How to get better abs?

meeper123
meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I focus a lot on getting my legs fit and my upper body in shape, but besides a few crunches and planks I do not know really how to strengthen my abs. I dont want to be just leaner I want to be stronger as well! Any ideas?

Replies

  • mkcmurphy
    mkcmurphy Posts: 438 Member
    Bump - looking for suggestions, too! Thanks!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    <--- Zero crunches. Heavy squats, heavy deadlifts, pull ups, dips, bench press and front squats. One day a week I do hanging leg raises (3 sets of 10).
  • kjm3579
    kjm3579 Posts: 3,974 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Abs -- remember, squats and bacon are good for everything!!!!
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    <--- Zero crunches. Heavy squats, heavy deadlifts, pull ups, dips, bench press and front squats. One day a week I do hanging leg raises (3 sets of 10).

    Honestly this looks like the perfect answer to me. Hanging leg raises are all I do regularly for ab isolation. All of the other compound exercises mentioned will do wonders for your abs.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Abs -- remember, squats and bacon are good for everything!!!!

    Didnt know there was one for abs ty
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    <--- Zero crunches. Heavy squats, heavy deadlifts, pull ups, dips, bench press and front squats. One day a week I do hanging leg raises (3 sets of 10).

    Thats heartening :)
  • ncthomas09
    ncthomas09 Posts: 322 Member
    I honestly just got on youtube and searched for ab exercises (also added with no equipment since I dont have any). But even if you have a stabily ball or something like that I see a ton of ab workouts on there that aren't crunches. Which for me is great since I'm too poor for a gym membership.
  • alisonjayne1989
    alisonjayne1989 Posts: 9 Member
    Ever heard of P90X? Try the Ab ripper exercise from the program. Here is an example on you tube. Try and do it every 2nd day

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYAaJwHaMYA
  • auteurfille22
    auteurfille22 Posts: 251 Member
    This is supposed to be really good:
    http://kayciesantics.blogspot.com/2012/03/300-ultimate-ab-and-core-challenge_22.html
  • a2o3
    a2o3 Posts: 11
    I have ab routines that I use for boxing. PM me if you're interested :smile: But the guys on here are right, Squats and Deadlifts work great.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Thanks everyone :D
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I do very few crunches, like maybe 30 a week thrown in. I focus more on compound exercises, you wouldn't believe how much walking lunges work your core!! As for traditional ab exercises, I do like to incorporate planks but usually I'll do something else at the same time, for example, pushup planks, or planks with a glute kickback, etc..

    DIET IS KEY to a six pack or even just a defined stomach.
  • julialdr
    julialdr Posts: 100 Member
    I love reverse crunches on a bench, they really work your lower abs.
  • bviv89
    bviv89 Posts: 36 Member
    Sprints have helped my lower abdomen a lot, too.


    And lots of spinach and chicken.
  • BluePHX
    BluePHX Posts: 184 Member
    Squats!! And if you're trying to get em to show under the "film of fat" you gotta eat clean and do cardio. No diet, no abs! (Not sure if this is a prob for you so it's not directed at ya. Just sayin'. :) )
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    lose body fat and deadlift.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Most people have abs they just need to reach a low body fat to get them. The core is involved in a lot of things we do already.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    lose body fat and deadlift.

    This..all day long. It's what I started doing and I've gotten better results doing this than crunches etc.
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    Most people have abs they just need to reach a low body fat to get them. The core is involved in a lot of things we do already.

    Tell me more about the ones who are missing abs.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Any compound movement involves core regardless of direct core training.. you could even just stabilize your core throughout the day and with breath training make ab gaaainz.
  • BonaFideUK
    BonaFideUK Posts: 313 Member
    Most people have abs they just need to reach a low body fat to get them. The core is involved in a lot of things we do already.

    Tell me more about the ones who are missing abs.

    If someone doesnt have visible abs its because they have too much bodyfat.
  • SenseiCole
    SenseiCole Posts: 429 Member
    I use this

    http://printableworkouts.com/

    has every muscle group
  • LittleDoodlePoodle
    LittleDoodlePoodle Posts: 154 Member
    I need to come back and do these!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    <--- Zero crunches. Heavy squats, heavy deadlifts, pull ups, dips, bench press and front squats. One day a week I do hanging leg raises (3 sets of 10).
    This. There's really no need to do ab isolation exercises, as your abs are a vital component of every exercise you can ever do.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Squats!! And if you're trying to get em to show under the "film of fat" you gotta eat clean and do cardio. No diet, no abs! (Not sure if this is a prob for you so it's not directed at ya. Just sayin'. :) )
    Eating "clean," besides being a meaningless term, has nothing to do with it. Calorie deficit is what's needed.
  • BluePHX
    BluePHX Posts: 184 Member
    Squats!! And if you're trying to get em to show under the "film of fat" you gotta eat clean and do cardio. No diet, no abs! (Not sure if this is a prob for you so it's not directed at ya. Just sayin'. :) )
    Eating "clean," besides being a meaningless term, has nothing to do with it. Calorie deficit is what's needed.

    Yeah, and a diet high in bad fats, empty carbs, and preservatives that cause water retention and cellulite development aren't exactly privy to the look you're going for if you're trying to have visible abs. Hence, clean EATING. I'm done arguing with people over this crap. You eat crap food, you get crap results. PERIOD. Unless you already have a fast metabolism which the average Joe's of the world do NOT.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    You miss the point. There is no such thing as "clean eating." It's a marketing term invented to sell books and magazines.

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

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