Ab workout for a tubby fella

Okay, want to start working away my gut. I have a LONG ways to go, and have never had a "six-pack", but wouldn't mind at least getting to a flatter stomach with maybe a little definition at least. I know that this will take a long, long time to get to, especially in the "out of shape" condition that I am currently in. Could use some help with this folks. Please keep in mind that I have a bad sacro-iliac joint that likes to pretty much roll onto its side, so squats and exercises that could endanger that are out of the question.

For right now, I'm just doing a set of 100 crunches every morning after about 30-40 minutes on the treadmill. I'd like to have some suggestions for adding to my abdominal workout days that will help me to build muscle around my core and that will help me burn some of that belly fat away.

I want to look good for my lady come this summer (got a lot of catching up to do with her in the looks department! ) LOL.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.
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Replies

  • Ph4lanx
    Ph4lanx Posts: 213 Member
    300 twists per day, per side. Help develop the obliques. :) It will also pull in the skin around the muscle as the fat disappears.

    My workout sessions look like this, as an example:

    20 mins cardio
    150 twists (1 twist is a turn to the left, then to the right)
    Lifting session
    150 twists
    20 mins cardio
  • kuntry_navy
    kuntry_navy Posts: 677 Member
    100 crunches is about all you need to do to start. the best ab work is diet.
  • Bobby__Clerici
    Bobby__Clerici Posts: 741 Member
    Situps....keep it simple.
    Anything is good, but don't expect too much in the way of spot reduction.
    Body fat is reduced through diet and exercise overall, and spots we want decreased the most are usually the last place to reduce..lol
    I hate that!:grumble:
  • crabbok
    crabbok Posts: 66 Member
    I am in a similar boat. Even when I was in the Army I never had a six pack. For now I'm doing about 20 minutes of cardio a day on an elliptical and about 100-150 crunches after that, and at my gym I also use this Ab-Glider machine after the crunches.

    If you want to try full situps I'd suggest getting a good mat to lay on so you don't hurt your back, then you can change it up a little like swinging left or right. In the Army we used to do an exercise called Flutter Kicks also, basically you lay on your back, slide your hands behind you under your butt, and lift your feet up 6 inches off the ground while keeping your legs straight. Then you alternate moving them up and down, kinda like a walking motion. It can be very difficult to do for long, but it works your abs a little differently than crunches.
  • BigDave1050
    BigDave1050 Posts: 854 Member
    There really isn't a way to target fat in one area but with the cardio your doing and adding some core strength workouts, eventually your mid section will go down. Try adding some of the following to your workout, it might help you out.

    Planks
    V-Ups
    Leg lifts
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
    Ab workouts don't "work away your gut." Your abs are 70% diet and the rest exercise. Do compound movements like squats and things of that nature if you want to work your core. Find CORE exercises online, not AB exercises if you really want to start strengthening your core. You'll discover it's a lot more than just situps as your core muscles extend from below your pecs down to your hip flexors and some people even include the upper portion of your leg.

    Again.. you can't work away you midsection by doing crunches and situps...
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Squats, deadlifts and lunges + steady calorie deficit.

    Screw crunches, situps, and any other iso movement.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    .
  • getfitdiva
    getfitdiva Posts: 1,148 Member
    The best way to start is to change your eating . . . abs are made in the kitchen (you heard that before?). We increased protein and eliminated simple carbs.

    My husband and I are snackers, so since we were working toward a flatter mid section we limited our snacks and foods similar to this list.

    http://www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-abs-diet-snacks

    Your healthy eating plus a great solid workout plan will remove that midsection fast!
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
    and about 100-150 crunches after that

    Are you guys doing these crunches consecutively or are you breaking them into sets? I'm confused.... no one should be doing 100 crunches in a row without stopping. It means you're doing it wrong.....
  • crabbok
    crabbok Posts: 66 Member
    I typically do 3-5 sets of around 40 crunches each. Can't really do more than 50-55 at a time without needing to rest for a few.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    My SI joints are prone to locking but my major problem is degenerated discs.
    A couple of years ago my Osteopath recommended using a gym ball for core and abs exercise. Started off at set of 20 and worked up to 4 x 100. Added side sit ups, twisted sit ups and now able to do "normal" floor sit ups.
    Apart from giving me really strong abs, flat stomach and better posture my back health has been transformed.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    [/quote]

