Abs work plus page

[ez2cy]

Mark talks about the PBF as doing a lot of low level stuff like walking 2-5 hours a week, sprinting once every week/10days and doing the 4 basic exercises a couple times a week.

I've always heard the your abs are the only muscle you can work everyday. NOt sure if that is right or not. My abs are really bad and my muscle in my upper body has been lost in the last few years.

Any problem with doing abs every other day along with some sort of resistance for arms etc?

Thanks in advance

[FlyingPig]

I'm no fitness expert but it's not a great secret that abs are NOT made by working them every day. It's all about losing the body fat first, anything else is irrelevant or premature. If the measurements in your sig are current, you first need to lose the fat before even thinking of targeting your abs. Eat primally, do squats, pull-ups and deadlifts a few times a week, and see where you are in 4 months time.

[ez2cy]

I know I won't see them with my gut...LOL....but can't a person still work them to build them up so when you lose the fat, you have them?

[sbhikes]

It doesn't work to do ab exercises, at least not after a couple months. What does work is to pick up heavy stuff, do pullups, pushups and planks. 10 months of abs twice a week (it wasn't endless crunches, but there was usually a set of situps or crunches in with the other stuff) only made me a teensy bit stronger. Two weeks of really trying super hard to do a pullup plus doing planks, squats and military presses among other things and I swear I can see my abs way better and I can feel they are getting hard. Two weeks, only 6 sessions total. That's all so far and I see progress.

[ez2cy]

So you were doing the 4 exercises 3x/week sbhikes?

[Goldie]

Ez, if you're doing PB Fitness, the plank is an abs+ workout!

But pushups, squats, and pullups all also work the abs. (If you don't think the other exercises work the abs, try doing them when your abs are sore!) And if you're looking for adding in an arms workout, that's what the pushups and pullups do.

Keep in mind that you have to be pretty low bodyfat % to have visible abs (for men, usually ~10% or less), and genetics also plays a part.

I'd say, just keep with the PBF plan, and when you get to a low enough bodyfat % to start seeing your abs, then you can decide if you want to do more!

If you are really determined to do more for your abs now, try hanging from the pullup position and draw your knees up to your elbows (repeatedly, like doing pullups). If you can't get your knees to your elbows, just draw them up as far as you can. A few sets of these will make your abs sore, and then you can see how the other exercises also use abs!

[primalrob]

you're pretty much working your abs with every exercise you do. making those abs stronger to have a six-pack once the fat is gone is great, but the major reason to work them is because of how necessary a strong core is for just about everything you do. specifically targeting your abs through exercises like plank really just make you better at those other movements.
regardless of whether or not the abs 'can' be worked every day in that manner, i don't think it's a good idea. they get enough low level work that daily core work isn't necessary.

[ez2cy]

Some of the PBF I'm going to have to play with because I had full shoulder replacement in one arm and suppose to get the other one done.

I did the 4 exercises once this week, just did one set at the beginners and it was tough. I know I'll get better, but I was thinking more stuff like crunches, resisted crunchs etc might help. Also, I find the Bowflex easier to do. May not get as much done but....

Again, I'll have to play it by ear. or by abs I guess.

[primalrob]

Some of the PBF I'm going to have to play with because I had full shoulder replacement in one arm and suppose to get the other one done.

I did the 4 exercises once this week, just did one set at the beginners and it was tough. I know I'll get better, but I was thinking more stuff like crunches, resisted crunchs etc might help. Also, I find the Bowflex easier to do. May not get as much done but....

Again, I'll have to play it by ear. or by abs I guess.

i would actually put more focus on the lower body. master those squats. those muscles are bigger and used way more.

rather than crunches, think about reverse crunches, leg lifts, or anything that engages the entire core instead of just those front abdominals.

[Dirlot]

Crunches are not the best ab exercise out there.

Dont fall into the CW crapolla of endless crunches, hours of spin classes, and endless days of aerobics. Focus on the big exercises, walk, sprint and play. As others have said your abs are involved in every movement.