Best exercise for toning abs

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Replies

  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Core training. Everyone needs it. Working your muscles and doing cardo are all great excersises and diet only does so much but core training, strengths stomach muscles. back muscles and hip flexers.

    Having a strong core doesn't mean you'll have visible abs.

    My core is incredibly strong, yet there is still fat there. Weight loss will take the fat away.

    My arms and legs are also strong, yet still covered in fat. Most power lifters (who are moving massive amounts of weight) don't have visible body builder type muscles. It's all about the body fat percentage - not the strength.

    (there's nothing wrong with increasing your core strength - you should do it. but don't expect washboard abs from it)
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Having a strong core doesn't mean you'll have visible abs.

    My core is incredibly strong, yet there is still fat there. Weight loss will take the fat away.

    My arms and legs are also strong, yet still covered in fat. Most power lifters (who are moving massive amounts of weight) don't have visible body builder type muscles. It's all about the body fat percentage - not the strength.

    (there's nothing wrong with increasing your core strength - you should do it. but don't expect washboard abs from it)

    ^ You are not wrong, but if you simply diet away your weight, you will lose muscle along with the fat and still never see your abs. Eating at a deficit while incorporating core work is going to be required. In other words, neither diet nor exercise alone will do the trick.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Having a strong core doesn't mean you'll have visible abs.

    My core is incredibly strong, yet there is still fat there. Weight loss will take the fat away.

    My arms and legs are also strong, yet still covered in fat. Most power lifters (who are moving massive amounts of weight) don't have visible body builder type muscles. It's all about the body fat percentage - not the strength.

    (there's nothing wrong with increasing your core strength - you should do it. but don't expect washboard abs from it)

    ^ You are not wrong, but if you simply diet away your weight, you will lose muscle along with the fat and still never see your abs. Eating at a deficit while incorporating core work is going to be required. In other words, neither diet nor exercise alone will do the trick.

    True. The point isn't that diet alone will do it (for most people). The point is that dedicated core work (for most) isn't necessary. Big compound lifts that require a variety of stabilizing muscles will work the core enough to give some definition once body fat is low enough.

    Most people on MFP that need to lose weight will be better served spending their time with bigger lifts rather than a zillion isolation moves.

    Additionally, these types of exercises along with sufficient protein intake will minimize muscle loss during dieting.
  • 5erious
    5erious Posts: 469
    If nutrition is on point

    Hanging leg raises
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    The point is that dedicated core work (for most) isn't necessary. Big compound lifts that require a variety of stabilizing muscles will work the core enough to give some definition once body fat is low enough.

    Most people on MFP that need to lose weight will be better served spending their time with bigger lifts rather than a zillion isolation moves.

    Additionally, these types of exercises along with sufficient protein intake will minimize muscle loss during dieting.

    I 100% agree, but the OP stipulated that a severe back injury precluded most compound lifts, which was why my first comment was an attempt to find out if back rehab was possible ;)

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