Abs?? HELP!!

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alisont91
alisont91 Posts: 54
in Fitness and Exercise
So I really want to work my abs because i want a flatter tummy. I've tried crunches, sit-ups, and the plank exercise but NONE seem to work. I did 100 crunches for 7 days in a row and i wasn't sore. Am I supposed to be sore? Or see any difference? I'll do 30 sit ups and the plank for 30 seconds, twice, and still I won't be sore the next day. I'm not sure if I'm doing the exercises wrong or if I'm just not doing the right ones.
Do you have any advice on the best ab workout? or any videos/websites that will help explain how to do these exercises correctly?

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  • ryandarby
    ryandarby Posts: 24
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    I've been doing the ab videos that the excercise channel has on ONDemand. girly things but they help. also cardio is the best and only really good way to get your abs out. they are under there just have to get that fat out and it's the last part you lose weight from. there is a lifefitness machine at the gym that has a program called 30\30 on it. ask the trainer about it. it's a great workout. if you need more info there are videos on youtube also. oh and get an excercise ball and look up videos on youtube.
  • gecallo
    gecallo Posts: 135
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    Try some intense cardio-plyometric/ab-core interval training. If your nutrition is on point, you should get some results.
  • ciaobella47
    ciaobella47 Posts: 97 Member
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    I read this article a while ago on soreness: http://www.lifeorganizers.com/fit/index.php/2008/04/08/i-am-not-sore-anymore-after-my-workouts-am-i-still-getting-benefits/

    Hope it helps answer that part of your question. :)
  • FreindsCallMeCoach
    FreindsCallMeCoach Posts: 6
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    try the abs ripper at the end of sweat 1-2 in the power 90 series ive been doing that and its real good you do 10 exersizes and 10 reps for each equalling a hundred
  • lulabellewoowoo
    lulabellewoowoo Posts: 3,125 Member
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    For me, especially after I had my babies, I would consciously hold in my belly for 10 to 15 seconds while driving, sitting at my computer, doing dishes, etc. It may not seem like a strenuous exercise, but that for me is what made the difference. Eventually, my muscles took over.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    not sure what you mean by flatter tummy. I mean, I know what you mean, but I'm not sure what your goal is.
    So I'll ask the more specific quesiton.

    Are you trying to remove fat from your abdominal area or are you trying to strengthen the core muscles?

    If you're removing fat, you can do all the ab work in the world and it's not going to make a heck of a lot of difference, not that doing core strengthening isn't good for you anyway, but it won't show up on the outside.
    You can't target fat loss, if you're trying to lose belly fat (or any fat) you must be at a calorie deficit, and cardio is a big help for that one (but essentially a healthy diet with limited simple carbs and a healthy deficit is really the best way to shrink fat).

    As to core exercises, 4 times a week should be more than enough. If straight crunches and standard abdominal work isn't doing it for you, then there are a few more advanced moves you can try. Please note, abs shouldn't take more than 10 or 15 minutes, if you're spending longer than that, then you're wasting time doing more than you need. The core muscle group is small and does not need extended work to be strengthened.


    OK here are a couple of good advanced moves you can do.

    walking toe touch: Called "walking" because you walk your hands up the leg, not because you're standing. Lie flat on your back lift 1 leg up, straight out to about 45 degrees. Put the hand on the same side of that leg behind that knee. Take your other hand and grab your lower calf (same leg) take your first hand and grab the ankle, then with the other hand grab the toes. At first you'll probably not be able to keep your leg straight (depending on your flexibility level) so try for as little bend as possible. Also the less "walking" you do the more advanced the stretch, if you can touch your toes without any walking and with your leg straight then do so. Do about 10 per leg and switch.

    side crunch. lay on your side with knees slightly bent (semi-fetal) with your down elbow bent and your hand on your opposite shoulder. take the other hand and place it palm down on the floor. Use that hand as balance, curl up about six inches (similar to a crunch but sideways), do about 20 to 30 of these on each side.

    balance side touches (with or without light weight), sit down and put your legs straight out on the floor. Raise the legs up 3 inches with knees straight. Interlock hands into a two handed fist. Twisting at the waist, touch your fist on the left, then right, then left...etc. do 20 to 40 of these.

    1 handed,1 legged plank. Same as a regular plank except you put 1 arm straight out extending the line of your body, do the same with the opposite foot, keep the abs contracted to force balance. Hold as long as you can and repeat with the other arm/leg.

    so those are some advanced moves, if you're contracting your core, and you don't feel burn after these then you're probably doing them wrong.

    Note very few people have DOMS from core work (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), the core group is just too small to really have that kind of issue, so if you're wondering why you don't feel sore the next day, that's normal, unless you just started, you probably never will feel sore in the stomach area the next day. Only the immediate lactic acid soreness is common.

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