Do you work on Abs everyday?

Options
24

Replies

  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Options
    You shouldn't do direct ab work everyday, they need time to recover. You actually don't need to do any direct ab work to get a strong core. If you focus on compound lifts with heavy weights your core gets engaged and works as a secondary muscle leaving no need to do isolation work.

    That said, I do direct ab work one day/week, the majority of my core work comes from my lifting routine (compound lifts) as mentioned above.

    Second this. Whole body compound lifts.
    What exactly are compound lifts?

    Compound lifts are strength training moves that use a variety of muscle groups in each movement. Examples are :
    Squats (Pretty much the whole body is involved to varying degrees, mostly legs)
    Deadlifts (Total Body gets involved in this one)
    Bench Press (Chest, shoulders, Tricpes, some core)
    Shoulder Press (shoulder, a little upper chest, tricpes, core)
    Pendlay rows (Back, biceps, core, a bit of hammies and glutes)
    etc

    Cleans! Nothing I've done hits the core harder than cleans.
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Options
    [/quote]
    M60KAF said:
    Think you have gone slightly off OP topic re-asserting spot reduction myth (which I do agree is a myth) OP said they know that doesn't work

    I do agree though that the fitness market heavily targets the abs which do not need working in isolation. But its simple - abs are last to show through minimum fat. I know super fit cool looking people, they still struggle and moan about abs - its a marketing dream which is perpetuated through ignoring fat/food is more important than exercise for abs

    Most people who work abs directly in hope of definition are many stone, %age bodyfat, months even years away from achieving them
    [/quote]

    I say,
    The OP if you re-read said shall I work the abs harder to remove fat. So, I think mentioning the MYTH is very sensible. And then I take it you read nothing more of my post. Which is fine, but why quote it all because essentially you just said what I said.

    Thanks.
  • jbella99
    jbella99 Posts: 596 Member
    Options
    Doing countless hours of ab work will indeed make them stronger but it will not get rid of the fat clinging to the top of them.... Diet is the biggest factor. Eat clean and build muscle to improve metabolic burn.

    You don't have to eat clean, just eat at a caloric deficit for long enough to lose fat. Make sure you lift and get plenty of protein so the majority of your weight loss comes from fat, instead of losing muscle.

    Well if you ever wanna see that six pack. You need to stop putting artificial food in your body. Eating clean is the most effective way to get the results you want. I could eat a bag of toll house cookies everyday at a caloric deficit but I am certainly not gonna look healthy,
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
    Options
    Doing countless hours of ab work will indeed make them stronger but it will not get rid of the fat clinging to the top of them.... Diet is the biggest factor. Eat clean and build muscle to improve metabolic burn.

    You don't have to eat clean, just eat at a caloric deficit for long enough to lose fat. Make sure you lift and get plenty of protein so the majority of your weight loss comes from fat, instead of losing muscle.

    Well if you ever wanna see that six pack. You need to stop putting artificial food in your body. Eating clean is the most effective way to get the results you want. I could eat a bag of toll house cookies everyday at a caloric deficit but I am certainly not gonna look healthy,

    This is totally and utterly false. All you need to do is lower your body fat % enough to see them, by eating at a caloric deficit, the form of the food may have an impact on health, but not the amount you lose.

    If you have a low caloric intake it may be able to not go over by eating "clean" as the food is typically lower in calories, but if you can hit your target intake with"dirty" food, your weight loss results will be the same.
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
    Options
    Bump
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Options
    Doing countless hours of ab work will indeed make them stronger but it will not get rid of the fat clinging to the top of them.... Diet is the biggest factor. Eat clean and build muscle to improve metabolic burn.

    You don't have to eat clean, just eat at a caloric deficit for long enough to lose fat. Make sure you lift and get plenty of protein so the majority of your weight loss comes from fat, instead of losing muscle.

