Guest guest Posted August 11, 2002 Report Share Posted August 11, 2002 Hi folks. One of the things I am going to do this challenge is to get serious about ab workouts. My abs are all too similar to a bowl of jello, and I have always approached ab work with a bad attitude. Well no more! My hubby has agreed to hold me accountable during my challenge for good hard ab workouts every time. The BFL program calls for abs to be done on lower body days, however I plan to do them after every cardio session. I would like to work up to the point that during the last four weeks of my program, I can do Ab Bootcamp (http://www.musclemedia.com/training/BootCamp.asp). Currently, just doing 10-12 crunches leaves my abs burning and sore for a couple of days. I have also noticed that when I do crunches, I can't do them very smoothly because my muscles are shaking so bad. (Pretty pathetic, I know!) Because I have always hated this part of my exercise routine, I don't know much about how to structure a well-rounded ab workout that will leave me ready to do bootcamp. I'm trying to piece together a routine to follow for the next four weeks. Any help would be appreciated! Libby (Who understands that she probably won't see her newly-minted abs until she sheds quite a bit more fat from on top of them!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2002 Report Share Posted August 11, 2002 Doing all the ab work in the world isn't really going to " firm " your tummy or make your abs show. When you finished your e-mail, you were correct in stating that you need to lose the fat underneath. Keep in mind that the abs are a muscle like anything else on your body. If your ab is a muscle and your chest is a muscle, why would you train one 3 or more times a week and the other only once or twice? If your abs are burning, they are being worked and you are doing fine for them. If you train your abs intensely, you won't need to work them more than once or twice a week. Doing it on lower body days is fine per BFL. I actually only train my abs once a week, and I have pictures uploaded to show that this is sufficient to have ab definition. Training abs for strength is fine, but overtraining them can just weaken them. Training abs too much can also force them to protrude. Abs are only flat when contracted, their natural state is slightly curved. If you overtrain abs, not only can this make your belly bulge, but it also creates an imbalance that can cause lower back pain. Keep in mind that almost any exercise - squats, bench press, you name it - works your abs. So you are working abs with every workout as it is, because they contract to keep your torso stable while exercising. My advice is to keep abs to 1 - 2 times a day. I have trained many clients to low body fat and it's always the body fat that makes them show, not the ab workouts. Just sharing what I've experienced! Best of health and success, Likness > Hi folks. > > One of the things I am going to do this challenge is to get serious > about ab workouts. My abs are all too similar to a bowl of jello, > and I have always approached ab work with a bad attitude. Well no > more! My hubby has agreed to hold me accountable during my challenge > for good hard ab workouts every time. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2002 Report Share Posted August 11, 2002 Doing all the ab work in the world isn't really going to " firm " your tummy or make your abs show. When you finished your e-mail, you were correct in stating that you need to lose the fat underneath. Keep in mind that the abs are a muscle like anything else on your body. If your ab is a muscle and your chest is a muscle, why would you train one 3 or more times a week and the other only once or twice? If your abs are burning, they are being worked and you are doing fine for them. If you train your abs intensely, you won't need to work them more than once or twice a week. Doing it on lower body days is fine per BFL. I actually only train my abs once a week, and I have pictures uploaded to show that this is sufficient to have ab definition. Training abs for strength is fine, but overtraining them can just weaken them. Training abs too much can also force them to protrude. Abs are only flat when contracted, their natural state is slightly curved. If you overtrain abs, not only can this make your belly bulge, but it also creates an imbalance that can cause lower back pain. Keep in mind that almost any exercise - squats, bench press, you name it - works your abs. So you are working abs with every workout as it is, because they contract to keep your torso stable while exercising. My advice is to keep abs to 1 - 2 times a day. I have trained many clients to low body fat and it's always the body fat that makes them show, not the ab workouts. Just sharing what I've experienced! Best of health and success, Likness > Hi folks. > > One of the things I am going to do this challenge is to get serious > about ab workouts. My abs are all too similar to a bowl of jello, > and I have always approached ab work with a bad attitude. Well no > more! My hubby has agreed to hold me accountable during my challenge > for good hard ab workouts every time. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2002 Report Share Posted August 11, 2002 Hmmmm..... I think you meant to say that training abs 1-2 times a week was the approach you recommended. What if I combined your thoughts with the ab bootcamp recommendation of doing ab work immediately after my cardio workouts, and did my ab work on Tuesdays and Saturdays (cardio days). I do realize that I won't actually *see* my abs until I lose quite a bit of fat. I am more focused on trying to get my abs caught up with the rest of my body, which is in general pretty strong. It seems pretty rediculous to me to be shaking on the second rep during my first set of crunches! Are there specific exercises I should focus on? I have access to an exercise ball and a flat bench, but no decline bench at this point. > If your ab is a muscle and your chest is a muscle, why would you > > train one 3 or more times a week and the other only once or twice? > > Training abs for strength is fine, but overtraining them can just > weaken them. > My advice is to keep abs to 1 - 2 times a day. I have trained many > clients to low body fat and it's always the body fat that makes them > show, not the ab workouts. Just sharing what I've experienced! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2002 Report Share Posted August 11, 2002 Hmmmm..... I think you meant to say that training abs 1-2 times a week was the approach you recommended. What if I combined your thoughts with the ab bootcamp recommendation of doing ab work immediately after my cardio workouts, and did my ab work on Tuesdays and Saturdays (cardio days). I do realize that I won't actually *see* my abs until I lose quite a bit of fat. I am more focused on trying to get my abs caught up with the rest of my body, which is in general pretty strong. It seems pretty rediculous to me to be shaking on the second rep during my first set of crunches! Are there specific exercises I should focus on? I have access to an exercise ball and a flat bench, but no decline bench at this point. > If your ab is a muscle and your chest is a muscle, why would you > > train one 3 or more times a week and the other only once or twice? > > Training abs for strength is fine, but overtraining them can just > weaken them. > My advice is to keep abs to 1 - 2 times a day. I have trained many > clients to low body fat and it's always the body fat that makes them > show, not the ab workouts. Just sharing what I've experienced! