Abdominal

[Laborn]

Ok they are there, they are hard, but not hard enough i want to make them harder, i work on my abdominal 5 days a week 2 times a day, for over a year now, but they are just not hard enough, i want them rock hard, do i have to use heavier resistance? like weights? because all i use is my own natural body weight.

 

[arnisador]

You can do pretty well with your own body weight. Be sure to go slow, and hold the contraction briefly. Add weights is you like though!

 

[Navarre]

Abs are a muscle group that can be worked all the time, any time. Even when sitting at home you can contract and hold tension in the muscles. I would do extended sets throughout the day and add weights during your actual workout routine.

Be aware of your diet as well, pushing a lot of protein. Beyond that, I would say that whatever results you achieve will be your full potential.

 

[Brother John]

Make sure you are doing exercises that target the different sections, the rectus abdominus, serratus, obliques....
upper
lower...
etc.

But also: remember to work your lower back. Often time to make one muscle group stronger, the BEST thing you can do is to strengthen the muscle groups that oppose them.
Do more stiff legged deadlifts.

Your Brother
John

 

[Corporal Hicks]

Ok they are there, they are hard, but not hard enough i want to make them harder, i work on my abdominal 5 days a week 2 times a day, for over a year now, but they are just not hard enough, i want them rock hard, do i have to use heavier resistance? like weights? because all i use is my own natural body weight.

You dont need to do that! Abdominal muscles should be worked at maximum three days a week, and once a day! Adominal muscles are no different from any other muscles. Your not seeing results because your overworking them and/or not doing exercises properly!

Change the type of workout that your doing and make sure you do them properly! e.g. a situp is not done by touching your chestto your knees, instead you only slightly lift your head off the floor making your that your abdominals work, now thats got alot more tension that doing a 'full' situp!

I wouldnt quite agree Navarre about being able to work them all time any time unless you are just referring to tension and contraction, because abdominal work shouldnt be done everyday!

Abdominal muscles are built more for endurance than power. Abdominal muscles have a combination of both fast-twitch muscle fibers and slow twitch, you want to target the fast twitch which is what you do. However they need time to recover. Give it a day between workouts!

Good luck, regards

 

[shesulsa]

If you're trying to make your abs harder so that you can take a hit there easily and not get hurt, get a partner to start hitting you there - comfortably at first, then build up to harder and harder. Be sure they are NOT punching you in the ribs or below the belt line, rather the center of the abdomen.

Good luck.

 

[Shirt Ripper]

Work them three to five times a week. Abdominal muscles are "soft" muscle tissue and used regularly (i.e. walking) and thus can indeed be worked often. Mix up your workout with everything from higher reps sets to lower numbers with heavy resistance. Also, work the trunk of the body (or the whole body) as a whole (system).
Some recommendations:
Bent leg sit-ups, decline bent-leg sit-ups, prone hyper-extensions, pull-downs, weighted side bends, hanging leg lifts.

Bigger exercises:
Squat, Deadlift, OVERHEAD SQUAT, overhead pressing with heels together (try them with one arm).

ALWAYS keep a good clean diet.

The possibilities are endless, friend.

 

[Laborn]

i have routines i do in my yard and i have posts and pads all over the place for my training. I mostly do lower ab situps, and higher, i dont think i ever do the obliques, how do i work them out?

 

[Icewater]

If you're trying to make your abs harder so that you can take a hit there easily and not get hurt, get a partner to start hitting you there - comfortably at first, then build up to harder and harder. Be sure they are NOT punching you in the ribs or below the belt line, rather the center of the abdomen.

Good luck.

Shesulsa has the right of it. I prefer to do this while doing the situps.

 

[Corporal Hicks]

You know I never understood why people feel the need to work their abdominals more than three times a week and why others consider it a different muscle to others?
You leg muscles more of job than your stomach, or equal to, do you feel the need to do them more that 3 times a week?
Most abdominal books I've read seem to quote that 3 times a week is the maximum!
Its not a different muscle to others, something tell me why it is? I would like to get this straight!

 

[Shirt Ripper]

You know I never understood why people feel the need to work their abdominals more than three times a week and why others consider it a different muscle to others?
You leg muscles more of job than your stomach, or equal to, do you feel the need to do them more that 3 times a week?
Most abdominal books I've read seem to quote that 3 times a week is the maximum!
Its not a different muscle to others, something tell me why it is? I would like to get this straight!

I do "ab specific" maybe 3 times a week.

Think of it this way, the muscles in the abdominal cavity are nearly constantly being worked and thus by nature can handle a greater volume of training that, say, that of the shoulder girdle.
In comparison, I do a tremendous amount of specialized grip work. This can be done daily and even more often than that. Just think of how often you use your hands and the like. Simply by nature they are designed and accustomed to great amounts of stress.
In both instances, however, it can get out of hand (pardon the pun).
Whether or not matching your chosen workload with what is humanly possible is wise or even efficient is another issue.

 

[Laborn]

Thank you all!

 

[Eternal Beginner]

Shesulsa has the right of it. I prefer to do this while doing the situps.

You can do this really well with a partner and a medicine ball. As you are on the 'down' of the sit up they drop the ball on your contracted abs and you lift the ball back up to them.