Abdomnial Development

[j_rugby]

recently i've been doing an ab routine right after lifitng in the gym, and cruches at home on my day off, although i have noticed a difference, i've heard from some people it's ok to do abs everyday, and others saying you should do it every other day for optimal development... which one is correct?


also if you have any great tips for abs feel free to let me know.

[gymBum]

Hey whats up

I do my abs every day but I have heard of alternating. In arnold's encyclopedia of modern bodybuilding his programs promote doing your abs every day.

This is interesting tho, i will check out the benefits of alternating days.

[Chris]

Your abs are just like every other muscle in your body. You need to stimulate them through stress and work, then give them time to recover for rest and growth. And just like other body parts, you need to vary your ab training routines every 4-8 weeks for continued development.

If you're training them hard enough and really overloading your abs with each workout, I would not train them any more than twice per week. Training them any more than that may give you a quick result, with too much added stress for long peroids will result in overtraining and lessen your results as well as weaken your core on other lifts throughout the week. Your abs need time to rest & recover just like every other body part for growth.

But, remember, although training your abs will make them bigger and stronger, it won't make them anymore visible. Getting that six-pack and tight mid-section is a matter of cutting bodyfat levels and that is accomplished through your diet and cardiovascular excercise. So, don't think doing extra ab work will help you shed fat from your midsection, cause it won't!

[Shwa']

I started out with my Abbs about every day until they were really defined they way I wanted them to be. Now I do them about every other day after a workout because as long as I know their in excellent form then I wont have to worry about them. I also cut my routine down a bit ebcause sometimes I would get really bad cramps if I did them one day after another and then it would get to the point where I could hardly life up my body when doing crunches.

The only real reason I do it one day after another would be if I ate a lot and saw my belly get a small pouch, then I work it out like crazy.

[j_rugby]

thanks for the advice, currently all i have been doing for my abs are ball crunches, oblique twists and side cruches. Just wondering if you had any helpful hits or even a great ab plan you wouldn't mind sharing.

[gymBum]

i just made a new thread for this tip but here is a great way to rock your abs during your next workout - getting the most out of your abdominal workout

more to come as time allows

[gymBum]

Originally Posted by Schwa'

The only real reason I do it one day after another would be if I ate a lot and saw my belly get a small pouch, then I work it out like crazy.

Remember you can't do spot reduction fat loss, by working your abs when getting the pouch you will get bigger/stronger abs, but the best way to remove the pouch and show the abs is to drop your bodyfat levels (be it cardio or whatever you do)

[Coug4482]

you can work your abs everyday. Your abs are used through out the entire day, working them out everyday can be done. But like shwa said, do'em everyday until you get them the way you want, then just maintain

[rucknmaul]

i actually work my abs once a week. the key to abs showing is nutrition.