches, work on an exercise ball, knee raises etc but the problem is still the same (& no the problem is not the exercises or the fact i have like NO muscles, let alone any kind of tone to my stomach,:laugh: )

My problem with trying to flatten my stomach is my back. Every exercise i try i end up hurting my back.

Any ideas on how to push more abs and less back?:huh:

Replies

  • anu_6986
    anu_6986 Posts: 702 Member
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    Bump!
  • YeaILift
    YeaILift Posts: 580 Member
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    First of all, you won't see your abs until you lower boy fat to below ~25%.

    I would try cable crunches for upper/general abs, and they shouldn't put much strain on the back. Then you could do hanging leg lifts for lower abs and plate twists for obliques.
  • alan79
    alan79 Posts: 22 Member
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    I changed my ab work out. I was in a car crash a few years ago and spent ages strengthening up my back/core to sort that out, but I still got back pain after exercise. I asked the gym instructor about this and eventually got a set of exercises that work ie no pain afterwords except the muscles themselves. Currently using a half gym ball (kinda like a gym ball with a plastic stand), do an adjusted yoga pose with weights and lots of pull/chin ups.

    My friend couldnt belive the difference when we went swimming the other week. I didnt set out to get a six pack, but have one now it seems.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    I hurt my back in a car accident as well..at my gym they have benches for doing situps and those are the only way for me to avoid pain. BUT it has gotten better as my abs have gotten stronger.

    I would say, if you don't go to a gym and don't want to buy any equipment. start just doing a few crunches but *engage* your abs..if you're focused correctly you can make sure they are doing the work and carrying your back instead of the other way around. Before you do a crunch, suck in and tighten your stomach. Any time you feel it release, lay back and re-engage it before doing any more work. I hope that's helpful!
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    1: you body fat needs to be low in order to see your abs.

    2: you need to strengthen your back. You are making your body out of balance by only working abs with no back work to support the abs. It's like the guys in the gym that only do upper body workouts and have chicken legs.

    3: Abs start with diet diet diet. A good physique is 80% diet and 20% workout.

    4: There are Many ab exercises out there. Crunches are very passe. You could also do oblique work and plank work.

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