Ab workout

[Rascus]

Besides cutting down on weight to help bring the muscles out what do you all do for Ab workout?

I'm pretty limited in what I can do since I work out at home but any suggestions would help.

Right now I do ab crunches for the top part and leg lifts for my lower parts. I'm probably going to throw in some decline sit-ups as well. I need something though to focus on my obliques more then anything.

I don't necessarily want a 6 pack but I definitely want it toned solid.

Thoughts?

[coronadozx]

you don' continue with navy tradition and do scissor kicks?

for abs, i do 10 minutes each workout day. and it varies.

standard crunches
leg lifts, and i really concentrate on my form
side to side crunches (meaning i'll come up off the floor and go side-to-side touching the heels of my feet)
obligue crunches (upper body lying flat on the deck, then both knees turned either right/left)
V crunches (legs up in the air straight and as i lift my upper body, i lift my pelvis off the deck)
leg lowers (feet straight up and slowly drop them down until i feel my lower back starting to come off the deck)
reverse crunches


edit: oh, and my set/reps goal is 3 sets of 15-20 reps (for the upper abs, i can get the 20, but for the lower abs, i can get to about 15 before my form fails me)

[Rascus]

Do you have a picture for these two.

side to side crunches (meaning i'll come up off the floor and go side-to-side touching the heels of my feet)
obligue crunches (upper body lying flat on the deck, then both knees turned either right/left)

[coronadozx]

no ... but i'll see if i can find something on the net.

for the obligue crunches, basically what you want is to keep your upper torso flat on the deck, and then pull your knees to your chest, then just rotate your hips to the side, putting your legs on the ground. in this position, lift your torso as if you were doing a regular crunch but with your legs rotated and rested on the ground you are targeting your obligues a little better. does that make sense?

[coronadozx]

for the side to side, it is similar to the russian twist on this website: Ab workout

but instead of keeping your hands in the air together and twisting, i keep my hands straight in the air and then touch my right heel with my right hand then left heel w/ left hand.

[thelazyone]

Originally Posted by Rascus

Do you have a picture for these two.

side to side crunches (meaning i'll come up off the floor and go side-to-side touching the heels of my feet)
obligue crunches (upper body lying flat on the deck, then both knees turned either right/left)

Rascus, just google ab workout. You'll find ton's of ab stuff on the net.

[Rascus]

yea but everything that comes up there is stuff you can buy on line or have to register or something.

looking for some real world experience and uses.

[binx_19]

floor sweepers using smith machine, i am not coordinated enough to use just a flat bench, i will post a picture tomorrow when i get home

so what you do is lay on your back, like bench press, have 135 pounds on the bar, and lift you legs off the ground, try to keep them straight and bring your toes to touch the plate on the left side, return legs to laying extended position and bring you toes to the right plate, extend you legs and that is one rep, do 10.

[thelazyone]

Top 10 Most Effective Ab Exercises

[Goin Ape Nutz]

i love ab workouts

there's a ton you can do, but i'll just give you what i do when i'm bored at home and don't want to go to the gym.

crunches. good ol' fashioned crunches. I got myself a physio ball from walmart and i do crunches on those too, but good ol fashioned crunches rock. focus on keeping the lower back on the floor when you bring your ribs to your hips.

hip rolls/leg lifts/flutters. hip rolls are done on the back, legs off the floor bent 90* at the knee. keeping your lower back on the ground, bring your hips to your ribs (so your knees end up over your chest, with feet pointed towards the roof). Leg lifts should be self explanatory, keep the back on the ground, hands under the but if you need support. Flutters are leg raises done one leg at a time and more rapidly. the feet in either of those exercises should never go back to the floor until you are done with your set.

bridging. I guess i kind of cheated here... i did these in a physiology lab and got to see the activity my muscles get when I do these, and i'll never go away from them. google the term if it's new to you, they are also called 'planks' in yoga and some other circles, but it's simply holding yourself in the 'up' position of a push-up, but resting on your elbows, not your hands. Keep the elbows below the shoulders. this is a general core exercise and will work all layers of the abdominal group along with the obliques and posterior chain. if you have back problems, you might want to check with your doctor before you do these, or do them with caution and stop if it's too painful. Weak muscles can lead to bad curves in your lower back which can cause the pain.

windshield wipers. most people do these hanging from a bar. I don't, mainly cause it hurts my shoulder (long story..). laying on your back, raise your legs so your feet are pointed towards the ceiling (bent knees is ok, work on getting flexible enough to keep them straight). you can support your lower back with hands under your but, then lower the legs to the right and left while keeping your heels together... like a windshield wiper :p

I also got a 35lb dumbell from walmart which I'll use for various exercises, but it's good for doing side bends for a concentrated oblique workout. Situps are also a classic, but will tend to work more hip flexors than abs (as opposed to crunches that is).

There's so much you can do at home to get 'in shape' with little to no money spent, who needs a gym these days ;)

[binx_19]

you should also try the Isometric Prone:

feet in push up position, elbows on the ground and hands in praying position, keep elbows at 90 degree angle, hold position for about 30 seconds.

[tvetree]

alternating toe touches(windmills) with a bar/broomstick across your shoulders held by the palms of your hands.Do them slow, NO bouncing,this will balance everything else you are doing and strentghen the bits that hold the rest in place.

Dips using 3 chairs.Place feet on one,use the other two for your hands,slowly drop& slowly raise back up.Not for AB's you say...Do a few with your crunches and get back to it.

[Goin Ape Nutz]

Originally Posted by binx_19

you should also try the Isometric Prone:

feet in push up position, elbows on the ground and hands in praying position, keep elbows at 90 degree angle, hold position for about 30 seconds.

this is more typically called bridging or 'planks' in yoga terms.

[RRRR6]

my suggestions is buy this

Amazon.com: Swiss Ball: For Strength, Tone and Posture: Books: Maureen Flett

[mdierker]

the best ab workout i have found is ab ripper X from the p90X series. im not normaly one for the videos but this one kicks my ass everytime i have been doing it for about 3 weeks on and off and can see results already. and dont buy it download it the whole set is like 200 bucks