Abs! - What works/worked for you?

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jdownes89
jdownes89 Posts: 8
in Fitness and Exercise
I am just looking to see what ab workouts you guys do and what you feel works!

Thanks :)

Replies

  • demonsoul
    demonsoul Posts: 16 Member
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    I love decline with weights and using a nice fitness ball to take the pressure off my back.
  • bethany675
    bethany675 Posts: 44 Member
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    AbRipperX, TurboFire Abs10.....alternate everyother day at least 5/week.
  • ewfielder
    ewfielder Posts: 4
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    My trainer swears by planks. And by the way my abs have felt lately (working out with her), I would have to agree!
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    Now I do whatever my boot camp instructor wants lol...but I used to have a little routine:

    30 crunches
    30 bicycle crunches
    30 reverse crunches

    <rest..whine a little>

    30 reverse crunches
    30 bicycle crunches
    30 crunches
  • CassieLEO
    CassieLEO Posts: 757 Member
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    Heres what has helped me tremendously on the Ab front----
    1. Low carb diet
    2. Running
    3. Zumba
    4. Zumba Toning
  • SpaceMarkus
    SpaceMarkus Posts: 651
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    RevAbs gave me a 6 pack for the first time. Lots of planks, lol. Mountain Climbers are great, too.
  • SKP1986
    SKP1986 Posts: 392 Member
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    I haven't tried it yet, but some of my friends absolutely love 6 Week Six-Pack. Will be trying it myself eventually.
  • corpus_validum
    corpus_validum Posts: 292 Member
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    Most-effective ab exercises

    Researchers at the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University put to the test various ab exercises to determine the most effective ones, and here are their top 3:

    1. Bicycle crunches
    2. Captain's chair
    3. Exercise ball crunches

    But #3 is safer for your lower back

    http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/abdominalcorestrength1/a/Best_Ab_Ex.htm
  • janet_pratt
    janet_pratt Posts: 747 Member
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    Rollout pikes with my feet on a swiss ball.
  • rowbseat13
    rowbseat13 Posts: 147 Member
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    Well, I haven't been doing this for long, so I can't give you first-hand long-term results, but I've started to notice a difference in my abs in just two weeks...

    If you have an Android phone, there is a free Daily Ab workout app that I've been doing every day that I work out (so about 5 times a week). Not sure if it's available for iPhone, but they may have something similar. It only takes about 5 minutes, but maaaaannn, you can feel it. If you can't get the app, then it's pretty simple. Each exercise is done for slowly 25 seconds (10-12 reps)

    -Crunches (hands behind head, knees bent)
    -Right oblique crunches (left hand behind head, right hand across stomach, knees bent)
    -Left oblique crunches (reverse of right oblique crunches)
    -Reverse crunches (hands behind head, knees bent but raise them up so your feet are in the air -- bring your head up and your knees in a few inches with each crunch
    -Long arm crunches (legs straight, hands together, arms stretched above your head flat on the floor -- bring your arms up to point at the ceiling when you crunch)
    -Bicycle crunches (hands behind head, raise your knees and bring your left elbow to your right knee, then do the right elbow to left knee)
    -Straight leg crunches (legs straight up in the air, feet toward the ceiling)

    Then, you hold a plank pose for 25 seconds. This is where you prop yourself up on your elbows (hands clasped together) and your toes.

    It seems really simple, but it's definitely been helping me get the abs I want.
  • alz139
    alz139 Posts: 36
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    Hey! My trainer swear by the plank, bicycle crunches, mountain climbers and leg lifts. These are the 3 basics we start every ab workout with. From there its pretty varied because he says that the abs, like all muscles get used to routine very quickly so if you keep the muscle guessing you get better benefits. Below is the most recent ab workout I have done with him.

    Plank 30secs
    30x bicycle crunches (each side counts as half)
    15x leg lifts
    50x mountain climbers (2x25 with 5 sec break)
    plank 30 secs
    30x double crunches
    30x mountain climbers
    10 up/down planks (go from being in plank on elbows to press/push up position and back down)
    30x boxing sit ups (as i do the sit up i have to hit the pads)
    30x mountain climbers
    plank till i cant do anymore.

    did some sprints and stuff and then repeated. Was one of the harder ab workouts we've done

    Hope this helps
  • beevee2009
    beevee2009 Posts: 1
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    Hi, I've been training solid at the gym for the past 18 months and my 6 pack is now starting to show (at last!!!).

    The way I've been going about it, is (I'm male):

    All abs exercises are good, I mix a lot of different moves (hi abs - lower abs crunches/obliques, etc... I'm really not fussy. I do all sorts), but have found the best improvements have been when doing heavy compound lifts (ie: freeweight deadlifts, barbell squats...) to shed the body-fat at a quicker pace than by doing isolation moves (which don't involve the big, big muscles enough), combined with a diet high in proteins and low in fats (5/6 medium sized-meals a day, eating bigger portions in the mornings and less and less as the day progresses. No food whatsoever 2.5hours before sleep time).
    It's a bit involved, but I don't think you get results if it's not "difficult" somewhere along the way.
    I do a bit of cardio, but not a lot really, I burn calories by lifting (heavy enough) weights. And squatting or deadlifting is not just for the blokes, so don't be afraid to give it a go. Ask a Gym Instructor to help you if you've never done it before.

    In short:
    Lift heavy to shed body fat / eat a good diet.

    Interestingly, the Guinness world record holder in abs crunches does not have a 6-pack, so it seems like it's not all about how many crunches you can manage. This "factoid" opened my eyes a bit, that's why I started to lift heavy instead. I must say it has worked better for me. I'm 40 y/o and have never had good abs like this in the past.

    Also, if you can manage 40 consecutive reps of one exercise (ie: crunches - in whatever form it is: sit-ups, bicycle, jacknife, side, reverse, leg raises, etc..), then it's time you added weight, I think. Use dumbells/kettlebells/balls/whatever to add intensity, because bodyweight-only crunches are not taxing enough after a while, and you'll start hitting a wall in your progression. Strong abs won't necessarily show, you also need to get rid of the body fat behind which they're hiding (I'm assuming by "good abs" you mean " a flatter stomach with abs that show a bit" - ?).

    Here's my 2p's worth of advice.
    BV

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