Abs once a week- why?

2»

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    hehehe. you're gonna replace some of your direct ab work with some isolation bicep curl work. that's cute. you must be new here
  • LiveLoveLift67
    LiveLoveLift67 Posts: 895 Member
    I do one core day a week but, i also do one or two core exercises most every day as well. I dont do it for the six pack....i do it for the core strength that it will give me and help me in my lifting. It is one area you can work every day.
  • YouHadMyCuriosity
    YouHadMyCuriosity Posts: 218 Member
    hehehe. you're gonna replace some of your direct ab work with some isolation bicep curl work. that's cute. you must be new here

    I AM new here, in fact, and trying to learn! I totally deserve any snark and sarcasm that comes my way, I'm a complete noob. But I'm working with what I know, what I've done, and the weights I own. If you have a better suggestion, or a reason why I'm in the wrong, I would love to hear it. (I know that this is the internet, so you can't tell my tone- I mean this in the least sarcastic, defensive way possible... I WANT to do things correctly. If someone can steer me in a better direction, I am 100% open to suggestions).
  • ChristineGoBrigands
    ChristineGoBrigands Posts: 17
    I workout 4 times/week (lifting) and another 2 cardio only. I do abs and dorsal (lower back) in the end of every lifting workout. I do so, because I think it's one of the best ways to avoid posture problems and strengthen my core.

    Why would you want to spend a whole training day on abs? What do you expect your body to "become"? I mean, some people that have a pot belly, think that if they do abs for an hour everyday, their belly will be gone and they will get six pack. That's completely silly. Abs are there (muscles)! You just have to make them stronger and a bit bigger and get that fat over them! You cannot burt that fat with abs excersises, you need cardio, so why spend a whole day doing nothing?
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    I workout 4 times/week (lifting) and another 2 cardio only. I do abs and dorsal (lower back) in the end of every lifting workout. I do so, because I think it's one of the best ways to avoid posture problems and strengthen my core.

    Why would you want to spend a whole training day on abs? What do you expect your body to "become"? I mean, some people that have a pot belly, think that if they do abs for an hour everyday, their belly will be gone and they will get six pack. That's completely silly. Abs are there (muscles)! You just have to make them stronger and a bit bigger and get that fat over them! You cannot burt that fat with abs excersises, you need cardio, so why spend a whole day doing nothing?

    My whole days on ab lifts are technically my rest days, lol. So that's one example. It's not a long day at all for me with weights. But I do think most people do them at the beginning or end of their usual lifts if they do isolation work on abs.

    What the OP is talking about sounds like she's just getting the blood flowing compared to sitting around on the couch. No problem there, imho.
  • SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish
    SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish Posts: 831 Member
    So many great responses guys! So, trying to figure out the general consensus in my case, I'm getting:

    -Keep doing the once a week kettlebell core focused workout (plenty of squats, deadlifts, etc in there), because that is getting my abs most of what they need.

    - My 10-15 minute sessions twice a week while watching TV may not be doing much extra GOOD, but they're not really harming anything either, as they are not a "waste of time" in the sense that I would be doing anything else in that time aside from sitting on the couch. I can see that if those 20-30 minutes a week would be spent on a different workout, they might be more beneficial overall, but those are just during my "catching up on my shows" time- maybe I'll mix it up and do some isolation curls, or something else in that time once a week. (I assume I don't overtrain them because they are my only strong body part, and the only body part that rarely gets tired).

    Is that somewhat correct?

    Short answer: Its not a problem to work them out a couple times/week unless you are relying on fatigued and sore abs to guard you through heavy compound lifts, but then just move your deadlift/squat/overhead press an adequate distance from abs, work them same day after or dont get them sore a few days before.

    Whether you NEED to or not is another issue, I completely agree some extra work on abs is good to do if you lift heavy, in fact I specifically worked hard on my abs to protect my back as I started to get above 600lbs. I did not start with really strong abs or the ability to do very many situps (not sure but I think 40-50?) before I targeted my abs, and I had been doing deadlifts for months previously, so no your abs wont typically get "super strong" with deadlifts or squats. Of course the question of how strong they need to be is again there: yes you should never get so off balance you need that increased ab strength to recover, and yes you can use a weight belt to brace you. I was also doing a situp challenge and got to 300 situps at the time I got my deadlifts into the 700s, but it wasn't BECAUSE of the ab work. However it obviously won't hurt you. I'd recommend some ab work for lifters as they get to heavy deads and squats, but until you to get very heavy lifts, it won't matter significantly anyways, have fun with your workouts :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I do full body workouts three times a week, which includes abs. I do crunches too, but that's in addition to the full body strength training.
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    Compound lifts work the core nicely
  • D8vidFitness
    D8vidFitness Posts: 104
    let's cut the cheese, gonna say this once

    If you don't isolate your abs, you won't have well-defined abs.

