Abs?

sarahisme18
sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm really interested in building my ab muscles, but I'm having a hard time finding info about what I can be doing for that. I get the point in my other strength training about progressive weight lifting and not using the "barbie" weights, but is the same true about a million crunches? I've always been able to do a lot of crunches, and recently I've just been doing crunches, bicycles, decline bench crunches, etc. with little to no results over quite a few months. I read the weighted cable machine can be good for building abs, and also things like stability ball, medicine ball, etc.

What do you do? Have you been successful? Any before and after pics/stories? Thanks!
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Replies

  • semperfit1823
    semperfit1823 Posts: 153
    weighted cable crunch
    ab wheel
    leg lifts
    decline sit up

    great work outs to build mass and POP in abs. Nutrition will trump any workout tho.

    before and after pics from 4 weeks ago are in my album
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Lower your body fat %.
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
    Yes, working on lowering my BF% and focusing on nutrition! But I was also curious what types of routines I could be doing as well.

    Thanks!!
  • nonstopper
    nonstopper Posts: 1,108 Member
    I hear what your saying. I was in the same position awhile back. I have found that eating right will speed this process more than anything. How you eat is important. And stay away from SODAs. Its a evil liquid. Water is the best. Do Leg lifts and oblique crunches. Hanging leg raises will help lower abs such as sitting down hold a 10lbs weight between your feet and lift your legs. Oh yes and run at the track.
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
    I completely agree—I've really hammered out my diet the last 3-4 weeks, and have already noticed a difference. My mid-section is much flatter than before, even though I was doing crunches like crazy. Just hoping to capitalize on it with doing something a little more effective than just crunches!

    Those are great—I didn't even think about hanging leg raises. Thanks!!
  • Cese27
    Cese27 Posts: 626 Member
    Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
    Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym

    Working on it!
  • ohpiper
    ohpiper Posts: 697 Member
    P90X Ab Ripper has been a good workout. I'll double them up when I can.
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
    P90X Ab Ripper has been a good workout. I'll double them up when I can.

    Nice, I'll check it out. Thanks!!

    Thanks everyone for the input, I really appreciate—trying to learn all I can!
  • eatrainsmile
    eatrainsmile Posts: 220 Member
    You dont need to do millions of crunches to have abs. I know people who never work out abs and have a 6 pack. Yes you need to have a low bodyfat. Abs are made in the kitchen. You need to eat as clean as you can and you need protein. Believe me or not my abs popped out when I started to eat more protein. You dont need to do direct abs exercises. But you need to lift heavy. Did you know that when you are doing squats you also work your abs? You also shouldnt overtrain your abs. They are like any muscle group. Do you do millions of lunges or shoulder presses? If you do millions of crunches you'll have a flat stomach not 6 pack abs.
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
    You dont need to do millions of crunches to have abs. I know people who never work out abs and have a 6 pack. Yes you need to have a low bodyfat. Abs are made in the kitchen. You need to eat as clean as you can and you need protein. Believe me or not my abs popped out when I started to eat more protein. You dont need to do direct abs exercises. But you need to lift heavy. Did you know that when you are doing squats you also work your abs? You also shouldnt overtrain your abs. They are like any muscle group. Do you do millions of lunges or shoulder presses? If you do millions of crunches you'll have a flat stomach not 6 pack abs.

    Good info, thanks! I am trying to lower my BF% and eat way more protein than I had been, as well as lift much heavier than I previously thought I was capable of. How long until you started seeing some results? I'm sure I just need to give it time as well—I haven't been doing this for long!!
  • MrDude_1
    MrDude_1 Posts: 2,510 Member
    Good info, thanks! I am trying to lower my BF% and eat way more protein than I had been, as well as lift much heavier than I previously thought I was capable of. How long until you started seeing some results? I'm sure I just need to give it time as well—I haven't been doing this for long!!


    time, and you need to lose a lot more body fat then you will ever think you needed to.

    believe it or not, it doesnt matter what you do..... its just a matter of having a low enough body fat %.... thats it.

    crunches, workouts, etc... none really matter.. thats why we say abs are made in the kitchen.. theres nothing special for you to do. nothing will make it come faster.. you just have to lose bodyfat (and not lose a ton of lean mass)... and it happens.


    if it was easy, everyone would have abs.




    btw note that if you try to lose too fast, you lose lean mass with bodyfat.. and the percentage doesnt improve... so the end result is just a smaller you. not a leaner (or fitter) you. it takes time. tons of time....
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
    Good info, thanks! I am trying to lower my BF% and eat way more protein than I had been, as well as lift much heavier than I previously thought I was capable of. How long until you started seeing some results? I'm sure I just need to give it time as well—I haven't been doing this for long!!


    time, and you need to lose a lot more body fat then you will ever think you needed to.

    believe it or not, it doesnt matter what you do..... its just a matter of having a low enough body fat %.... thats it.

    crunches, workouts, etc... none really matter.. thats why we say abs are made in the kitchen.. theres nothing special for you to do. nothing will make it come faster.. you just have to lose bodyfat (and not lose a ton of lean mass)... and it happens.


    if it was easy, everyone would have abs.




    btw note that if you try to lose too fast, you lose lean mass with bodyfat.. and the percentage doesnt improve... so the end result is just a smaller you. not a leaner (or fitter) you. it takes time. tons of time....


