Abs

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neviwill23
neviwill23 Posts: 10 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm looking for a good an routine to add to my workout. Anybody wan to share theirs or suggest anything that could help me out?
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  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Front squats are one of the main exercises that helped with my abs. Beyond that I didn't really do ab work. I believe there are some good ab routines on T-nation's website.
  • Ocrgrrrl
    Ocrgrrrl Posts: 189 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    Front squats are one of the main exercises that helped with my abs. Beyond that I didn't really do ab work. I believe there are some good ab routines on T-nation's website.

    I fully agree with this ^^^^. I never really saw my abs pop until I began heavy compound lifting aka squats and deads. Oh, and of course watching my intake and prioritizing protein. I've even been able to accomplish this after having my three girls.
  • andrewq6100
    andrewq6100 Posts: 415 Member
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    my really only favorite ab workout is hanging leg raises IF done properly will work the hell out of your core and ensure that you don't wreck your back like crunches
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    Planks and mountain climbers are my go to for abs. I like to mix my planks up with single leg planks and side planks.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    are you looking for strength or aesthetics?

    academic question, i guess. for me, second the front squats. and maybe surprisingly, also pullups. i was only doing the negatives where you descend from the top position, but while i was doing those i discovered they take an amazing amount of ab strength if you're trying to keep your descent under control.
  • neviwill23
    neviwill23 Posts: 10 Member
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    How much did you guys have to start squatting to see definition in your abs
  • neviwill23
    neviwill23 Posts: 10 Member
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    @usmcmp what is t nation? Is it free lol
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    https://www.t-nation.com/training/ab-training-made-simple
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited March 2017
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    Leg raises, landmines, front squats.

    But regardless of the exercise... make sure you're actually engaging your abs to work them. To do it right, keep em tight!
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    Deadlifts, squats, ab wheel, HLRs.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    neviwill23 wrote: »
    How much did you guys have to start squatting to see definition in your abs

    "Definition" is mostly from reducing body fat. Exercises don't "spot reduce" fat, unfortunately. :+1:
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    One arm pushups really work your abs
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,637 Member
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    you need fat reduction to see them, but to make the muscles pop... I like medicine ball crunches (for upper abs), russian twists (with medicine ball) - for obliques, leg raises for lower abs, and planks for overall core (both front, side, and side twists).

    That said, I'm lucky if I do them more than once a week (and lately, once every two weeks).
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    edited March 2017
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    If you want strong abs, you have to work them frequently (nearly daily). It doesn't take much time: 15 minutes or so. Lots of free videos will get you going. I like the PopSugar channel on YouTube.

    I like to pick 15 ab exercises from the most common (crunches, planks, leg lifts, etc) and do them by time. 50 seonds on-- 10 seconds off-- keep going for 15 minutes. It has really helped!
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,637 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    If you want strong abs, you have to work them frequently (nearly daily). It doesn't take much time: 15 minutes or so. Lots of free videos will get you going. I like the PopSugar channel on YouTube.

    ummm... no. You don't work biceps every day, or legs every day. Ab muscles are no different really. You CAN work them daily just by engaging them when you walk, sit, stand, and just go about your day - but to do an actual ab workout daily? That's overkill.
  • ShrinkingViolet1982
    ShrinkingViolet1982 Posts: 919 Member
    edited March 2017
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    bpotts44 wrote: »
    One arm pushups really work your abs

    They would work my abs just so I don't fall over. <--- klutz.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
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    StarGazerPicTaker wrote: »
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    If you want strong abs, you have to work them frequently (nearly daily). It doesn't take much time: 15 minutes or so. Lots of free videos will get you going. I like the PopSugar channel on YouTube.

    ummm... no. You don't work biceps every day, or legs every day. Ab muscles are no different really. You CAN work them daily just by engaging them when you walk, sit, stand, and just go about your day - but to do an actual ab workout daily? That's overkill.

    Don't deny until you try.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    StarGazerPicTaker wrote: »
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    If you want strong abs, you have to work them frequently (nearly daily). It doesn't take much time: 15 minutes or so. Lots of free videos will get you going. I like the PopSugar channel on YouTube.

    ummm... no. You don't work biceps every day, or legs every day. Ab muscles are no different really. You CAN work them daily just by engaging them when you walk, sit, stand, and just go about your day - but to do an actual ab workout daily? That's overkill.

    Don't deny until you try.

    No, it's not a good idea to work abs every day. Strengthening your core is like strengthening any other area, you use progressive overload and you allow adequate rest. Since there are many things in daily life which require core activation/bracing it's really a bad idea to train them daily.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    StarGazerPicTaker wrote: »
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    If you want strong abs, you have to work them frequently (nearly daily). It doesn't take much time: 15 minutes or so. Lots of free videos will get you going. I like the PopSugar channel on YouTube.

    ummm... no. You don't work biceps every day, or legs every day. Ab muscles are no different really. You CAN work them daily just by engaging them when you walk, sit, stand, and just go about your day - but to do an actual ab workout daily? That's overkill.

    Don't deny until you try.

    No, it's not a good idea to work abs every day. Strengthening your core is like strengthening any other area, you use progressive overload and you allow adequate rest. Since there are many things in daily life which require core activation/bracing it's really a bad idea to train them daily.

    swear i'm not trying to start up a pissing match here, but i'll just throw in on the 'errday' side that i do think i benefit from doing something daily that activates them, even if i'm not working them. there's a difference, but for me either statement could be said to be true.

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