THATS IT! I'm going full bore

SHBoss1673
SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
edited September 20 in Fitness and Exercise
OK so up until now I've been doing a pretty good job with my HIIT training and weight training, I can't complain. My chest looks more defined and bigger, my arms are the same, and I can tell that I have a lot more power, stamina, and agility. This is all great. But what I'm really lacking is that 6 pack of abs. Oh sure, I have SOME definition in my abs, I can see them quite nicely if I am under the right light, but I want a REAL 6 pack. Why? I dunno, vanity I guess, I've never had one, and I WANT one. More than anything in my exercise life, I want abs that I can be proud of.

So I've decided (finally) to put together a 15 minute ab workout that I can do 3 times a week, I normally mix 5 minutes of ab work in 5 times a week, well obviously, that's enough to keep the belly hard, and have some slightly noticeable results, but to get that real "kick *kitten*" stomach you gotta bring a little pain. So for the next 6 weeks that's what I'm going to do! If anyone wants, I can post some of these workouts. But note, they will be advanced work, and you need to focus on form or else there is the real possibility of hurting your back. And remember guys, ab work doesn't remove the fat covering abs, only loosing the weight first will do that. Anyway, if anyone wants to do this with me, let me know, I'll send you my routine when I get it.

-Banks
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Replies

  • immarc
    immarc Posts: 7
    According to what I've been reading you have to be at 10% to 12% body fat to see your abs and women 15%
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
    That's great, Banks. Nothing wrong with a little vanity, reason enough to get a 6 pack! I have been interested in finding new ways to increase my core strength. I am still working on losing some body fat, but I talked to a PT and he noticed that I don't have a lot of fat on my belly (especially compared to my *kitten* & thighs!) So, I have taken your advice from a while back and am doing 45 min to 1 hour of cardio 3-4 times a week and 1 hour of weight lifting 2 times a week (not exactly what you advised but working on it). I do some abs and pushups every workout day.

    Anyway, I would be interested in checking out your new ab routine and trying it out. Good luck to you, can't wait to see your results!
  • khskr1
    khskr1 Posts: 392
    I would love to see what you come up with. I'm at my goal weight and have a small waist...so now I'm focusing on weight training so I can tone up.

    Seperate question for you...I see you post quite often and noticed you give very sound advice. Are you a PT? I am getting ready to start my PT training and didn't know if you were one.

    Thanks!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    According to what I've been reading you have to be at 10% to 12% body fat to see your abs and women 15%

    I'm currently at 10.5% I want to be at about 8.5% but let me tell you, getting below 10% for a guy is a challenge. You have to be very very strict, I might be modifying that goal to 9.5%, I'm not sure yet.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    I would love to see what you come up with. I'm at my goal weight and have a small waist...so now I'm focusing on weight training so I can tone up.

    Seperate question for you...I see you post quite often and noticed you give very sound advice. Are you a PT? I am getting ready to start my PT training and didn't know if you were one.

    Thanks!

    I SHOULD be by now. I've been studying for it for what seems like forever now. I was planning on taking it in August, but work got really busy so I was side tracked, my new goal is to review and maybe get it some time in January when I think that work will be slower. Right now I'm swamped with work stuff so it's just not an option. Heck, I haven't even gotten around to renewing my CPR certificate, which is expired. Frustrating, but I'll get there...eventually.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    well, since people wanted it, I'm putting out the routine I came up with, there are lots more, and I'll switch it up after about 2 weeks or so, but this is what I'm going to do. It's actually 21 minutes long if you count the 30 seconds rest between each one. Here are the 12 routines. Add about 10 minutes of moderate cardio (5 minutes to warm up, 5 minutes to cool down) and you have a nice little 30 minute workout that should burn 250 to 300 calories.

    REMEMBER, FORM IS CRUTIAL!!!!!!!

    Here's the routine I'm doing (30 seconds rest between each one):

    -Hip raises - minute
    -Exercise ball crunches (balancing your back on the ball, not the one with the ball between your legs) - 1 minute
    -Fingers to heel - 1 minute each side
    -Decline crunches - 1 minute
    -Dumbell crunches - 1 minute
    -Kneeling plate (or dumbell, or kettle bell) twist - 1 minute each direction
    -Hanging knee raises - 1 minute
    -Legs on ball crunch - 1 minute
    -Side crunches - 1 minute each side
    -Reverse crunches - 1 minute
    -Butt raises - 1 minute
    -dumbbell side bends - 1 minute each side

    so that's about 14 minutes of actual work being done, should be a nice (and painful :tongue: ) routine.
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
    well, since people wanted it, I'm putting out the routine I came up with, there are lots more, and I'll switch it up after about 2 weeks or so, but this is what I'm going to do. It's actually 21 minutes long if you count the 30 seconds rest between each one. Here are the 12 routines. Add about 10 minutes of moderate cardio (5 minutes to warm up, 5 minutes to cool down) and you have a nice little 30 minute workout that should burn 250 to 300 calories.

