Need advice on abs!!
 

I think I am doing my abs wrong. I do 3 sets of crunches and 3 of backward crunches ( I follow what is in the BRx book.) I don't feel a burn even when I do 100 of the regular crunches. Last nite, I held them for 3 seconds each and I still didn't feel a burn. With the reverse ones, I put the bench on a slant, and I could only do 25, but this morning my lower back is sore so I think I did them wrong.

Any advice? I want to get the most out of my abs, but I need help!! :strong:

Thanks

Robin:cb:

me and a friend were arguing about how many times per week the abs should be worked. according to the BRX book, only once. however, her trainer told her 3 times a week. what says the FORUM??????

Well, BRx says only once per week for each area, not just abs.

I am just trying to figure out how to work them better.

Robin:cb:

I work them when I do cardio...after my cardio. So for me, that would be 2-3 times a week.

Of course I know you've heard this one about 1,203,309 times...

"abs are made in the kitchen" :lol: SO TRUE.

Anyway...speaking personally...I find I get more of a burn if I concentrate on my ab muscles when I'm crunching or whatever. Here are a few of my personal ab tips...

1) While crunching, try and push your belly button to the floor...and keep it there...know what I mean? :)

2) I hold a five-pound weight behind my head when doing floor crunches - when I'm using the Roman chair I hold the weight (or a medicine ball) at my waist.

3) I don't rest between sets.

I bought one of those exercise balls. I do my ab work lying on it. I've had great results and no back pain. It cradles my lower back and I can also extend back further reaching a burn in my muscles.

mamawren - i was just about to say that!

I love my exercise ball! It makes me engage all my muscles for balance (or else I would fall off the ball) and it really makes me concentrate on just my abs.

http://members.warpnet.net/lnpetty/abbootcamp.htm

Give you some ideas :) If you do THIS once a week Im sure it will be fine hehe

I was doing it before but I havnet in the last while (lazy).

Tidey

Robin -

I've read that when you work abs you really have to consider the whole trunk area - lower back, obliques and the traditional front 'abs'. You may want to target all three of these areas using any of the suggestions above - especially lower back. I find doing hyperextentions (for lower back) plus abs works well for me.

Another good exercise, can't remember what they called it, is for trunk stabilization, and is lying flat on your stomach on the mat, then raising up on your bent elbows and toes while keeping your whole torso as flat as a board. Holding that for 60 seconds will certainly give you a burn...

BethO

hi Robin

i sent you a private message with a great website link.

good luck :D

adriana

Using an excercise ball works great and works your whole core. I find it helps me keep good form. I rarely got sore before I started using one.

And, yep, abs are made in the kitchen, so think about that when those Red foods start to call your name! :)

Ok.....call me dense......but what does it mean "great abs are made in the kitchen?"

Sorry......I have not heard that one before!!

Robin

Originally Posted by :
Originally posted by RobinBeBe
Ok.....call me dense......but what does it mean "great abs are made in the kitchen?"

Abs don't show up until your BF% is pretty low. The only way to get there is by eating clean. You can work your abs hard but if you eat too much Red/free day food and don't stay on plan, all the great workouts in the world won't get you good abs.

Hello - I don't follow the BRx or Body for Life; but I have had great results doing the Gilad exercise tapes, along with reduced calories. The tapes that I do are the "Step and Tone", and the "45/45 Split Routine for Arms, Abs, Legs".

Holly, from the "Doin' it the Old Fashioned Way" thread

Holy Holly, :lol: are those your abs??

I'm so glad you asked... because I'm really curious myself!

Originally Posted by :
Originally posted by Lanaii1
Holy Holly, :lol: are those your abs??

I am proud to say yep, that's me, flexing as I'm holding up my 450 pound Shadow :D

Truly, the part about "abs made in the kitchen" also applied to me. Last August, I had come to a point where I had lost about 30 pounds, but wasn't seeing any real muscly development. Then I went down a couple more pounds, still keeping up with the consistent exercise; and my body was finally at a point where I had lost enough fat so that the emerging muscles were becoming visible.

I've worked really hard all winter to keep going, and am rewarded every day when my husband asks if I've "added another can to my six-pack" :lol:

Sincerely,
Holly

Holly Rocks!!!
 

Holly!!!! So glad to see you here!!

This woman is my mentor!! She just rocks!! Muscles and bikes are the two sexiest things on earth!!

No use losing all that fat if you don't have anything underneath to show off eh???

:grouphug:

I am still looking for the first can of my 6 pack... it is there, I can feel it!!!

Nola.

Holly,

You do rock. Man O' Man what great abs.


Sel:lol:

Dang Holly,

Are you sure you didn't play the stunt double for Sarah Conner in T2? Those are some awesome abs!

Oh my god, Holly, you've just become my hero. I wanna be just like you when I grow up!! :lol: I even have this as my goal after the weight is gone, and the tummy is tucked...

Marian's Goal

Make that a purple one, please. :D

Golly (blushing) thank you, ladies!:D

Hi, 'nola!!!! you lifting dude-ette you! :lol:

RavenToy, having a motorcycle/learning to ride a motorcycle is a fantastic goal to work towards! The Shadow Spirit is a mighty cool cruiser, isn't it. And while browsing some showrooms, I've seen some way cool stock paint, such as purple with teardrops on the tank...:smoking: :smoking:

Holly - I used to ride a long time ago. A few things happened that scared me off bikes, I'm sad to say. I recently met a great lady who is a biker, along with her husband. She rides a Suzuki Marauder and her hubby rides a Harley, but I'm not sure what model. She's 49, and has raised her two girls and is now all about living life with a vengeance. She and I talked a lot, and she made me realize I'm not dead yet. She made a perfect point to me when she said "I lost two family members in a really bad car accident, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop driving a car, does it?" I realized that I was just letting fear stop me from enjoying something I loved for a long time. So now... it's time to set some goals and LIVE! :D It might take some time to get the money accumulated, but for now, it's my desktop pic, and I keep on dreaming. I haven't even looked at the bikes in the showrooms yet. But soon.