Abs

i currently do twice a week ab training. I’m 6’1" 175lb 6 % bodyfat. I do 3 sets of decline situps 25 reps each. 3x30 flat crunches. 3x20 side crunches. It seems as if I am in an ab plateu. For the past couple months no difference in strength or appearance has shown, but the rest of my body continues to grow. I tried doing different ab exercises but none seem to burn as bad as these. What should I do to stimulate growth and continue strengthening my stomach. thanks.

Like any other muscle add more load those endless set just aint going to cut it WEIGHT bro lower rep more load.

You sound like a holocaust victim.

Eat dude.

[quote]Phill wrote:
Like any other muscle add more load those endless set just aint going to cut it WEIGHT bro lower rep more load.[/quote]

I definitely second this. Weighted exercises in the 6-10 rep range should kickstart something. My personal favorite is a full contact twist, done for 4x4.

[quote]hokejka wrote:
For the past couple months no difference in strength or appearance has shown, but the rest of my body continues to grow. I tried doing different ab exercises but none seem to burn as bad as these.[/quote]
You can either keep on trying to “feel the burn”…or…you can switch to a decent ab/core routine.

Here’s one classic program from Christian Thibaudeau, Ab Training For Athletes and Babehounds 2K3:
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459658

6’1 175??

I’m 6’1 215 and just now beginning to get the abs I have wanted. You are going to need some quality muscle on you before you get the abs that you want.

Flat abs will always be just that, flat. You will not get nice visable abs without weighted training for them. You have to treat them like every other muscle in the body.

Oooh. I can hear Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda now: “Feel it! Feel the burn”. Did you ever think about the fact that if, IF, your bodyfat % is accurate, you might not have any muscle there to begin with? You do heavy weights to make the rest of your body grow, do you think your abs are any different (unless you NEED ridiculous ab endurance for a sport of…some…kind.)?

Here’s what you do. You do NOTHING HIGHER than 10 reps a set. In fact, you should throw in some 5 rep sets. You do more compound exercises. Maybe you throw in overhead squats assuming your flexibility is up to par. for a backoff week you throw some light sets of 20 around. That ought to fix your issues in a few months. Sorry to be a dick. It just seems that people’s heads burrow up their arses when it comes to ab training. They just stop thinking.

thanks boys i appreciate it. i do have my head up my ass when it comes to ab training. so what do you think i should do? take a weight plate and hold it behind my head when i do situps, crunches, etc?

[quote]hokejka wrote:
so what do you think i should do? take a weight plate and hold it behind my head when i do situps, crunches, etc?[/quote]

Thats one of many simply add weight /resistance to ab exercises/ Hold a Plate or DB high on your chest or shoulders. Hold a db UP above your face and crunch. Hold a db with you legs and do leg raises. Put a few plates on your back and do planks. do hevay DB side bends, suit case wlaks Over head weight holds, wood choopers, weighted cable crunches,.etc etc.

Phill

mix it up the exercises and loads

[quote]hokejka wrote:
thanks boys i appreciate it. i do have my head up my ass when it comes to ab training. so what do you think i should do? take a weight plate and hold it behind my head when i do situps, crunches, etc?[/quote]

Read the replies you get…

Do this:
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459658

If the swiss ball exercises there are too easy, hold a plate above your head with arms stretched and keep it in line with your body so you’re working your abs and not just holding a plate. The rest just load up to specifications.

Easy.

Christian Thibaudeau wrote a really good one, variations but i can’t recall the name. He looks like he’s going to destroy a man in one of the pictures

[quote]MODOK wrote:
What the hell is an “Ab Plateau”?[/quote]

Almost sounds like something you’d find on the ideal physique. You know? If I get low enough bodyfat, then I’ll be able to see 6 ab plateaus. Right now, I can only see the top two ab plateaus.

:slight_smile:

As for what exercises to do…like the guys have been saying…choose a few movements and apply resistance using any means (plates, cables, bands, dumbbells) and limit the reps per set to the 4-10 range (while avoiding failure). It’s really not rocket surgery or brain science.

[quote]Colucci wrote:
MODOK wrote:
What the hell is an “Ab Plateau”?

Almost sounds like something you’d find on the ideal physique. You know? If I get low enough bodyfat, then I’ll be able to see 6 ab plateaus. Right now, I can only see the top two ab plateaus.

:slight_smile:

As for what exercises to do…like the guys have been saying…choose a few movements and apply resistance using any means (plates, cables, bands, dumbbells) and limit the reps per set to the 4-10 range (while avoiding failure). It’s really not rocket surgery or brain science.[/quote]

Damn, rocket surgery. Gotta try that once.:slight_smile: While we’re on the topic of surgery, abdominal etching sounds interesting, but adding some weight would probably be preferable in this case.

Whatever happened to squats and deadlifts?

[quote]kevbo wrote:
Whatever happened to squats and deadlifts?[/quote]

Thats a given. were talking direct ab/core work you can squat and DL all you want you still need to hit he abs HEAVY and it will aid your squat and DL.

Phill