    "Are you guys doing these crunches consecutively or are you breaking them into sets? I'm confused.... no one should be doing 100 crunches in a row without stopping. It means you're doing it wrong....."
    [/quote]

    Doing it wrong in what way please? I do 4 x 100 and it doesn't feel wrong to me!
  • SyStEmPhReAk
    SyStEmPhReAk Posts: 330 Member
    it has already been said in the thread, but i'll say it again... Watching your diet and decreasing your body fat through a calorie deficit are the best things you can do to work your abs. Add some strength training and core work and you'll be as good as gold... oh yeah, give it TIME...
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    NUTRITION NUTRITION NUTRITION

    Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym. As a former 320 pounder ab workouts SUCK! But I do the P90 Ab Ripper for my ab routine. It's a great all-around ab routine for beginners and can easily be done by even people with bellies. It will be tough at first, but as you progress it gets easier.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/335614-power-90-ab-ripper-100-exercises/
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member

    Are you guys doing these crunches consecutively or are you breaking them into sets? I'm confused.... no one should be doing 100 crunches in a row without stopping. It means you're doing it wrong.....

    Doing it wrong in what way please? I do 4 x 100 and it doesn't feel wrong to me!

    LOL 400 crunches?! A bit excessive, eh? Or are you just bragging? Video or it never happened... :noway:
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    Ab workouts don't "work away your gut." Your abs are 70% diet and the rest exercise. Do compound movements like squats and things of that nature if you want to work your core. Find CORE exercises online, not AB exercises if you really want to start strengthening your core. You'll discover it's a lot more than just situps as your core muscles extend from below your pecs down to your hip flexors and some people even include the upper portion of your leg.

    Again.. you can't work away you midsection by doing crunches and situps...

    Ditto!!!

    I tried for years to improve my physique by exercise alone. It was like swimming up stream in rapids!!

    It was not until I took control of my eating that I started to see success. And, my understanding is that as we lose weight, it comes off in the reverse order to when it was stored. (Last in - First out). For me, this meant that I lost fat all over my body before my belly started shrinking.

    As for building strength through lean muscle mass. Compound resistance workouts coupled with regular cardio will melt fat!

    And, along with the many great exercises for the core. Do not forget your lower back! I see lots of people at the gym over working their front ab muscles and forgetting completely about their lower back. Make sure you work on the back muscles as you go!!
  • Hirgy03
    Hirgy03 Posts: 332 Member
    Thanks everybody for all the input. I had never heard that "ab exercises" weren't good for working away ab-fat though? That is confusing to me. I understand that working out the whole body gets rid of fat all over the body, and yes, I understand that diet is HUGE when it comes to all this. However, I guess I just assumed (or maybe have been conditioned to think this way), that targeting muscles in a certain area burns more fat in that area (i.e., crunches while burning fat all over, tend to burn more belly fat because of the location of the muscles you are working, etc.).

    Could somebody explain this a bit more to me? Feel like I may learn something here today!!! LOL. I really do appreciate your input folks.

    My goal is long-term, so that this time next year I am in good shape and beginning.......at least beginning, anyway.....to show a little bit of a six-pack. I'm a beer drinker, so I'll never be like some of the folks on here, but at least if I don't embarrass the kids when I take my shirt off at the beach, that will be a good thing!
  • Hirgy03
    Hirgy03 Posts: 332 Member
    300 twists per day, per side. Help develop the obliques. :) It will also pull in the skin around the muscle as the fat disappears.

    My workout sessions look like this, as an example:

    20 mins cardio
    150 twists (1 twist is a turn to the left, then to the right)
    Lifting session
    150 twists
    20 mins cardio

    Could you explain the mechanics of a 'twist' for me? Is it simply standing with feet shoulder width apart, hands on your head, then turning left and right to stretch the obliques, or am I being a simpleton??? LOL
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Thanks everybody for all the input. I had never heard that "ab exercises" weren't good for working away ab-fat though? That is confusing to me.

    This is correct. You cannot control where you lose fat from.

    However, I guess I just assumed (or maybe have been conditioned to think this way), that targeting muscles in a certain area burns more fat in that area (i.e., crunches while burning fat all over, tend to burn more belly fat because of the location of the muscles you are working, etc.).

    This is incorrect.
    Could somebody explain this a bit more to me? Feel like I may learn something here today!!! LOL. I really do appreciate your input folks.

