Question for the guys with BIG ABS

[madgame]

My abs are a little less developed than my other muscles...probably because I used to do sit-ups (4 sets like I do for all the smaller muscles) all the time which aint really a good exercise..so I started doing crunches and now leg-raises (Im not quite sure what u call them..maybe knee raises?u know those that work out your lower abs..) and do 4 sets of crunches and 3 of those leg raises(?). However I was wondering whether btoh those exercises work out alle the abs (just stress the upper / lower part more)or if they work out almost exclusively one part (and probably the middle abs anyways...?).

My second question would be what yall did in order to increase the exercise intensity of crunches? I used to do weighted situps with a weight plate behind my head cause it worked way better that way ( I had read u should place them on your chest though). Did you do this for crunches too? I mean there comes a time when u do too many reps and should up the intensity of crunches (/leg raises) right?

Any other suggestions?

 

[semag]

Abs are a muscle like everything else. If you want them bigger, train them with resistance, at high weights and low reps. There are a ton of exercises for abs specifically, and some great exercises that use your abs you wouldn't think of, squats for example.

try decline crunches with a 45 plate on your chest. Or, get on your knees in front of the tricep pull down, and put the rope behind your head, and do a vertical crunch... stuff like that.

 

[Panther]

Even with lots of good training, abs don't grow that much

The secret to a great six-pack, is to reduce your body fat percentage, so that your abs are obvious and defined. If your body fat is too high, even if u kill yourself doing crunches it will not make any difference

Read Diesel's cutting guide, start a cutting diet and do lots of cardio (as well as heavy lifting of course)

ThePanther

 

[madgame]

The secret to a great six-pack, is to reduce your body fat percentage, so that your abs are obvious and defined. If your body fat is too high, even if u kill yourself doing crunches it will not make any difference

I do know this and Im cool with my BF levels, Im just wondering how to up the intensity of crunches, so I can stay in a certain rep range.

 

[bman]

trying doing them on top of one of those huge exercise balls. its ****ing hard and really works them. i think its due to all the balancing involved.

 

[Knockout King]

If you're just looking to chisel your abs out then it's real simple, high reps is fine for that. 200 crunches a day should do the trick, that's what the lion's den fighters suggest and they all have nice packs. I myself prefer to do sit-ups while hanging upside down from my couch with my feet hooked behind it, that gives me a better workout than the crunches. Diet has a lot to do with it to, but abs are really fairly simple to build.

One thing you should try is concentrated crunches. Curl up slowly until you reach the point of greatest intensity and perform an isometric hold for 4 or 5 seconds then curl back down slowly. Works great for sit-ups or crunches, not sure about the leg raises though.

 

[California Love]

High weight and low reps.


Try an ab machine or stock those 45's on your chest. Stick under 15 reps.

 

[madgame]

what do you mean by 45s? weight plates? if so do you think its better to stick them on your chest than hold them behind your head? cause I think when I hold them behind my head its more effective..jst feels that way

 

[bman]

Originally posted by madgame
what do you mean by 45s? weight plates? if so do you think its better to stick them on your chest than hold them behind your head? cause I think when I hold them behind my head its more effective..jst feels that way

thats bad to do things behind your head. i think it ****s up your rotator cuffs.

 

[Jay26]

To get defined for me I had to push myself a lot harder... a.) cardio almost every day (cycling in my case), weighted reps and I had to REALLY watch what I ate, which got reduced to virtually nothing really, but hey, I got the result. I guess it comes easier for some ppl. The one thing I wanted to avoid was getting abs put losing a lot of bulkiness, but I think I managed to avoid that pretty well, though eating less does take a bit off your size, but it's a good trade all up.

Now I'm just pissed cos it's Summer and none of my friends want to go to the beach (cos they all got manboobs) and my six pack is going to waste!!!!

 

[madgame]

Let me clarify one thing again: Im not asking how to get a "visible" sixpack (for which you need to have a low body fat percentage), Im just wondering how to up the intensity of crunches. (Thats why I put "big abs" and not "well-defined abs" or something)

 

[Neo]

ZERCHER SQUATS

those will work your core pretty damn hard