    If you want baby abs, keep doing your squats, deadlift, and forget isolating workouts just for abs

    some people tell you they have a 6 pack, but doesn't isolate them. They have the genetics, you don't.

    end of story

    I would recommend working out your abs at least 3 times a week.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    I have read all sorts - various things saying "you use them every day anyway so they recover faster and you can train them every day if you want" - which seems a bit of a leap of logic, being that I also tend to use my arms and legs every day too and the same isn't considered true there.

    I got noticable upper-abs despite a bit of fat, after doing an additional abs routine*, which I didn't from just a SS based routine (squats every workout). Only had one workout where my 'core' has really ached after, while after I started doing my abs routine again recently, it was a week before I could sit up in bed properly!
    Recently I've been doing it every workout after I've done everything else - as frankly it's mostly about vanity and getting some decent definition there when my fat levels get low enough. It SHOULD help with the climbing, but usually grip strength is more of an issue for me.

    *3 x 12 decline sit up, 3x12 weighted hanging leg raise, 3x12 dumbell roll-out, 3x12 weighted side bends.
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
    If you enjoy doing ab workouts, then keep doing them.

    Pretty much.

    Personally don't remember the last time I've done ab work.

    Squats/DL work them enough for me :wink:
    My reasoning is because the core is usually hit by full body workouts, deadlift, squat, etc.., so that isolated core work isn't required IMHO.

    Really? You feel like your abs get worked enough in the Squat and DL? How exactly?

    Even at max weight with proper form, they are only used to stabalize... ab work is necessary if you want to sufficiently strengthen the abdominals, though not with 3+ exercises and 100+ rep sets like many people think.

    For me, I do about 3-4 sets of 12-18 rep cable crunches twice a week.

    Also, to answer OP's question, it's a muscle like anything else. People apply a "high rep" approach to them, but the truth is they get stronger with greater resistance, just like all the other muscles. Make sure to give them rest as well, and you'll be fine. One day on, one day off, etc... should be fine.

    Technically, the abdominals are there to stabilize in most situations. Floor work is not a natural state for humans. However, I do like feeling a pump in the abdominals (even at 460lb I can feel my abs under the layers of fat after working them directly). I think 3x8-15 of two different exercises is plenty for an ab workout. I've been doing one abs and one oblique. An example would be Cable Crunches and Landmine 180's.

    So when you're laying down on say the floor or the bed and you go to get up the movement that you're doing isn't natural? It's pretty much the movement of a crunch.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    hehehe. you're gonna replace some of your direct ab work with some isolation bicep curl work. that's cute. you must be new here

    I AM new here, in fact, and trying to learn! I totally deserve any snark and sarcasm that comes my way, I'm a complete noob. But I'm working with what I know, what I've done, and the weights I own. If you have a better suggestion, or a reason why I'm in the wrong, I would love to hear it. (I know that this is the internet, so you can't tell my tone- I mean this in the least sarcastic, defensive way possible... I WANT to do things correctly. If someone can steer me in a better direction, I am 100% open to suggestions).

    Don't mind him. He's pretty much stuck on sarcastic. :ohwell:
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Pretty much?
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    My take on it from a climbing, fighting and strength training perspective:

    Whilst having a weak core is not handy because it can lead to back and posture problems, doing planks and crunches every day seems a bit pointless when you're challenging the core with other work (squats and deads but also bent over rows and shoulder presses).

    However, one useful reason for training the core is when you are hanging under a roof and cut loose - your feet fall away from the holds either on purpose or by mistake leaving you hanging by your hands. The only way you're going to get your feet back into the holds is by one of two options:
    1) pray that by momentarily impersonating Jesus during the crucifixion he will send forth angels to carry your feet back to the roof - quite tricky simply because you cannot put your hands together to pray as you're hanging from a roof. ;)
    2) pulling your feet up to the roof.

    The only way (2) is gonna happen is by training your core - not by planks and crunches (which are fine for beginners with weak cores) but toe-to-bar leg raises.

    From a fighting perspective, having a strong core means you can take blows to the gut. Mind you, if you're morbidly obese, you can also take blows to the gut.

    FWIW:
    1) I train abs once a month if that, only if I just fancy doing it.
    2) No, you can't punch me.
  • Bounce2
    Bounce2 Posts: 138 Member

    However, one useful reason for training the core is when you are hanging under a roof and cut loose - your feet fall away from the holds either on purpose or by mistake leaving you hanging by your hands. The only way you're going to get your feet back into the holds is by one of two options:
    1) pray that by momentarily impersonating Jesus during the crucifixion he will send forth angels to carry your feet back to the roof - quite tricky simply because you cannot put your hands together to pray as you're hanging from a roof. ;)
    2) pulling your feet up to the roof.

    :laugh: Funny and true!! To the OP; I lift 2-3 times a week full body and that includes ab work. I do this because a) I enjoy it and b) it supports and strengthens the movements I use in the sports I do for fun. IMHO- if you enjoy it do it.

Categories