Aug
27
2009
What is a good TRUE abdominal exercise. Dont say situps or crunches?
Posted by Admin in Isometrics, tags: Ab Exercise, Abs, High Intensity
ubergeneral1 wanted to know:
Ok anyone with half a brain knows situps work your hip flexors, and crunches are just as retarded. I know that really seeing abs is more a function of having low body fat. I am in the process of losing that body fat though, and my abs are really coming in well. But I do want to build more muscle there.
What is a good HIGH INTENSITY AB EXERCISE. By high intensity I mean an exercise that I can do isometric or very low reps (3-6) and hit failure. Sorry if I come across as rude but 95% of the people on here have no clue what they are talking about. I would love to hear from someone with real bodybuilding experience
Ok anyone with half a brain knows situps work your hip flexors, and crunches are just as retarded. I know that really seeing abs is more a function of having low body fat. I am in the process of losing that body fat though, and my abs are really coming in well. But I do want to build more muscle there.
What is a good HIGH INTENSITY AB EXERCISE. By high intensity I mean an exercise that I can do isometric or very low reps (3-6) and hit failure. Sorry if I come across as rude but 95% of the people on here have no clue what they are talking about. I would love to hear from someone with real bodybuilding experience
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Try laying on your back and doing knee crosses. Cross your elbow to your opposite knee 10 times, then switch sides. Really works.!!!! 3-6 times will work too……I am overweight but my tummy is flat from doing this exercise.
Interesting tidbit, but the external obliques actally fire more during a pushup than they do a crunch. Depending on what part of the abdominals you wish to work, there are several different strategies you can employ. The internal obliques and rectus abdominus fire during crunches, and they are a valid exercise for that purpose, but the external obliques are better served during stabilization of the body during limb movement.
Intensifying abdominal exercise is largely related to lengthening the lever arm. As an example of a progression for this, I will use your hated crunches because it is a straightforward example. If crunches with the arms crossed become too easy, the arms can be moved to the head, and then above the head, then adding weight, etc. These same principles can be applied to exercises like bridging and planks (both of which are excellent isometric abdominal exercises)
The nice thing about planks and bridges is that you can set the intensity through duration and creation of an element of instability in the exercise, either through a ball, a wobble board, or if you are really lucky, a vibration platform. Movement of the limbs during isometrics also challenges the abdominals to maintain stability, which is their most important function.
Situps — anyone with half a brain would learn how to do them properly
I’m in the Army and Sit-ups are part of your physical fitness test. But the catch is they are about to get rid of them because new science has show sit up are worthless. All they do is create back strain, crunches in fact are a better workout of your abs then sit ups. All sit up workout out really is your groin area and a lil of your upper abs. The Perfect Sit Up machine they just came out with is a great tool for reaching all the areas of your abs. So is runnings, jumping rope, laughing, and being constipated. Seriously they work better at trimming abs then sit ups.
Be one the lookout out for any new sit up machines that hit the markets. Also wear a thermal belt when doing ab workouts they will give you greater cut. But yes lower abs are are the hardest parts to hit.