Working out question -Abs

[Maxx]

I was wondering if anyone knew about how many times a week are you sopposed to work out your abs to get those nice 6 pack. Is it a everyday thing with cardio or is it like every other muscle that needs time to recover?

[sting]

A mirror is probably the most important training tool.

[SB_Mig]

Any exercise you do in the gym, if done with correct form, will workout your core and abs as they are what stabilize the rest of you.

If you want to get ab specific: sit-ups/crunches/supermans will all work if done with correct form and if you concentrate on the movement and muscles. 3 times a week, 2/3 sets per excercise should get you in fine condition.

Diet doesn't hurt either 

[Maxx]

Diet is always on my menu. I eat dust, water and air..Cause when I look at food, I can get fat..I started this work out bit awhile back and I tipped the scale at 225lbs and I am 5'8, I started training and working out heavy duty and now I am at 180lbs and have muscle that replaced the fat. lol! I started working pretty hard on my abs..I started doing 4 sets of 400 then moving to Leglift crunches at 4 sets of 30 and then after each set of 100 crunches, I do a fast set of 15 to 20 sit ups and I am seeing some massive results, I was just wondering if I was over doing it doing that everyday with them or what.

Another question I have is about Circuit Training....Is it proper to start with say a Bicep excerise of one set, then move to a tricep, then move to a leg, then so on and then come back to bicep?

And thank you SB_Mig for your reply.

[Howling Dog]

Max, Abs are a muscle group that can be worked everyday, calves are another.
I think Stings comment of a mirror as a tool may have some validation.
 Everyone is not the same. Some of us need to work a little harder at problem areas.
When I was coaching wrestling we did circuit training on our weights.....start where ever you like. Maybe change to a different station on different days. The key as always, is to work hard and keep moving.
Have you ever seen the UFC all access with Rich Franklin? He has a awesome weight training/cicuit training routine. (I think its on youtube)                                                            TG

[Maxx]

Thank you for everyones imput.

[prentice crawford]

Woof Maxx,
 I would add leg lifts to your workout. Nothing gets a good abs burn going like holding your heels of the ground while you're on your back. It especially gets the lower abs engaged.
                                P.C.
                                       

[SB_Mig]

Maxx...

IMHO you are doing way too many reps on your ab workouts, though I am sure that some people will disagree.

Again, done slowly and with proper form, you should not have to do more than 60-80 of any ab exercise, sometimes way less. I find that a lot of people who do massive reps on their abs burn out quickly when they are forced to maintain strict form on their movements and slow things down by 50-70%. Try it and see how it feels.

Also, any muscle you workout everyday in a predictable manner will eventually plateau and not show any improvement. So for your next ab workouts, reverse the order in which you do the exercises or change the order around or change the days on which you train abs. Mix things up and it will keep your muscles confused and make them feel like they are doing a different workout everytime.

I'll PM you some options for Ab workouts...

Miguel

[Maxx]

Maxx...

IMHO you are doing way too many reps on your ab workouts, though I am sure that some people will disagree.

Again, done slowly and with proper form, you should not have to do more than 60-80 of any ab exercise, sometimes way less. I find that a lot of people who do massive reps on their abs burn out quickly when they are forced to maintain strict form on their movements and slow things down by 50-70%. Try it and see how it feels.

Also, any muscle you workout everyday in a predictable manner will eventually plateau and not show any improvement. So for your next ab workouts, reverse the order in which you do the exercises or change the order around or change the days on which you train abs. Mix things up and it will keep your muscles confused and make them feel like they are doing a different workout everytime.

I'll PM you some options for Ab workouts...

Miguel

Hey thanks Miguel..I could use some PM notes. I drop alot of complete crunches slow..I feel the hard burn at 60 to 80 but I push the set to 100.
I am always open advice.

[SB_Mig]

Maxx

PM sent....