working your abs

[Joe Brausch]

I was courious what other's do for ab work.I do weighted sit ups. sometimes on a incline board sometimes flat on the ground. sometimes with a 45 lb plate on my chest for as many reps as possible. sometimes sets of 5 with as much as 6 , 45 lb plates.anybody else do heavyweighted situp's for low reps like this? or what else do you do . the other day after going heavy my gut's did'nt feel right for the next 24 hours. not the muscle but my guts.I not sure if i'm smart doing these or not. thanks for any input

[DaneGarreau]

I just started doing pulldown abs, they are awesome.

[AaRoNSnider]

I also just started doing pulldown abs,and like them alot.We also do leg raises,low pulley sit ups,sit ups with a weight held behind the head,or sit ups on the hyper bench..with or without weight.I try hard to focus on using my abs,instead of letting the hip flexors(??)do alot of the work..especially on leg raises.
Every once in a while Ill do a few crunches after I cant do any more sit ups.I know alot of people feel that sit ups wont do much good for a heavy lifter,but they hit my abs different than sit ups,so I figure it cant hurt every once in a while.Also,as weird as it might sound,throughout the day Ill walk around keeping a solid midsection,like I would when doing a big lift.This honestly feels like its doing alot of good.
You could always beat your midsection with a stick like Louie Simmons :)

[james rude]

i like to lay face up on an elitefts.com style glute ham bench with the pad on the lower part of my glutes. i choke a band around the base at the point which is almost directly below my head in this position. i hold the band up on my forehead and do situps like that. it's one bad mother.

of course that's just one of many.

[Brendan]

front squats without a belt work abs well for me, I can always feel it there the next day. In addition to weighted decline situps, sometimes weighted hanging leg raises (put a dumbell between the feet), and weighted side bends.

[Kÿle Vezeau]

I do mostly decline sit ups with an EZ curl bar (and some weight) across my upper chest, but I also switch it up sometimes by holding some mini bands out at arms length running parralel to my body and do sit ups from there, once erect the arms end up strait out in front of the chest. This doesnt allow for ANY momentum.

I also do satanic sit ups, where you hold a bar at arms length as if you've just completed a decline bench press, start to sit up, as you move up you have to slowly bring the bar into a locked out over head position or else gravity will take it's toll and you drop the bar. In order to keep good form you have to use a weight that IS TOO heavy to forward raise/static hold.

Hope this stuff is new to you ! ;)

[patrick w.]

can some one please explain "pulldown abs"??

[james rude]

"Pull Down Abs: Begin by placing a rope or leather tricep handle on the lat pulldown machine. face away from the machine and grab the rope behind your head with both hands. Perform the movement in the same motion as a deadlift. Start by pushing your abs out then tighten them as hard as you can. Bend over at the waist until your torso goes below parallel to the floor. Reverse the motion in the same manner. "

-Elitefts.com exercise description section

they are like those kneeling cable crunches bodybuilders do, only with heavy weights and feet on the floor.

[patrick w.]

thank you james rude

[SqeezeMasterFlash]

I'm partial to hanging leg raises myself. That and squatting and deadlifting without a belt. Overhead squats and squatting behind neck presses work well too. I've got a pulley now, so I'll probably try pull down abs

[Callie Marunde]

squat and front squats... may sound funny but lunges or walking lunges too( you gotta stay tight or you will fall over)

CM

[DaneGarreau]

Yea, aside from all my direct ab work, I do all of my accessory movments without a belt. Doing this + direct ab work= a very strong midsection, IMO.

[Chris Brock]

Hey Joe! How are you? I hope to get back to Cincy this July. Maybe we can train again like the old days?

I have always thought that doing your heavy excercises like fw, yoke, stones, overhead, squats, and DL's without a belt were good. If you use bands or chains on your squats, I found that helps as well.

Why you asking? Last time I saw you, your 'core' was looking pretty stout!?!?!! :eek: LOL!

[jonboy]

Im an advocate of the Pulldown Abs, Started doing them in december when a friend showed me them and I think they helped straighten out my weak ab problem. I do them heavy for maybe 8-10 reps on my heavy squat day. Also I do weighted crunches on the floor/decline bench. For football when we do abs we do a lot of planks, side twists, feet in air touching toes, crunches, etc - A lot of bodyweight stuff.

[MarshallWhite]

I really enjoy the ab wheel I am working on doing it from a standing position right now (almost there). they hurt like a mother the next day though so I keep the reps low and finish with hanging leg raises holding onto a fat bar that way I get a little extra grip work as well.

[Micah B.]

I really enjoy the ab wheel I am working on doing it from a standing position right now (almost there). they hurt like a mother the next day though so I keep the reps low and finish with hanging leg raises holding onto a fat bar that way I get a little extra grip work as well.


i totally agree with using the ab wheel. i love using mine and the results have been great.

[gregcook]

Joe
I also do weighted sit ups both straight legged and spread eagle flat on the ground. I get a barbell and hold it like a zercher. I've gone over 500 and trying to get back over 6 again. I've been doing these for over 10 years now. I also go heavy on side bends too. I don't go heavy every week but mix in hanging legups to top of power rack, standing situps on a lat pulldown, inclined legups on a 60 degree incline.

And that feeling in your gut, I know what you mean. My stomach felt that way just the other day when I went heavy, but goes away after a day or 2.
Greg (saw you at master nationals last year)

[Ryan Phillips]

anyone tried snatch squats? they're crazy on the abs.

just hold a weighted barbell above ur head like u've just snached it and squat all the way past parallel.

give it a try

[SqeezeMasterFlash]

Overhead squats are a great stability exercise, but I don't feel they directly target the abs. I think direct ab work, direct lower back work, and overhead squats have a place in a training program.

[Bob Feeney]

I do OH squat regaularly, and snatch balance or drop snatches. They are great for stability, strengthening the core,IMO. Not to mention the shoulder gridle.

I'm big now-adays on the grappler. Mike Miller turned me on to this, pain in the ass, piece of equipment. But it works the abs and the entrie core.

[Joe Brausch]

greg cook, good to hear from you. thats great stuff and what i wanted to hear. i just did'nt know if i was doing damage to my self.

[ClayEdgin]

Great thread. Being able to pick the minds of top strongmen is very cool. My core is a weakness so I should be doing some of these things too.