    REMEMBER, FORM IS CRUTIAL!!!!!!!

    Here's the routine I'm doing (30 seconds rest between each one):

    -Hip raises - minute
    -Exercise ball crunches (balancing your back on the ball, not the one with the ball between your legs) - 1 minute
    -Fingers to heel - 1 minute each side
    -Decline crunches - 1 minute
    -Dumbell crunches - 1 minute
    -Kneeling plate (or dumbell, or kettle bell) twist - 1 minute each direction
    -Hanging knee raises - 1 minute
    -Legs on ball crunch - 1 minute
    -Side crunches - 1 minute each side
    -Reverse crunches - 1 minute
    -Butt raises - 1 minute
    -dumbbell side bends - 1 minute each side

    so that's about 14 minutes of actual work being done, should be a nice (and painful :tongue: ) routine.

    Sounds great, but I am a visual person with no imagination, so I dont know how to perform those moves... :ohwell:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    well, since people wanted it, I'm putting out the routine I came up with, there are lots more, and I'll switch it up after about 2 weeks or so, but this is what I'm going to do. It's actually 21 minutes long if you count the 30 seconds rest between each one. Here are the 12 routines. Add about 10 minutes of moderate cardio (5 minutes to warm up, 5 minutes to cool down) and you have a nice little 30 minute workout that should burn 250 to 300 calories.

    REMEMBER, FORM IS CRUTIAL!!!!!!!

    Here's the routine I'm doing (30 seconds rest between each one):

    -Hip raises - minute
    -Exercise ball crunches (balancing your back on the ball, not the one with the ball between your legs) - 1 minute
    -Fingers to heel - 1 minute each side
    -Decline crunches - 1 minute
    -Dumbell crunches - 1 minute
    -Kneeling plate (or dumbell, or kettle bell) twist - 1 minute each direction
    -Hanging knee raises - 1 minute
    -Legs on ball crunch - 1 minute
    -Side crunches - 1 minute each side
    -Reverse crunches - 1 minute
    -Butt raises - 1 minute
    -dumbbell side bends - 1 minute each side

    so that's about 14 minutes of actual work being done, should be a nice (and painful :tongue: ) routine.

    Sounds great, but I am a visual person with no imagination, so I dont know how to perform those moves... :ohwell:

    google is your friend. you can google any of these moves. but here's a site that shows you each of them.

    http://www.shapefit.com/abs-exercises-decline-oblique-crunches.html

    below the video is a link to all of the ab exercises that I entered, and a lot more too.
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
    well, since people wanted it, I'm putting out the routine I came up with, there are lots more, and I'll switch it up after about 2 weeks or so, but this is what I'm going to do. It's actually 21 minutes long if you count the 30 seconds rest between each one. Here are the 12 routines. Add about 10 minutes of moderate cardio (5 minutes to warm up, 5 minutes to cool down) and you have a nice little 30 minute workout that should burn 250 to 300 calories.

    REMEMBER, FORM IS CRUTIAL!!!!!!!

    Here's the routine I'm doing (30 seconds rest between each one):

    -Hip raises - minute
    -Exercise ball crunches (balancing your back on the ball, not the one with the ball between your legs) - 1 minute
    -Fingers to heel - 1 minute each side
    -Decline crunches - 1 minute
    -Dumbell crunches - 1 minute
    -Kneeling plate (or dumbell, or kettle bell) twist - 1 minute each direction
    -Hanging knee raises - 1 minute
    -Legs on ball crunch - 1 minute
    -Side crunches - 1 minute each side
    -Reverse crunches - 1 minute
    -Butt raises - 1 minute
    -dumbbell side bends - 1 minute each side

    so that's about 14 minutes of actual work being done, should be a nice (and painful :tongue: ) routine.