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2002 Report Share Posted August 11, 2002 Hmmmm..... I think you meant to say that training abs 1-2 times a week was the approach you recommended. What if I combined your thoughts with the ab bootcamp recommendation of doing ab work immediately after my cardio workouts, and did my ab work on Tuesdays and Saturdays (cardio days). I do realize that I won't actually *see* my abs until I lose quite a bit of fat. I am more focused on trying to get my abs caught up with the rest of my body, which is in general pretty strong. It seems pretty rediculous to me to be shaking on the second rep during my first set of crunches! Are there specific exercises I should focus on? I have access to an exercise ball and a flat bench, but no decline bench at this point. > If your ab is a muscle and your chest is a muscle, why would you > > train one 3 or more times a week and the other only once or twice? > > Training abs for strength is fine, but overtraining them can just > weaken them. > My advice is to keep abs to 1 - 2 times a day. I have trained many > clients to low body fat and it's always the body fat that makes them > show, not the ab workouts. Just sharing what I've experienced! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2002 Report Share Posted August 11, 2002 Yes, 1 - 2 times per WEEK, not day, sorry. If you download the Training Encyclopedia, I have a full ab workout outlined. http://personal.bellsouth.net/~jlikness/training.pdf Just right click and " Save As... " use " trainme " (without the quotes) as the password. This is what I recommend for exercises to strengthen the abs for functional reasons - the visual reasons will play out with low body fat! In health, Likness > Hmmmm..... > > I think you meant to say that training abs 1-2 times a week was the > approach you recommended. What if I combined your thoughts with the > ab bootcamp recommendation of doing ab work immediately after my > cardio workouts, and did my ab work on Tuesdays and Saturdays (cardio > days). > > I do realize that I won't actually *see* my abs until I lose quite a > bit of fat. I am more focused on trying to get my abs caught up with > the rest of my body, which is in general pretty strong. It seems > pretty rediculous to me to be shaking on the second rep during my > first set of crunches! > > Are there specific exercises I should focus on? I have access to an > exercise ball and a flat bench, but no decline bench at this point. > > > > If your ab is a muscle and your chest is a muscle, why would you > > > train one 3 or more times a week and the other only once or twice? > > > > > Training abs for strength is fine, but overtraining them can just > > weaken them. > > My advice is to keep abs to 1 - 2 times a day. I have trained many > > clients to low body fat and it's always the body fat that makes them > > show, not the ab workouts. Just sharing what I've experienced! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2002 Report Share Posted August 11, 2002 Yes, 1 - 2 times per WEEK, not day, sorry. If you download the Training Encyclopedia, I have a full ab workout outlined. http://personal.bellsouth.net/~jlikness/training.pdf Just right click and " Save As... " use " trainme " (without the quotes) as the password. This is what I recommend for exercises to strengthen the abs for functional reasons - the visual reasons will play out with low body fat! In health, Likness > Hmmmm..... > > I think you meant to say that training abs 1-2 times a week was the > approach you recommended. What if I combined your thoughts with the > ab bootcamp recommendation of doing ab work immediately after my > cardio workouts, and did my ab work on Tuesdays and Saturdays (cardio > days). > > I do realize that I won't actually *see* my abs until I lose quite a > bit of fat. I am more focused on trying to get my abs caught up with > the rest of my body, which is in general pretty strong. It seems > pretty rediculous to me to be shaking on the second rep during my > first set of crunches! > > Are there specific exercises I should focus on? I have access to an > exercise ball and a flat bench, but no decline bench at this point. > > > > If your ab is a muscle and your chest is a muscle, why would you > > > train one 3 or more times a week and the other only once or twice? > > > > > Training abs for strength is fine, but overtraining them can just > > weaken them. > > My advice is to keep abs to 1 - 2 times a day. I have trained many > > clients to low body fat and it's always the body fat that makes them > > show, not the ab workouts. Just sharing what I've experienced! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2002 Report Share Posted August 11, 2002 Yes, 1 - 2 times per WEEK, not day, sorry. If you download the Training Encyclopedia, I have a full ab workout outlined. http://personal.bellsouth.net/~jlikness/training.pdf Just right click and " Save As... " use " trainme " (without the quotes) as the password. This is what I recommend for exercises to strengthen the abs for functional reasons - the visual reasons will play out with low body fat! In health, Likness > Hmmmm..... > > I think you meant to say that training abs 1-2 times a week was the > approach you recommended. What if I combined your thoughts with the > ab bootcamp recommendation of doing ab work immediately after my > cardio workouts, and did my ab work on Tuesdays and Saturdays (cardio > days). > > I do realize that I won't actually *see* my abs until I lose quite a > bit of fat. I am more focused on trying to get my abs caught up with > the rest of my body, which is in general pretty strong. It seems > pretty rediculous to me to be shaking on the second rep during my > first set of crunches! > > Are there specific exercises I should focus on? I have access to an > exercise ball and a flat bench, but no decline bench at this point. > > > > If your ab is a muscle and your chest is a muscle, why would you > > > train one 3 or more times a week and the other only once or twice? > > > > > Training abs for strength is fine, but overtraining them can just > > weaken them. > > My advice is to keep abs to 1 - 2 times a day. I have trained many > > clients to low body fat and it's always the body fat that makes them > > show, not the ab workouts. Just sharing what I've experienced! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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