ABS

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by JBF Mentor Meredith on February 15, 2011 at 9:53am

Definitely too much.  Your muscles need time to repair after you have exercised them - that's where the growth happens.  3 times a week with at least one day rest in between would be the maximum you should work the same muscle group.

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Permalink Reply by Micheal Edwards on February 15, 2011 at 2:21pm

Hi Meredith

 

I am doing ABS three times a week so i wont do any more than that.

 

thanks for all you advice its much appreciated

 

Micheal

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Permalink Reply by Ess Three on August 3, 2011 at 8:59am

Uh-oh. My abs are killing me right now. . . but it's probably because I've done 3-min abs every day this week so far. . .
a bit overkill, I guess. . .

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Permalink Reply by JBF Coach Sarah on August 7, 2011 at 5:36am

You think!?  Lol, cut back on the 3-min abs :)

 

I've rethought my 7MM to 14MM due to gym availability and time, and it actually works out better in a way:

Wednesday is chest and shoulders

Thursday is back and arms

Friday I do 7 min legs + 3 min calves and 3 min abs.

 

Your core muscles are engaged in pretty much every exercise anyway, to various degrees; so they do get worked every time you train. Try feeling your abs next time you do a bicep curl, a shoulder press or a chest or back exercise, you'll see.

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Ess Three on August 8, 2011 at 2:16am

Don't worry. I've cut back to Mon-Wed-Friday for 3-min abs.

I had thought about doubling up like you have - 2 muscle groups per session. But I had trouble fitting it into a programme that I could stick to. . .

Also after I've done a 7MM, I just don't have the energy to do a 2nd muscle group. . .

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Permalink Reply by JBF Coach Sarah on August 8, 2011 at 7:04am

Not easy for sure, only it's the best way for me right now. My gym membership was cheaper by taking a 5-day/week deal, Wednesday through Sunday! Thinking that I'll go on the weekend on a regular basis was unrealistic (I will go on occasion, but I know we always have a lot of activities going on over the weekends, like walks, canoeing etc). I therefore opted for a 14MM for now, to see how that works for me.

 

It now looks as though we may be moving to an apartment about 5 minutes from the gym (on foot), so I'll get the warm-up done before I even get there, time saver.

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Permalink Reply by Ess Three on August 8, 2011 at 10:13am

Weekends are actually my preferred times to go.
I went yesterday. The only reason I didn't go on Saturday was because I'd already done 5 consecutive days. . . so needed a rest day.

But usually if I'm around for the weekend I'll try and go both days. And if one of those days is legs day, I'm usually struggling with the stairs at work on Monday morning. . .

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Permalink Reply by JBF Coach Sarah on August 8, 2011 at 11:55am

LOL, that will scare coworkers from using the gym! Don't do leg on the weekend! :)

 

I try to get legs in on Friday, that way I have the weekend to recuperate and no one's the wiser. Except my BFP!

 

Promise, I'll get that update for you guys tomorrow, weight and %

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Permalink Reply by JBF Mentor Tom Mortensen on August 8, 2011 at 1:26pm

My take on this is a little different. I do abs exercises nearly every time I'm in the gym. But I try to be smart about it, and not work the abs in the same way or same angle every time. My reason for doing it this way, is that abs are harder to train than any other bodypart. In fact, as time goes by, I find it hard to overwork my abs, no matter what I do. Like today I did normal crunches on the decline bench at max decline and with a 45lbs plate high over my head. Was still able to do 3 sets of 12 reps! Can't wait to see what they (the abs!) look like under that last layer of flab!

 

So for last week my ab work was like this:

Monday abs: 3 sets of normal crunches, weighted 25lbs plate. 3 sets of Tornados 10 reps with same plate. (Tornados are sidebends on the sidebench with a torso twist starting and ending the movement).

Tuesday abs: 4 sets hanging leg raises, body weight only, rep range 16-22. 4 sets of rope pull downs 20 reps.

Thursday abs: 45 min. cross training, focusing on full body movements, involving abs and core stability.

Friday abs: 3 x 3 minutes mini circuits, consisting of bicycle crunches, normal crunches, leg raises.

Saturday running and Sunday hiking.

 

Now this may not be for the faint hearted, and on some days, if I'm short on time or otherwise restricted in my gym sessions, I will cut out the ab work, since I'm well covered in that area.

 

I guess my message is, listen to your body and evaluate the results against the gains. This will tell you if you're on the right track. Another take home message is: Variation. Try to hit the same muscles from different angles. Some times all it takes is a slightly different grip, a twist of a limb, etc., etc..

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Permalink Reply by JBF Coach Sarah on August 9, 2011 at 5:59am

Sounds great Tom ... one issue I have with the hanging leg raises is grip strength. My hands give out long before the abs are even beginning to get tired. I've solved that by doing knee-ins at the edge of a bench and lying leg raises/candle combos. Not as hard on the abs, but better than nothing. If I have access to a Roman chair, I also get a few sets in on that.

 

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