Thread: The Ab routine ....... help me create the best one out there!!!

I'm not going to lie, I hate working Abs!! I tend to bolt it onto the end of a session, ill do 2 or 3 sets of 2 exercises, and where I’m hanging from what ever muscle group im working ill be able to convince myself I’ve done enough work ... I'm not sure how many other people do that too.

With 8 weeks left, I really want to change that. I’m going to do 3 dedicated Abs sessions a week - but the truth is I think this will only work if I have 3 enjoyable Ab routine’s.

Routine 1 - After my SHOULDERS session in the gym
Routine 2 - Before my CHEST / TRICEP session in the gym
Routine 3 - Wed morning, during my Fartlek training session*

* I do this session near a park, so have access to a climbing frame etc for Hanging leg raises.

I think my 'Core' muscles are reasonably strong, I can hold the plank / bridge posistion for over 4 minutes, and 'best effort' I can bosh out 83 situps in 2 minutes.

The Point:

Help me write a routine that will allow me to get the most out of my abs in the next 8 weeks. It has to be fun, 1 of the 3 Ab sessions won’t be done in the gym.

What would your 3 routines be???????

Cheers

-CTP-

I'd still include core exercises mate.

I'd do Barbell Roll out- Very hard!...if you get good to it side to side, main point here is to keep your hips forward so you take the strain of your lumbar verterbrae.
Decline Sit ups with weights - 6-12reps/ 30s - 1min rest
Rope crunches on a high pulley - remember not to pull down with your arms, just contract your abs and let that bring the weight down 10-20reps/30s rest
Bent/ Straight leg raises - Hard exercise.
Roman Chairs.

Thats what i'd tp to be honest...you can train abs 4-5times a week if you want..alot of people argue they should be trained once or twice a week..but if i can dig out a guy on bodybuilding.com who trains abs everyday his abs are insane!!

I know i haven't given you a routine...just given you some ideas.

Good luck.

those are great exercises but if you only have a park at your dsposal some may be hard to incorporate. i agree incorporating a heavy exercise is important but i also like to jsut kill them with really high reps.

i do:

30 seconds crunches
30 seconds laid on back holding legs out straight, a few inches off the floor
30 seconds crunches
30 seconds legs out
30 seconds crunches
30 seconds legs out

it really starts to burn by the end of it. build it up each week until you can do 60 seconds of each one.

Cheers guys

AC, 2 of the Ab sessions Im going to do in the gym, its only 1 of the 3 im going to do in the morning (in the park).

what about
25 crunches
1 min bicycles (there fun )
floor leg raises lowering slowly for 4 seconds and then 2 seconds up
hanging straight leg raises x 10
plank ( since your pretty good at them)

and repeat.

that should only take a little longer than your workout so will keep it nice and short and can be done outside during your fartlek session. too make it harder take a lower weight med ball with you about 5kg for the floor and hanging leg raises.

Josh - I dont think I have the mental capacity or endurance to do Abs more than 3 times a week. Working them 7 times a week must give him a set of Abs that look like a dairy milk chocolate bar - pretty defind and bulding. Im just trying to find a trunk at the moment lol

So what is about the right amount to try and incorperate into an Abs session, AC's suggestion look very similiar to a circuits routine (time based). Im just wary that i might end up over training them lol ... if thats possible?

Well, based on what i said before, this guy hammers his abs everyday..there very thick, dense and shredded too.
Remember everyone is different though, you will just have to see how you get on.
Good luck though.

i do abs once a year and mine are dense, thick and shredded too lol.

Adam..ill make it my duty to find his bodyspace on bodybuildin.com and you can compare. haha

Originally Posted by -AC-

i do abs once a year and mine are dense, thick and shredded too lol.

Sounds like my head after a heavy dead lift session!

My choice moves are
Weighted jack Knife, cable crunch, side planks and decline crunch.
You could hang by your legs from the climbing frame and do a hanging crunch.