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Ab Exercises

Jimmy123

New member
Hi all,

I've been doing PTC's beginner program for about 5 weeks now, pretty tough but having some nice progress I think!

I want to train abs on my off days so was wondering what some of you guys do to exercise abs? I train at home so don't have some equipment so I guess what you think the best exercises would be without special equipment would be great.

Thanks all
Jim
 
Youd be surprised how well the existing stuff does abs.

However here are 2 you can do at home:
Hang from your pullup bar and do leg raises
Roll an empty barbell on the ground in front of you like an abwheel. Or just get an abwheel.
 
Last edited:
Leg raises, Ab crunches, sit ups, Ab wheel, planks, hanging leg raises.

Should do it.
 
Thanks guys!! Didn't even think of an ab wheel, didn't realise they were any good - always thought they were a gimmicky late night $39.95(!!!) type deal!

Oops. What do you recommend in terms of sets / reps??
 
when you start with an ab wheel if you can do 3 sets of 5 rolls going as far forward as you can you'll be doing great. with any exercise correct form is important and your goal should be to increase reps and rest periods between.

when starting with the ab wheel I found I was getting a stiff lower back the day after, but this passed as I got stronger and better conditioned. Like any exercise you need to rinse and repeat it with consistency over a predetermined period of time.
 
The best most efficiant exercise for developing the strength and size of the muscle are AB crunches.

The trick is to maintain constant tension, firstly lying on the floor with you legs resting on a bench enables you to extend and contract without placing any extra stress on the lower back.
Second, hold onto a dumbbell as close to your throat as possible, which increases the moment arm.

Thirdly, squeeze at the top but most importantly don't lose tension at the bottom, don't let you abs relax, this happens when you shoulder contacts the floor.

Maintain a constant rep cadence of one set to twenty.

If you can do twenty comfortably, increase the weight of the dumbbell and do as many as you can, your target is twenty.

Add this exercise to the end of your workout.

After three months of strict repitition and progression, you will notice the size and development of your abs.
 
Jimmy123 said:
Thanks guys!! Didn't even think of an ab wheel, didn't realise they were any good - always thought they were a gimmicky late night $39.95(!!!) type deal!

Oops. What do you recommend in terms of sets / reps??
Click to expand...

For ab wheel start out with 3 sets with as many reps as you can get. WITHOUT LOSING NUETRAL SPINE. By that I mean as your lower back sags stop. Form = "crunch" your abs before you start. Tense your glutes, and only go out as far as you can. If you can get full reps great.

If you can get up to 5x20 on your knees then I'd start considering more advanced variations (standing, declines etc)

All the other "best exercises" have been listed here except for reverse crunches (moving your legs not your torso). These can be amazing if you do them correctly. Progressing these is kind of reversed. The less weight you use, the harder it becomes.

[ame="http://youtu.be/Lkafd6GkaPo"]www.EricCressey.com: Reverse Crunch Technique - YouTube[/ame]
 
lex said:
have a look at the september challenge as well - helped me get 10cm off the waist
Click to expand...

Was it the exercises themselves that helped? Or possibly that you did them every day adding to your existing routine and through the extra work and calorie expenditure you lost waist size?
 
bams_101 said:
Was it the exercises themselves that helped? Or possibly that you did them every day adding to your existing routine and through the extra work and calorie expenditure you lost waist size?
Click to expand...

doing them every day since - tightened up the flabby muscles and rest of the exercise burning off some fat - unfortunately still more to go
 
lex said:
doing them every day since - tightened up the flabby muscles and rest of the exercise burning off some fat - unfortunately still more to go
Click to expand...

There's always something more to go lol. Keep doing what you're doing if it's working =)
 
I too have to do some direct core work due to a back injury and was wondering how often are you supposed to do abs? I do it 3 times a week with 3 sets of 3 different exercises? Is that enough or do I do more or less?

Thanks, sorry to hijack
 
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