Abs workout
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stanmann571 wrote: »As has been said quite enough. the only way to achieve flat abs is by getting to an appropriate BF% that gives flat abs.
IF you want a "four/six/eight pack"; You'll also need to do strength work that build enough bulk to be visible. Presses(Squat, etc), hinges(Deadlift/Swing), and crunches/situps/twists.
21% BF AND 107lbs at 5ft1
not looking to lose weight, just define abdominal muscle
Then do the exercises described using progressive load principles, and you'll build muscle.
Also, understand that some people lack the genetic ability to have "attractive abs" There is a "genetic lottery"
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There's NO MENTION of trying to weight gain in the OP. There's no mention of gaining muscle. "Flat abs" usually pertains to people who don't have them and are trying to achieve them. And that usually entails fat loss that covers them.
So is your concern gaining fat while trying to gain muscle?Exercising the abs doesn't flatten them. Losing the fat on top of them does and that's base on being in a calorie deficit consistently till you reach the body fat % desired.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I’m on a weight gain regime if anything (in the form of muscle mass) not weight loss
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Kindly reread the original post.
So again, you've not given any real goal. What is it that you're trying to do?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
1 -
There's NO MENTION of trying to weight gain in the OP. There's no mention of gaining muscle. "Flat abs" usually pertains to people who don't have them and are trying to achieve them.
So is your concern gaining fat while trying to gain muscle?Exercising the abs doesn't flatten them. Losing the fat on top of them does and that's base on being in a calorie deficit consistently till you reach the body fat % desired.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I’m on a weight gain regime if anything (in the form of muscle mass) not weight loss
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Kindly reread the original post.
So again, you've not given any real goal. What is it that you're trying to do?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Simply: what exercises do y’all do to target the abdominal area (everyone does different things that suit them)1 -
If I'm being honest, if your form in doing ANY exercise is correct, your abs get engaged. Most people just don't know how to engage them correctly. There are lots of people who are great a ab work, but when they try something like an overhead squat, they can't engage their core to do it.
There's NO MENTION of trying to weight gain in the OP. There's no mention of gaining muscle. "Flat abs" usually pertains to people who don't have them and are trying to achieve them.
So is your concern gaining fat while trying to gain muscle?Exercising the abs doesn't flatten them. Losing the fat on top of them does and that's base on being in a calorie deficit consistently till you reach the body fat % desired.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I’m on a weight gain regime if anything (in the form of muscle mass) not weight loss
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Kindly reread the original post.
So again, you've not given any real goal. What is it that you're trying to do?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Simply: what exercises do y’all do to target the abdominal area (everyone does different things that suit them)
But it looks like all you're looking for is exercises to supplement ab work. Stick to the basics then.
Crunches
Leg raises
Russian twists
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I just do sit-ups and my stomach is my best area muscle wise but I’ve been doing them for years. Idk my bf%, but my gym buddies guess it’s really low. I am 5’4, 118ish lbs.1
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knee raises on the captain's chair gym is great, really hard but easy on my back!0
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Primarily compound movements...squats, deads, etc...done properly, these movements engage the entire core. If I have time and feel like it, I do some direct ab work...it's a here and there kind of thing, not really something that is a regular part of my routine.1
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hughjazz74 wrote: »knee raises on the captain's chair gym is great, really hard but easy on my back!
Hanging leg raises are great... whether on the Pullup bar or on the captain's chair.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Primarily compound movements...squats, deads, etc...done properly, these movements engage the entire core. If I have time and feel like it, I do some direct ab work...it's a here and there kind of thing, not really something that is a regular part of my routine.
Thank you! What do you think about fire hydrants?0 -
I downloaded a plank challenge on my phone and I do that at the end of every workout. It forces me to do all the variations, which are important to building all-around core strength. When done consistently I've noticed a difference.2
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cwolfman13 wrote: »Primarily compound movements...squats, deads, etc...done properly, these movements engage the entire core. If I have time and feel like it, I do some direct ab work...it's a here and there kind of thing, not really something that is a regular part of my routine.
Thank you! What do you think about fire hydrants?
Good dynamic warm-up if you're a runner or play sports like soccer, football, etc...not something I would do as I'm primarily a cyclist so a lot of that kind of stuff I do is more geared towards cycling.
It's not really an ab workout though there is some core engagement...it's a glute workout/warmup1 -
I downloaded a plank challenge on my phone and I do that at the end of every workout. It forces me to do all the variations, which are important to building all-around core strength. When done consistently I've noticed a difference.
