Ab Workout Question

Hi guys, I’m currently on a split program where I work-out 4 days a week; Monday, tuesday, thursday and saturday with abs performed every day after the other muscle groups. Now my question is this: Will it be too much if I also do resistance free ab exercises on the off-days?

As of the last few days my abs have been sore so I’ve cut down a bit on those ab exercises. Or should I just train through the soreness and stop the whining?

[quote]JBR wrote:
Hi guys, I’m currently on a split program where I work-out 4 days a week; Monday, tuesday, thursday and saturday with abs performed every day after the other muscle groups. Now my question is this: Will it be too much if I also do resistance free ab exercises on the off-days?

As of the last few days my abs have been sore so I’ve cut down a bit on those ab exercises. Or should I just train through the soreness and stop the whining?[/quote]

Would it be too much work if you did unweighted squats or push-ups or pull-ups on your “off days” too? Or some light barbell curls or pressdowns? :wink:

Of course it depends on your overall goal, but generally, you want to keep your off days off. I wouldn’t train through sore abs, because you need to let them recover so they don’t effect your other exercises. Like Mitch said, the abs are involved in a bunch of other exercises.

I’d keep the ab work on your four training days, no more, but try alternating the types of exercises. Monday and Thursday do a trunk flexion exercise (some kind of crunch), Tuesday and Saturday work trunk rotation (some kind of twist). Just one exercise per day.