Can working your abs with weights make your waist bigger?

Italianyc84

hmmm. I've been using a machine at the gym...can't remember the name of it, but basically you set a weight, sit, put your chest against these pads, hold on to the bars and twist in each direction. the heavier the weight, the harder the exercise.

anyway, I've noticed my waist hasn't lost any inches...did a little googling and see that some people advocate NO high weights with ab work because they'll bulk up your belly.

Any experience with this? thoughts?

dad106

Nothing is going to "bulk" up your belly.. it just doesn't happen.

Will it look bigger because you have fat on top of muscle? Yes. Only way to lose those inches and show the muscle is to lose the fat.. and that is done through a calorie deficit and cardio.

Italianyc84

How come it "just doesn't happen"? If someone works, say, their biceps using high weights...wouldn't inches potentially be added?

Considering I DON'T want a six-pack, it sounds like I can skip this and stick with bicycle crunches...

Sweet_Potato

How come it "just doesn't happen"? If someone works, say, their biceps using high weights...wouldn't inches potentially be added?

Considering I DON'T want a six-pack, it sounds like I can skip this and stick with bicycle crunches...

Yeah, if I were you I'd skip the ab work entirely. I used to be obessed with abs exercises, but I didn't change my diet (which was not bad to begin with) and was only doing an hour or so of cardio a day which was not enough to lose the fat. So I really bulked up in the middle as a result.

addisondisease2

Only way to lose those inches and show the muscle is to lose the fat.. and that is done through a calorie deficit and cardio

You don't HAVE to do cardio, any form of exercise will help, its the calorie deficit that is most important

How come it "just doesn't happen"? If someone works, say, their biceps using high weights...wouldn't inches potentially be added?

The abdominal "6 pack" muscles don't naturally get very large, unless you are eating a truck load of food and using steroids.

I DON'T want a six-pack

You already have one, everyone does, its just under a layer of fat. If you didn't have one you wouldn't be able to stand up.

OK....
The abs are very small muscles so training them results in a small calorie burn. If you want to drop fat do compound exercises. That means using multiple muscle groups, such as: squats, dead-lifts, clean&jerks, rows, bench, over-head press, pull up, dips, snatch. If you are using more than one muscle at a time your body must burn more fat to produce the energy necessary.

What about weight? take it off? add more on? how do i know?

Adding weight to an exercise makes it harder, making your body work harder burns more calories, which will burn more fat. So while yes you can make progress with light weight and high reps, you will be BETTER results with higher weight and lower reps (10 - 12 reps maximum)

addisondisease2

Bumping for great justice!