    Well, that's what I am hearing/reading. So, just gotta keep plugging away—thanks!
  • mavrick7
    mavrick7 Posts: 1,607 Member
    Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym

    @sarahisme18 - You have a great flat stomach, nice job! For more sculpted looking ab muscles, you need to lower your body fat%.

    key excercises: crunches and lateral leg lifts.
  • nonstopper
    nonstopper Posts: 1,108 Member
    Its also in your head. Keep the will power to get that stomach and hanging leg lifts even with weights will tear up that belly area. Do the workout until it feel the Alien is coming out that Sh**!
  • SyStEmPhReAk
    SyStEmPhReAk Posts: 330 Member
    I just took a pill one day and...


    JOKING!!! :laugh: :laugh:

    ALL great info above!!!! (1) Be patient, (2) eat right, (3) lower body fat, (4) do exercises to strengthen your abs...
  • OddChoices
    OddChoices Posts: 244 Member
    Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym


    Absolutely must be quoted again.

    Suggested workouts:
    Ball roll ins
    Hanging pikes
    Ankle touchers

    Bodybuilding.com has a whole sectionon ABS
  • ourglasswalls
    ourglasswalls Posts: 44 Member
    HAHA Alien, that's one way of putting it.
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
    You guys are GREAT. That's why I love MFP—helpful, honest! Thank you.

    If anyone would like to take a look at my food diary and give some suggestions there, it is open and I would welcome that. Since I am hearing that it really does have to do more with what you eat and being able to lower your BF%—I really have changed my diet a lot in the past month, and believe I'm doing much of what needs to be done, but I know there's always room for improvement, and I certainly want to learn all I can!
  • eatrainsmile
    eatrainsmile Posts: 220 Member

    Good info, thanks! I am trying to lower my BF% and eat way more protein than I had been, as well as lift much heavier than I previously thought I was capable of. How long until you started seeing some results? I'm sure I just need to give it time as well—I haven't been doing this for long!!

    I started working out 6 years ago. I was overtraining and undereating. I became a skinny girl with a flat stomach. Then I started weight training. I found out the importance of protein. I started to eat more. Like in 3 months my abs popped out. People were asking me how I did it. I wasnt doing anything different. I wasnt counting calories but I was eating more and eating more protein. But my bodyfat was already low. I dont do any abs exercises any more. They are still there. When I get a tan they are more visible. When I get bloated they become invisible but I know they are there:) Its really difficult for a woman to keep the abs. Our hormones and periods are a pain in the a.s. I am sure you know what I mean:)

    Be patient. You have a nice body and a nice stomach. As you keep working out & weight training& eating clean and get enough protein to build muscle you'll have them.
  • letjog
    letjog Posts: 260 Member
    I go through cycles of wanting a well defined set of abs and then thinking it's a bit manly on a woman. Combined with the loss up top required to get this skinny! Hmmmm
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I don't really do a whole lot of specific ab work. I lift heavy doing compound lifts. Squats, bench, pendlay rows, overhead press and dead-lifts. All those work your core.
  • DenyseMarieL
    DenyseMarieL Posts: 673 Member
    I've found planks to be the best so far. I've never had sore abs as I have after doing planks.
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member

    Good info, thanks! I am trying to lower my BF% and eat way more protein than I had been, as well as lift much heavier than I previously thought I was capable of. How long until you started seeing some results? I'm sure I just need to give it time as well—I haven't been doing this for long!!

    I started working out 6 years ago. I was overtraining and undereating. I became a skinny girl with a flat stomach. Then I started weight training. I found out the importance of protein. I started to eat more. Like in 3 months my abs popped out. People were asking me how I did it. I wasnt doing anything different. I wasnt counting calories but I was eating more and eating more protein. But my bodyfat was already low. I dont do any abs exercises any more. They are still there. When I get a tan they are more visible. When I get bloated they become invisible but I know they are there:) Its really difficult for a woman to keep the abs. Our hormones and periods are a pain in the a.s. I am sure you know what I mean:)

    Be patient. You have a nice body and a nice stomach. As you keep working out & weight training& eating clean and get enough protein to build muscle you'll have them.


    Thanks for this! That's super helpful!
  • Medwayguy
    Medwayguy Posts: 69
    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/abs.html

    Everything you need to know is above.... PLANK and HOVER are excellent btw ;)
  • rubysphoto
    rubysphoto Posts: 254 Member
    I agree with a lot of the same from previous posters. It is about nutrition which includes % of (carbs, protien and fat). Treat your abs the same as your other muscle groups.
  • mamaclose
    mamaclose Posts: 179 Member
    I don't do any abs specific exercises and have ab definition. I've been in training for triathlons all summer long so just running, swimming and biking. I also follow a plant based diet and eat as clean as I can.
  • Summerful
    Summerful Posts: 46 Member
    Lower your body fat %, eat healthy foods with low fat I guess.
  • MrDelts
    MrDelts Posts: 209 Member
    Just eat clean and exercise your *kitten* off.. You'll wake up one morning and your abs will just be there.
  • likemeinvisible
    likemeinvisible Posts: 309
    Mine are not very impressive but I did see some improvement when my bf% went to 6.3 that's with no weights just crunches etc. and not much of that too. Lots and lots of running and walking to lose the fat, 11 miles a day. Which got me injured, but that's another story. See my gallery black pants=before grey=after. Only 3.1 Kg (6.82 lbs) difference between the two.

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