working out abs?
butterfly0819
Posts: 94
I probably have about 10 pounds to lose before I feel "done" but all of my toning work is in my belly area.
Is it okay to start ab workouts now? Or do I wait until I have lost the weight I want?
Is it okay to start ab workouts now? Or do I wait until I have lost the weight I want?
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Replies
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It's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.0
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It's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.
Thanks. I have been doing cardio for a while now to lose. I just started an arm toning workout last week but I keep hearing that I shouldnt work my abs until I've lost the fat. Going to get some leg toning in as well
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Exercise helps with weight loss and measurements, so I don't see why you should wait. Especially since you lose muscle as you lose weight so you need to maintain as much as possible.
Quick note: Planks. Planks are your friend. Your rich, sexy friend with the nice car and free drugs.
Fck crunches and sit ups. Bad for your back, and on the scale of effective ab workouts they're near the bottom.
Planks.0 -
It's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.
^this. But also, abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym. You can work out your abs all you want, but if there is fat on top.. you aren't going to see anything. You can't spot reduce, and most women tend to lose weight in their stomach last. Just keep that in mind.0 -
It's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.
Thanks. I have been doing cardio for a while now to lose. I just started an arm toning workout last week but I keep hearing that I shouldnt work my abs until I've lost the fat. Going to get some leg toning in as well
To be honest, you should have been lifting throughout the entire journey. Lifting maintains muscle mass so you have "tone" when the fat is gone.
As far as abs go, ab exercises will help strengthen the core, but they won't give you visible abs. Visible abs come from overall lowered BF%. You can do 10,000 crunches per day, but if you have fat on other areas of your body to burn it will take it from there.
"Abs" come from diet (caloric deficit) + work (Cardio + Compuond Movement strength training) + Patiece as this is usually the last place fat is lost from.
You will notice, most on this site with nice abs do very little to no isolated ab exercises as the abs are worked through compound movements from other training.0 -
It's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.
^this. But also, abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym. You can work out your abs all you want, but if there is fat on top.. you aren't going to see anything. You can't spot reduce, and most women tend to lose weight in their stomach last. Just keep that in mind.
I used to say I have six pack abs but they are covered by a pillow top mattress.
Now they are just covered by a light quilt :bigsmile:0 -
Just here to quote this guy.It's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.
Thanks. I have been doing cardio for a while now to lose. I just started an arm toning workout last week but I keep hearing that I shouldnt work my abs until I've lost the fat. Going to get some leg toning in as well
To be honest, you should have been lifting throughout the entire journey. Lifting maintains muscle mass so you have "tone" when the fat is gone.
As far as abs go, ab exercises will help strengthen the core, but they won't give you visible abs. Visible abs come from overall lowered BF%. You can do 10,000 crunches per day, but if you have fat on other areas of your body to burn it will take it from there.
"Abs" come from diet (caloric deficit) + work (Cardio + Compuond Movement strength training) + Patiece as this is usually the last place fat is lost from.
You will notice, most on this site with nice abs do very little to no isolated ab exercises as the abs are worked through compound movements from other training.0 -
It's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.
Thanks. I have been doing cardio for a while now to lose. I just started an arm toning workout last week but I keep hearing that I shouldnt work my abs until I've lost the fat. Going to get some leg toning in as well
To be honest, you should have been lifting throughout the entire journey. Lifting maintains muscle mass so you have "tone" when the fat is gone.
As far as abs go, ab exercises will help strengthen the core, but they won't give you visible abs. Visible abs come from overall lowered BF%. You can do 10,000 crunches per day, but if you have fat on other areas of your body to burn it will take it from there.
"Abs" come from diet (caloric deficit) + work (Cardio + Compuond Movement strength training) + Patiece as this is usually the last place fat is lost from.
You will notice, most on this site with nice abs do very little to no isolated ab exercises as the abs are worked through compound movements from other training.
Great so I am already behind..lol. Are there any websites you reccommend for good toning workouts? I am a member at the YMCA so I do have access to equipment and free weights.0 -
stronglifts.com Simple and effectiveIt's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.
Thanks. I have been doing cardio for a while now to lose. I just started an arm toning workout last week but I keep hearing that I shouldnt work my abs until I've lost the fat. Going to get some leg toning in as well
To be honest, you should have been lifting throughout the entire journey. Lifting maintains muscle mass so you have "tone" when the fat is gone.
As far as abs go, ab exercises will help strengthen the core, but they won't give you visible abs. Visible abs come from overall lowered BF%. You can do 10,000 crunches per day, but if you have fat on other areas of your body to burn it will take it from there.
"Abs" come from diet (caloric deficit) + work (Cardio + Compuond Movement strength training) + Patiece as this is usually the last place fat is lost from.