    Well if you ever wanna see that six pack. You need to stop putting artificial food in your body. Eating clean is the most effective way to get the results you want. I could eat a bag of toll house cookies everyday at a caloric deficit but I am certainly not gonna look healthy,

    This is totally and utterly false. All you need to do is lower your body fat % enough to see them, by eating at a caloric deficit, the form of the food may have an impact on health, but not the amount you lose.

    If you have a low caloric intake it may be able to not go over by eating "clean" as the food is typically lower in calories, but if you can hit your target intake with"dirty" food, your weight loss results will be the same.

    Well said, a calorie is a calorie is a calorie - 4 for 1 gram of protein and carbs and 9 for 1 gram of fat.

    Even recently, a doctor did the opposite of supersize me, eating only junk food but restricted calories. Guess what, he lost weight.

    Was it good - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/junk-food-diet/MY01589

    A calorie is a calorie, but good nutrition is better.
  • MoveTheMountain
    MoveTheMountain Posts: 764
    Options
    It's my understanding that the only muscle that can handle being worked every day is calves, and I'm not even sure that's right. Muscles need recovery time, plain and simple. If you don't rest them, you'll get into a situation where you're over-training, and you'll do more harm than good.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Options
    Unless your abs are holding back your other lifts, it's kind of silly to work them every day.

    you can't spot reduce fat, and you won't get amazing abs from doing bodyweight circuits for your core.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Options
    A calorie is a calorie

    In terms of energy, possibly.
    In terms of body composition/results from that eating, absolutely not.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
    Options
    People do dedicated ab work? :huh:
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Options
    It's my understanding that the only muscle that can handle being worked every day is calves, and I'm not even sure that's right. Muscles need recovery time, plain and simple. If you don't rest them, you'll get into a situation where you're over-training, and you'll do more harm than good.

    calves are worked everday, you may note that they hold your body up. Assuming your not doing headstands or handstands.

    Overtraining - the vast majority of people will never overtrain. Overtraining is a term for professional sports people (20-30 hours trainining)and very keen amateurs (15-20hours). Overtraining can be as much about poor nutrition and low body fat rather than overweight and sedentary.

    While not a myth, overtraining is not going to bother the vast majority of people and I believe it is an unhelpful terminology.
  • sandrajune72
    sandrajune72 Posts: 550
    Options
    I have a question. I'm almost at my goal weight. I've lost from everywhere but my belly :sad: so if I can only achieve a flat tummy from weight loss, how am I to do that when I'm eating at maintenance??? :frown:
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Options
    A calorie is a calorie

    In terms of energy, possibly.
    In terms of body composition/results from that eating, absolutely not.

    quote the whole thing, you missed the irony. And a calorie is energy no possibility about it, I can talk macronutrients and all the other issues.

    You are obviously happy doing strong lifts, that is your bag. I did that and it isn't. I have lost twice the weight and gained better speed, agility, balance and strength with what I do in 6 months compared to cardio, weights regime. I do advocate the BIG LIFTS, but not forever and not for succesful weight loss. My choice, but you really should not criticise FULL BODY HIIT and all it variants.
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Options
    I have a question. I'm almost at my goal weight. I've lost from everywhere but my belly :sad: so if I can only achieve a flat tummy from weight loss, how am I to do that when I'm eating at maintenance??? :frown:

    No one said you cannot get a flat stomach through training but only through weight loss.

    Everyone has said you do both. Most have said though that to see your 6 pack you need a very low body fat, that does not stop you having a flat stomach. What you may want to consider is that your goal needs adjusting to get a lower body fat percentage and target the abs, but not target them and forget everything else.
  • sandrajune72
    sandrajune72 Posts: 550
    Options
    I have a question. I'm almost at my goal weight. I've lost from everywhere but my belly :sad: so if I can only achieve a flat tummy from weight loss, how am I to do that when I'm eating at maintenance??? :frown:

    No one said you cannot get a flat stomach through training but only through weight loss.

    Everyone has said you do both.

    Thanks for replying.