    Read this article and for the most part you can trust that Lyle McDonald will give you good information.
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/are-blood-flow-and-lipolysis-in-subcutaneous-adipose-tissue-influenced-by-contractions-in-adjacent-muscle-in-humans-research-review.html
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member

    Are you guys doing these crunches consecutively or are you breaking them into sets? I'm confused.... no one should be doing 100 crunches in a row without stopping. It means you're doing it wrong.....

    Doing it wrong in what way please? I do 4 x 100 and it doesn't feel wrong to me!

    LOL 400 crunches?! A bit excessive, eh? Or are you just bragging? Video or it never happened... :noway:

    That's very rude isn't it? I do my 4 x 100 three times a week or substitute 4 x 50 sit ups.
    Do you know anything about me? Have you looked at my exercise diary? Profile pictures?
    It's no more bragging than people saying they do 300+lb deadlifts or whatever.
    Gym ball crunches are much easier than sit ups.
    Just because you aren't dedicated to your health please don't accuse other people of being a liar or bragging.

  • zsaoosh
    zsaoosh Posts: 402 Member
    "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym" The more you lift everywhere the better your metabolism will be and the more the fat will melt away to reveal what you already have. Good luck!
  • Like the others have mentioned..........start with a calorie deficit, and then incorporate some core exercises as part of your routine. Also, be patient and persistent........the results will come.
  • kuntry_navy
    kuntry_navy Posts: 677 Member
    Thanks everybody for all the input. I had never heard that "ab exercises" weren't good for working away ab-fat though? That is confusing to me. I understand that working out the whole body gets rid of fat all over the body, and yes, I understand that diet is HUGE when it comes to all this. However, I guess I just assumed (or maybe have been conditioned to think this way), that targeting muscles in a certain area burns more fat in that area (i.e., crunches while burning fat all over, tend to burn more belly fat because of the location of the muscles you are working, etc.).

    Could somebody explain this a bit more to me? Feel like I may learn something here today!!! LOL. I really do appreciate your input folks.

    My goal is long-term, so that this time next year I am in good shape and beginning.......at least beginning, anyway.....to show a little bit of a six-pack. I'm a beer drinker, so I'll never be like some of the folks on here, but at least if I don't embarrass the kids when I take my shirt off at the beach, that will be a good thing!

    if you continuously work on your abs, they'll get stronger and continue to grow. if you got a beer belly on top of that, without actually dieting to lose it. you're still gonna have that beer belly only with bigger abs underneath, stretching it further. nothing wrong with drinking beer, you can always change other eating habits. or sweat a little more
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    ff_ab_hancer.jpg
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Please keep in mind that I have a bad sacro-iliac joint ...
    Crunches, planks, etc. - whatever exercise you go with make sure to carefully listen to your body and make adjustments. You're the only one that knows which exercises do more harm than good. Back it down when necessary or change the routine.
    I'd like to have some suggestions for adding to my abdominal workout days that will help me to build muscle around my core and that will help me burn some of that belly fat away.
    It's been said a million times before, you can't spot reduce. Of course this doesn't mean you shouldn't do ab exercises. You should do ab exercises to help strengthen your core and reduce the lower back pain. It's fine that you want to look go for your lady, but it's also important that you feel good. Lower back pain doesn't feel good.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i find that the more i work out my legs, the better my stomach looks.



    http://www.vicmagary.com/blog/uncategorized/truth-of-six-pack-abs/
    The much sought after and often media-hyped glorious stupendous supposedly guaranteed to make panties melt… six pack abs.

    What a f@cking crock of sh#t.

    The truth is that six pack abs will not bring you fame or fortune or anything more than the passing lust-filled glances of buxom beauties. And even more counter-intuitive, they often won’t bring you improved performance in athletic endeavors. Allow me to put on my lawyer hat and submit Exhibit A:

    tumblr_m6ab180azu1qz4tobo1_500.jpg

    The above picture is of the recently crowned National Hockey League Champions, Los Angeles Kings. Maybe one guy in the bunch is lean enough to sport a six pack. But every single one of those guys are complete bad *kitten*. Imagine speed skating on ice, repetitively slamming into opposing team players at top speed night after night as you strive to show that you are at the top of your game. Those guys are at the proven pinnacle of their professional sport, and very few of them are sporting the coveted six pack abs. Dropping their body fat to a level that flaunts six pack abs simply does not comply with their goals. Does it really comply with yours?