You will notice, most on this site with nice abs do very little to no isolated ab exercises as the abs are worked through compound movements from other training.
Great so I am already behind..lol. Are there any websites you reccommend for good toning workouts? I am a member at the YMCA so I do have access to equipment and free weights.0 -
This is actually untrue. Abs might start in the kitchen but you work them out with resistance heavy weight training and they will grow like any other muscle, allowing them to show with more BF%. Woman's abs show up much quicker then men's due to the fact they don't need as low of BF%. to be seen.It's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.
^this. But also, abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym. You can work out your abs all you want, but if there is fat on top.. you aren't going to see anything. You can't spot reduce, and most women tend to lose weight in their stomach last. Just keep that in mind.0 -
stronglifts.com Simple and effectiveIt's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.
Thanks. I have been doing cardio for a while now to lose. I just started an arm toning workout last week but I keep hearing that I shouldnt work my abs until I've lost the fat. Going to get some leg toning in as well
To be honest, you should have been lifting throughout the entire journey. Lifting maintains muscle mass so you have "tone" when the fat is gone.
As far as abs go, ab exercises will help strengthen the core, but they won't give you visible abs. Visible abs come from overall lowered BF%. You can do 10,000 crunches per day, but if you have fat on other areas of your body to burn it will take it from there.
"Abs" come from diet (caloric deficit) + work (Cardio + Compuond Movement strength training) + Patiece as this is usually the last place fat is lost from.
You will notice, most on this site with nice abs do very little to no isolated ab exercises as the abs are worked through compound movements from other training.
Great so I am already behind..lol. Are there any websites you reccommend for good toning workouts? I am a member at the YMCA so I do have access to equipment and free weights.
This....New Rules is another.....0 -
This is actually untrue. Abs might start in the kitchen but you work them out with resistance heavy weight training and they will grow like any other muscle, allowing them to show with more BF%. Woman's abs show up much quicker then men's due to the fact they don't need as low of BF%. to be seen.It's never too early to start muscle training. Just doing ab workouts won't get you killer abs either. You need a general lifting program to get great muscle definition.
^this. But also, abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym. You can work out your abs all you want, but if there is fat on top.. you aren't going to see anything. You can't spot reduce, and most women tend to lose weight in their stomach last. Just keep that in mind.
I find this questionable, but in order for the abs to grow that much it would take a ton of work. For the goals of most individuals here, lowering BF% is a much more attainable goal....even though I question the effectiveness of growing your abs through the fat.0 -
[quote}
You will notice, most on this site with nice abs do very little to no isolated ab exercises as the abs are worked through compound movements from other training.
[/quote]
This.
<
Have not done a single crunch. Ever. It's all dead lifts and squats.0 -
"Toning" doesn't really exist. What most people want when they say "toning" is to remove fat, and reveal moderate muscle definition. This is usually done by eating at a calorie deficit, and lifting weights to preserve muscle. If you do compound lifts, very little ab work is required. My abs are sore right now, after standing shoulder press.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary0 -
[quote}
You will notice, most on this site with nice abs do very little to no isolated ab exercises as the abs are worked through compound movements from other training.
This.
<
Have not done a single crunch. Ever. It's all dead lifts and squats.
[/quote]
Wow..obviously you had to start somewhere. How? I've never done a squat or dead lift in my life..lol. I'd like to do this the right way and not workout for nothing.0 -
I think you misunderstood him.I find this questionable, but in order for the abs to grow that much it would take a ton of work. For the goals of most individuals here, lowering BF% is a much more attainable goal....even though I question the effectiveness of growing your abs through the fat.
He's saying that just dieting with no ab work is similar to dieting with no other strength training. You will lose the weight and get a flat stomach, but might still be disappointed with the end product.
To have good abs you need a combination of proper diet to lose the fat and some isolated ab work with heavy weight to grow the muscles. Using abs as stabilizers for your lifts (along with everything else you do in life) isn't going to cut it.
Do you advise people to grow shoulder and lat muscles by just dieting down to 10% bodyfat and just doing bench press and incline bench press? After all, the deltoids and lats are stabilizers in those exercises, so you don't need to target them to show muscle definition, right?
I have seen a lot of people disappointed with their abs after 6 months of only doing starting strength or other beginner routine with no ab isolation work. Yea, they got down to 10-12% bodyfat but it still looks terrible.
Back to the original topic: I'm a fan of flutter kicks and leg raises, even though a lot of people don't like them because they also work hip flexors. Also, basic crunches work too if you do proper form (and the majority of people don't) -- you have to keep your back straight as you lift from the abs, not curl your back and lift from the arms/quads. You actually won't do the full range of motion by putting your elbows/chest to your quads, but that's okay.0 -
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After a nice long run my abs are very sore, along with my upper body when I say long i mean 12 plus miles. Thats me for you a nice long run might be 6.0
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I find this questionable, but in order for the abs to grow that much it would take a ton of work. For the goals of most individuals here, lowering BF% is a much more attainable goal....even though I question the effectiveness of growing your abs through the fat.