    Sounds great, but I am a visual person with no imagination, so I dont know how to perform those moves... :ohwell:

    google is your friend. you can google any of these moves. but here's a site that shows you each of them.

    http://www.shapefit.com/abs-exercises-decline-oblique-crunches.html

    below the video is a link to all of the ab exercises that I entered, and a lot more too.

    Yay! Thank you!
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
    I'm surprised you didn't include planks, Banks. Mountain climber, side plank hip raises... ? But looks like a great routine - not sure what the finger to heel exercise is though.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    I'm surprised you didn't include planks, Banks. Mountain climber, side plank hip raises... ? But looks like a great routine - not sure what the finger to heel exercise is though.


    I like planks, they work nicely, but for this routine I prefer movement and routines that I can do in 1 minute or less. 1 minute of planks doesn't do much for me, and it's hard on my shoulders (I have some impingement problems with my shoulders from years of football and rugby). My planks are usually 3 to 4 minutes, and thats too long for a single routine in this particular set (I'm limited on time because I do this during my work lunch break).
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
    Fair enough! I love planks (I know I'm weird)... but for the longest time I couldn't do plank on my right side and now I'm equally as strong as my left side. I always include planks in all my workouts.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    fyi, finger to heel is just what it sounds like. lay on your back, knees up, heels flat on the ground, hands straight by your side palms down, bend to the side, not losing contact with the floor with the palm of your hand, and try to touch your heel. you don't have to actually touch it, but it's a good pull routine for your obliques, and it's also a stretching routine for the opposite side (bonus!).
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
    same hand to foot or opposite?
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
    I have never done a plank in my life... I really should.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    same hand to foot or opposite?

    if you can bend that far to go opposite, I'm impressed :tongue:

    I.E. left hand would touch left heel.

    here's the video

    http://www.shapefit.com/abs-exercises-alternate-heel-touchers.html

    although this guy doesn't have the best form, you should really keep your head flat, having it up like that is bad for your neck.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Banks, is any of that stuff weighted? You need to cause hypertrophy in your abdominal muscles in the same way you would anywhere else...resistance, overload, repeated functional failure. And the fat loss. :smile:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    dumbell crunches, oblique twists, and the sidebends are all weighted, you make a good point though, maybe I should add one more weighted straight ab exercise in there.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    I think maybe I'll add a 25 lb dumbbell to my exercise ball crunches. That should be doable (man this is gonna hurt).
  • pirategirl
    pirategirl Posts: 2
    ive lost 100lbs and am still not fully happy n im realizing it takes time, passion n patience. just keep up the hard work n its 4 ur health 2 workout. Leslie Boehl:bigsmile:
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    I'd say do fewer exercises and work them more like you'd work your legs...there are a variety of muscle groups there but they all do almost the exact same thing--pull your ribs down toward your pelvis. You don't need 14 different exercises for that. You just need a few weighted ones that bring you to failure.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    I'd say do fewer exercises and work them more like you'd work your legs...there are a variety of muscle groups there but they all do almost the exact same thing--pull your ribs down toward your pelvis. You don't need 14 different exercises for that. You just need a few weighted ones that bring you to failure.

    too late, I was already gone to the gym before you replied. it was pretty good though, although I think you're right, I need to do less resting in the middle, about half way through, I realized that I didn't need 30 seconds between if I was going to switch up between obliques and abs, so I did the rest without the rest, which allowed me to do about 20 reps on the crunch machine with max weight, and some overhand grip pull ups.
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    Just tagging for later... looks good, Banks! :flowerforyou:
  • April0815
    April0815 Posts: 780 Member
    bump
  • kholmes
    kholmes Posts: 214
    thanks for the routine banks. maybe I will give this a try too.
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    Hey Banks, just wondering how it's going for you so far? Well, I hope! :smile:
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
    Go Banks! You need to post progress pics so everyone can see if your plan worked!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    It's going, it'll be a few weeks before results are noticeable though. Oh it'll work Nich0le! trust me, it will. But it'll take some time!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    ok so that was a rough one. after 16 minutes of tabata protocol. Ten minutes of hardcore abs really hurts. BUT, I'm happy to say after only one week, I can already see a difference in my abs. This really is working.:tongue:
  • musclebuilder
    musclebuilder Posts: 324 Member
    ok so that was a rough one. after 16 minutes of tabata protocol. Ten minutes of hardcore abs really hurts. BUT, I'm happy to say after only one week, I can already see a difference in my abs. This really is working.:tongue:

    Congrats on the progress so far. You will be a lean and mean machine in no time.:wink:
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