    People have actually said that on MFP. That abs are made in the kitchen. It's hard to know what to believe! I do work the whole body, but I also target abs about 3 times a week doing crunches, planks etc. I have had 2 kids and people tell me I'll never lose my baby belly unless I have a tummy tuck :ohwell:
  • MLgarcia3
    MLgarcia3 Posts: 503
    Options
    I train mine for about 5-10 mins twice a week.. But I also weight train 5 times a week and eat well
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Options

    Thanks for replying.

    People have actually said that on MFP. That abs are made in the kitchen. It's hard to know what to believe! I do work the whole body, but I also target abs about 3 times a week doing crunches, planks etc. I have had 2 kids and people tell me I'll never lose my baby belly unless I have a tummy tuck :ohwell:

    I could not comment on that. You may have excess skin and sometimes surgery is the only way, usually only applies to the morbidly obese who have shed the pounds and saved their lives.

    You have nothing to lose by doing a total ab workout once or twice a week. You would only work the abs, tva and obliques, and you will use weight and it will hurt but after 6-8 weeks you will know if you do need the surgery to remove excess skin/baby belly.

    How fit are you? And is your target weight goal which you have nearly reached, is it too low - maybe a few more pounds.
  • sandrajune72
    sandrajune72 Posts: 550
    Options

    Thanks for replying.

    People have actually said that on MFP. That abs are made in the kitchen. It's hard to know what to believe! I do work the whole body, but I also target abs about 3 times a week doing crunches, planks etc. I have had 2 kids and people tell me I'll never lose my baby belly unless I have a tummy tuck :ohwell:

    I could not comment on that. You may have excess skin and sometimes surgery is the only way, usually only applies to the morbidly obese who have shed the pounds and saved their lives.

    You have nothing to lose by doing a total ab workout once or twice a week. You would only work the abs, tva and obliques, and you will use weight and it will hurt but after 6-8 weeks you will know if you do need the surgery to remove excess skin/baby belly.

    How fit are you? And is your target weight goal which you have nearly reached, is it too low - maybe a few more pounds.

    I'm not that fit tbh, :embarassed: I've just completed 30 day shred & I'm starting Ripped in 30 on Monday.I also do some dance workouts for cardio, and a dvd with weights for toning. It seems to be working everywhere else, just not the belly!!

    I can't afford to join a gym, besides the thought horrifies me!! I also couldn't afford surgery, so it's this or just living with the belly!!

    I'm 5ft 9, currently 143lbs & my goal weight is 140lbs. I guess I could go lower, but I don't wanna end up too skinny :ohwell:
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Options
    What equipment have you got at home, if any?

    According to Brianmac (pretty good resource) your size ideal weight spreads from 121 pounds to 160, I presume that the higher figure is for athletic build with muscle, rather than fat. So, would you like to set a new target of 134lbs?

    Could you afford a HRM, Body Compostion Scales like Tanita, Swiss Ball, Cables, 2 x 2.5kg hex gym plates 2 x 5 kg hex gym plates

    Glad you are circuit training and HIIT via the 30 day programmes.
  • sandrajune72
    sandrajune72 Posts: 550
    Options
    What equipment have you got at home, if any?

    According to Brianmac (pretty good resource) your size ideal weight spreads from 121 pounds to 160, I presume that the higher figure is for athletic build with muscle, rather than fat. So, would you like to set a new target of 134lbs?

    Could you afford a HRM, Body Compostion Scales like Tanita, Swiss Ball, Cables, 2 x 2.5kg hex gym plates 2 x 5 kg hex gym plates

    Glad you are circuit training and HIIT via the 30 day programmes.

    I guess I could set a new target weight.

    I have a HRM (polar FT4) which i use all the time. The only equipment I have is dumbells. I have a friend that have those scales, I guess I could "borrow" his! At the moment money is really tight so I can't really afford anymore equipment, I don't know what hex gym plates are!! I'll google it!

    Thank you so much for helping me, you're an absolute star! :heart:

Categories