To have good abs you need a combination of proper diet to lose the fat and some isolated ab work with heavy weight to grow the muscles. Using abs as stabilizers for your lifts (along with everything else you do in life) isn't going to cut it.
No, no you don't...., it could be arguing semantics, but...
Isolation is not necessary to have good abs...sorry.0 -
Really? I never realized you could really tone up your abdomen with dead lifts and squats. And to think I've been doing all this other abdominal work for so long...........
quote]
[quote}
You will notice, most on this site with nice abs do very little to no isolated ab exercises as the abs are worked through compound movements from other training.
[/quote]
This.
<
Have not done a single crunch. Ever. It's all dead lifts and squats.
[/quote]0 -
deleted
Probably a good thing you did...
It was a pretty *kitten* comment about someone's' profile pic.0 -
Hi hi:) So yeah I'll disagree with the "abs are made in the kitchen" thing. Nutrition is very important, you need to up your protein, but focusing on nutrition alone will give you a flat stomach, not a defined one. Trust me, I know:) And like the very sexy Lumpy stated earlier, crunches are useless. I did hundreds every day in high school and got nowhere. Switched to more effective routines including plank variations (love love love these), squats, and other compound exercises and *poof* I now have 3 defined lines running the length of my stomach. Youtube is a fantastic resource to learn form and new routines, personally it's helped me a lot.
I still have a long ways to go but that's just my experience, hopefully it helps! Best of luck OP:)
edited: my spelling sucks... #engineeringstudentproblems0 -
It helps that you're only 20 years old, of course!
quote]
Hi hi:) So yeah I'll disagree with the "abs are made in the kitchen" thing. Nutrition is very important, you need to up your protein, but focusing on nutrition alone will give you a flat stomach, not a defined one. Trust me, I know:) And like the very sexy Lumpy stated earlier, crunches are useless. I did hundreds every day in high school and got nowhere. Switched to more effective routines including plank variations (love love love these), squats, and other compound exercises and *poof* I now have 3 defined lines running the length of my stomach. Youtube is a fantastic resource to learn form and new routines, personally it's helped me a lot.
I still have a long ways to go but that's just my experience, hopefully it helps! Best of luck OP:)
edited: my spelling sucks... #engineeringstudentproblems
[/quote]0 -
Isolation isn't necessary to have good anything. If one gets to a low enough bodyfat percentage, then muscle definition will show regardless.No, no you don't...., it could be arguing semantics, but...
Isolation is not necessary to have good abs...sorry.
But it's fairly widely accepted that strength training leads to hypertrophy which makes people look better at higher bodyfat percentages and retain lean body mass as they drop weight.
Lots of muscles get worked as accessories in exercises. Like I said above, lats get worked in bench press, so why do pullups? Or traps get worked in deadlifts, so why do overhead press? It's because you have to target those muscles specifically with heavy weights to build strength and size in them. Working them as accessories to other lifts isn't good enough. So I'm curious why you think that your abdominals are different than every other skeletal muscle in your body and will magically grow on their own, especially by doing exercises that work the lower back contraction, not the abdominal contraction (squats and deadlifts). That's like saying you'll get pectorals by doing rows.
The correct answer is abs aren't any different. If you want to enhance your abdominal muscles, you need to train them with weights like any other muscle in your body. Also like every other muscle in your body, they won't show definition through inches of fat; it's just that most people tend to retain more of their fat in their midsection than on their arms.0 -
Isolation isn't necessary to have good anything. If one gets to a low enough bodyfat percentage, then muscle definition will show regardless.No, no you don't...., it could be arguing semantics, but...
Isolation is not necessary to have good abs...sorry.
But it's fairly widely accepted that strength training leads to hypertrophy which makes people look better at higher bodyfat percentages and retain lean body mass as they drop weight.
Lots of muscles get worked as accessories in exercises. Like I said above, lats get worked in bench press, so why do pullups? Or traps get worked in deadlifts, so why do overhead press? It's because you have to target those muscles specifically with heavy weights to build strength and size in them. Working them as accessories to other lifts isn't good enough. So I'm curious why you think that your abdominals are different than every other skeletal muscle in your body and will magically grow on their own, especially by doing exercises that work the lower back contraction, not the abdominal contraction (squats and deadlifts). That's like saying you'll get pectorals by doing rows.
The correct answer is abs aren't any different. If you want to enhance your abdominal muscles, you need to train them with weights like any other muscle in your body. Also like every other muscle in your body, they won't show definition through inches of fat; it's just that most people tend to retain more of their fat in their midsection than on their arms.