    Why do you really want six pack abs?
    Is your desire for the coveted abs ego or performance based? I will concede that there are some endeavors where dropping your body fat to the level that displays a six pack is favorable. Notably this includes weight-class athletes such as boxers, wrestlers, MMA fighters, judokas, and other combat sport participants. But for most of us, the beautiful intersection of performance, aesthetics, and health does not necessarily include six pack abs.

    So why do it?
    There are several cliches about how the journey is more important than the destination. And acquiring six pack abs, for those of us of average genetics, is truly a journey. It involves sacrifice. It involves dedication and discipline and a host of other attributes that can carry over to areas of life that far exceed looking good at the pool in summertime.

    But truth be told, I’ve never met anyone who wanted to get six pack abs to develop their character. They simply want to “look good naked”. I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that… but at the same time I personally crave more depth for my ambitions.

    All of that being said, I know many people will still want to get their damned “six pack”. And having achieved that goal more than once myself (and having helped others achieve it as well) I understand the quest. If you really want to “get ripped” be prepared for the following:

    What you eat is more important than any workout. So many people seek the “killer workout”. And that is such bullsh#t. The killer of body fat resides in your diet. It would be great if 30 minutes of exercise effort could erase 23 and a half hours of nutritional debauchery but it just doesn’t work that way. Six pack abs are built with your fork, not your damned workouts.

    Be prepared to get light as hell. Especially if you have never achieved the coveted six pack abs, be prepared to get much lighter than you expect. My personal “walk around” weight is between 160 – 165 lbs. And I need to drop down to the mid 140′s to have a six pack.

    Nearly any exercise protocol will work. My personal preference is to focus on strength training, even when trying to get lean. I like to supplement strength training with high intensity interval or circuit training. I rarely do (or recommend) any direct abdominal training. I feel long slow cardio is unnecessary but if you enjoy it, then it can be worked into a successful fat loss program. What I’m saying is that nearly any exercise protocol can work to get you lean as long as your diet is dialed in. Sure some protocols may work better than others, but I’m skeptical as to just how much better one is over the other for the express purpose of getting lean.

    So what does it all mean? It means that if you have the itch then scratch it. Just don’t expect that successful scratch to make any monumental difference in your life in and of itself. Six pack abs will not cure what ails you, but acquiring them might provide you with tools that can transfer to other more worthy areas of your life. And I suppose that’s why I can still produce guides and programs that help people achieve their six pack goals with some semblance of peace of mind.
  • SyStEmPhReAk
    SyStEmPhReAk Posts: 330 Member
    Thanks everybody for all the input. I had never heard that "ab exercises" weren't good for working away ab-fat though? That is confusing to me. I understand that working out the whole body gets rid of fat all over the body, and yes, I understand that diet is HUGE when it comes to all this. However, I guess I just assumed (or maybe have been conditioned to think this way), that targeting muscles in a certain area burns more fat in that area (i.e., crunches while burning fat all over, tend to burn more belly fat because of the location of the muscles you are working, etc.).

    Could somebody explain this a bit more to me? Feel like I may learn something here today!!! LOL. I really do appreciate your input folks.

    My goal is long-term, so that this time next year I am in good shape and beginning.......at least beginning, anyway.....to show a little bit of a six-pack. I'm a beer drinker, so I'll never be like some of the folks on here, but at least if I don't embarrass the kids when I take my shirt off at the beach, that will be a good thing!

    All of the crunches and ab work you do will be for nothing if you don't reduce your overall body fat. Here's another one for you - "you can't out-train a bad diet".

    Males start showing abs somewhere around 10% BF or so. If you want a six pack, you've got to start with reducing your body fat through a calorie deficit first.

    Good luck!
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Your body is one system. One mouth, one stomach, one *kitten*. Obviously it's a bit more complicated than this, buy I find the idea of localised fat burning confusing.

    You're going to need to get your bodyfat down low if you want visable abs, through calorie deficit.

    There's nothing magical about ab muscles, youre going to have to do several sets of exercises difficult enough that you can only do the normal rep ranges like other body parts, like hanging leg raises or barbell roll outs. These people doing hundreds of reps wouldn't waste their time doing hundreds of other resistance exercises, I'm not sure where the high reps for abs comes from.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Here's another one for you - "you can't out-train a bad diet".

    agreed. It's very easy to out-eat a good exercise routine, but it's very hard to out-lazy a good diet.