I did a 14 day “lose your love handles” challenge (last day today) and it had side planks and i really saw a difference in two weeks!!3 -
Firehydrants focus more on the hips and not the abs.cwolfman13 wrote: »Primarily compound movements...squats, deads, etc...done properly, these movements engage the entire core. If I have time and feel like it, I do some direct ab work...it's a here and there kind of thing, not really something that is a regular part of my routine.
Thank you! What do you think about fire hydrants?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
1 -
I do Vinyasa flow yoga 3 times a week as well as strength training 3 times a week (squats, lunges, overhead press, etc.). With that being said, the ab-specific exercises I do are planks, Pilates roll-ups, dead bugs, toe taps, leg raises, and flutter kicks. 3 sets of 15 reps each except for the flutter kicks; my reps with those are 80/100/100.
I used to belly dance professionally (I retired a few years ago) so I have a pretty strong core.1 -
So there are several components to get abs: 1. you need low body fat (21% is not low enough), and 2. adequate muscle mass.
If you are working to gain muscle, you will also gain fat (pending you are in a calorie surplus); if you are doing this, you should aim to gain 1/2lb a week to minimize fat gains. After you gain enough, you will have to cut back down to get lower body fat; depending on body type, it could be 16 to 20%.
And while you can do dedicated ab work, as others mention, compound movements (OHP, Bench, Squat, DL) can be very effective. I actually use some of the routines form AthleanX because I have had core issues and the ab workouts have been fairly effective to help prevent injury (along with doing compound lifts).
So to get abs, you need to address both components (low body fat and adequate muscle mass).4 -
DamienAngelica wrote: »I do Vinyasa flow yoga 3 times a week as well as strength training 3 times a week (squats, lunges, overhead press, etc.). With that being said, the ab-specific exercises I do are planks, Pilates roll-ups, dead bugs, toe taps, leg raises, and flutter kicks. 3 sets of 15 reps each except for the flutter kicks; my reps with those are 80/100/100.
I used to belly dance professionally (I retired a few years ago) so I have a pretty strong core.
Thank you!! Really helpful0 -
So there are several components to get abs: 1. you need low body fat (21% is not low enough), and 2. adequate muscle mass.
If you are working to gain muscle, you will also gain fat (pending you are in a calorie surplus); if you are doing this, you should aim to gain 1/2lb a week to minimize fat gains. After you gain enough, you will have to cut back down to get lower body fat; depending on body type, it could be 16 to 20%.
And while you can do dedicated ab work, as others mention, compound movements (OHP, Bench, Squat, DL) can be very effective. I actually use some of the routines form AthleanX because I have had core issues and the ab workouts have been fairly effective to help prevent injury (along with doing compound lifts).
So to get abs, you need to address both components (low body fat and adequate muscle mass).
Really helpful!!0 -
So there are several components to get abs: 1. you need low body fat (21% is not low enough), and 2. adequate muscle mass.
If you are working to gain muscle, you will also gain fat (pending you are in a calorie surplus); if you are doing this, you should aim to gain 1/2lb a week to minimize fat gains. After you gain enough, you will have to cut back down to get lower body fat; depending on body type, it could be 16 to 20%.
And while you can do dedicated ab work, as others mention, compound movements (OHP, Bench, Squat, DL) can be very effective. I actually use some of the routines form AthleanX because I have had core issues and the ab workouts have been fairly effective to help prevent injury (along with doing compound lifts).
So to get abs, you need to address both components (low body fat and adequate muscle mass).
Really helpful!!
One last thing... patience is key. It can take people years to build the stomach they want.1 -
So there are several components to get abs: 1. you need low body fat (21% is not low enough), and 2. adequate muscle mass.
If you are working to gain muscle, you will also gain fat (pending you are in a calorie surplus); if you are doing this, you should aim to gain 1/2lb a week to minimize fat gains. After you gain enough, you will have to cut back down to get lower body fat; depending on body type, it could be 16 to 20%.
And while you can do dedicated ab work, as others mention, compound movements (OHP, Bench, Squat, DL) can be very effective. I actually use some of the routines form AthleanX because I have had core issues and the ab workouts have been fairly effective to help prevent injury (along with doing compound lifts).
So to get abs, you need to address both components (low body fat and adequate muscle mass).
Really helpful!!
One last thing... patience is key. It can take people years to build the stomach they want.
Back in 2015 it took me one summer but then again, I was under weight back then (90 lbs @ 5ft1)2 -
I've found that Ashtanga yoga has been very helpful in improving the appearance of my abs. There's a lot of lower ab engagement in the jump-backs and arm balances. Also, navasana or boat pose is great. I also like a lot of Pilates exercises, my fav is the double leg lift. At the end of a yoga session, I tend to add in ab exercises like bicycle, as well. I also think that going to a live Pilates class is really beneficial to check form and alignment.1
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