Nope...
Weird how I did it, and don't do isolation exercises, haven't done them in years.....
Guess I'm a special snowflake.
Edit...Why would I want my abs to get bigger (that would take a hell of a lot of work) when I can see them now without having to do any isolation work?0 -
Definitely look into a beginner lifting program that uses compound lifts and heavy (for you) weight, rather than wasting hours and hours doing bicep curls and leg lifts and crunches.
I started out with Starting Strength, and I'm currently doing New Rules of Lifting for Women. I like NROL4W better because it is less repetitive, but both are good programs. Stronglifts is another one that is really popular around here.0 -
Why would anyone want to grow any muscle when they can see them without any isolation work? I mean, lifting weights is hard and takes a lot of work. I can just not eat and achieve the same results. Hell, why am I doing more than bench press, deadlifts, and squats... everything else is hit as an accessory to those exercises so I guess I'm wasting my time.
Isolation isn't necessary to have good anything. If one gets to a low enough bodyfat percentage, then muscle definition will show regardless.No, no you don't...., it could be arguing semantics, but...
Isolation is not necessary to have good abs...sorry.
But it's fairly widely accepted that strength training leads to hypertrophy which makes people look better at higher bodyfat percentages and retain lean body mass as they drop weight.
Lots of muscles get worked as accessories in exercises. Like I said above, lats get worked in bench press, so why do pullups? Or traps get worked in deadlifts, so why do overhead press? It's because you have to target those muscles specifically with heavy weights to build strength and size in them. Working them as accessories to other lifts isn't good enough. So I'm curious why you think that your abdominals are different than every other skeletal muscle in your body and will magically grow on their own, especially by doing exercises that work the lower back contraction, not the abdominal contraction (squats and deadlifts). That's like saying you'll get pectorals by doing rows.
The correct answer is abs aren't any different. If you want to enhance your abdominal muscles, you need to train them with weights like any other muscle in your body. Also like every other muscle in your body, they won't show definition through inches of fat; it's just that most people tend to retain more of their fat in their midsection than on their arms.
Nope...
Weird how I did it, and don't do isolation exercises, haven't done them in years.....
Guess I'm a special snowflake.
Edit...Why would I want my abs to get bigger (that would take a hell of a lot of work) when I can see them now without having to do any isolation work?
You're not a special snowflake. I specifically said muscle definition will show with fat loss regardless of workout plan everywhere in the body. I just don't get why you like having weak abs or maintaining lower bodyfat to see them, or why you think that 6-9 sets of 4-6 reps of weighted ab work twice a week is so much harder than anything else you do. But if you're happy with your results then great.0 -
Why would anyone want to grow any muscle when they can see them without any isolation work? I mean, lifting weights is hard and takes a lot of work. I can just not eat and achieve the same results. Hell, why am I doing more than bench press, deadlifts, and squats... everything else is hit as an accessory to those exercises so I guess I'm wasting my time.
Isolation isn't necessary to have good anything. If one gets to a low enough bodyfat percentage, then muscle definition will show regardless.No, no you don't...., it could be arguing semantics, but...
Isolation is not necessary to have good abs...sorry.
But it's fairly widely accepted that strength training leads to hypertrophy which makes people look better at higher bodyfat percentages and retain lean body mass as they drop weight.
Lots of muscles get worked as accessories in exercises. Like I said above, lats get worked in bench press, so why do pullups? Or traps get worked in deadlifts, so why do overhead press? It's because you have to target those muscles specifically with heavy weights to build strength and size in them. Working them as accessories to other lifts isn't good enough. So I'm curious why you think that your abdominals are different than every other skeletal muscle in your body and will magically grow on their own, especially by doing exercises that work the lower back contraction, not the abdominal contraction (squats and deadlifts). That's like saying you'll get pectorals by doing rows.
The correct answer is abs aren't any different. If you want to enhance your abdominal muscles, you need to train them with weights like any other muscle in your body. Also like every other muscle in your body, they won't show definition through inches of fat; it's just that most people tend to retain more of their fat in their midsection than on their arms.
Nope...
Weird how I did it, and don't do isolation exercises, haven't done them in years.....
Guess I'm a special snowflake.
Edit...Why would I want my abs to get bigger (that would take a hell of a lot of work) when I can see them now without having to do any isolation work?
You're not a special snowflake. I specifically said muscle definition will show with fat loss regardless of workout plan everywhere in the body. I just don't get why you like having weak abs or maintaining lower bodyfat to see them, or why you think that 6-9 sets of 4-6 reps of weighted ab work twice a week is so much harder than anything else you do. But if you're happy with your results then great.
LOL, my core is one of the strongest portions of my body. Always has been.
And I don't have to "maintain a lower body fat" to see them.
Where did I say weighted ab work was harder than anything I already do?0
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