# Abs



## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

Looking for some help on making my abs a lot larger, thicker, wider and stronger. Basically i've neglected them for so long, months and months never doing them. Just always couldn't be bothered, lazy attitude as you can see. Basically my chest, back, shoulders are all rather huge compared to my stomach, everyone says i've got such a large chest, back, shoulders what not and it looks really good, but then my abs theres nothing to say there, so im asking anyone with a good rack of abs if they could help me out here on developing much larger abs that stick right out, defined, thick etc.

Appreciate it, thanks.


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## The_Kernal (Apr 5, 2008)

you gotta hit them hard due, train mine everother day.

Are you cutting or bulking? how much ya weigh and how tall?

Bodyfat? and can you make them out yet??


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## PHHead (Aug 20, 2008)

Do 4 sets of 50 crunches every time you work out, do it with a 5-7.5kg wieght on your chest, do 2 sets of normal crunches and 2 sets of the ones for your obliques.............and if it doesn't hurt your doing it wrong!!


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## nathanlowe (Jan 8, 2008)

PHHead said:


> *Do 4 sets of 50 crunches* every time you work out, do it with a 5-7.5kg wieght on your chest, do 2 sets of normal crunches and 2 sets of the ones for your obliques.............and if it doesn't hurt your doing it wrong!!


Overkill.

He wants to gain size etc.

If i wanted to gain size in other muscle groups, you wouldnt recomend 4 sets of 50 bench press or 4 sets of 50 deadlifts.

Lower reps, heavy weight.

Abdominals is a muscle just the same as any other.


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## The_Kernal (Apr 5, 2008)

Is a hard call as I believe its different to the individual. if this dude is a lard ar$e but just big it becomes dietary too.

No offence intended S-k but get your stats up dude.


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## PHHead (Aug 20, 2008)

nathanlowe said:


> Overkill.
> 
> He wants to gain size etc.
> 
> ...


So by your logic you would advise him to do say 4 sets of 8 or 10 situps lol.......sorry mate but he will get no where fast doing that, just my opinion not going to get into an argument about it!


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## guinness (Jul 14, 2008)

PH, IMO is worth an argument. Why would abs grow any differently than any other other muscle?


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

Right I've been bulking for ages, im not a lard **** at all, far from it tbh. Im not ripped to shreds but then again who is when they have been heavy bulking. I want to cut soon, feel like my bulk has went really well and I've made tremendous gains in comparison with my other mates who train. Basically I can make out 4 of my abs but it's like big chest, ribcage then it sort of sucks in at the sides and looks almost curved or something I want rid of that and want big bulky abs that show right through.

Stats for those who want to know:

Body fat? no idea did a test in college, doing personal training atm, basically the bio-impedence test, two bads on feet and hands, with clips and a machine to test came back 12.4% even I think im hire then that. I have a large build, quite wide. Have been training very hard to gain size, lats have really developed got a nice v-shape now which im well chuffed about haha. Shoulders have developed wider and thicker, triceps larger.

I want to ideally cut but I want a good set of abs, its my own fault for not training them but im assessing the issue now to be solved by getting stuck in, all I can do. Best idea at the moment? bulk or cut? im 6ft 2 btw. Don't know what else to say, thats how it is. Cheers.


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## Guest (Sep 24, 2008)

Havent trained abbs in over one year.

I used to do 1000 sit ups once or twice per day every day when i was a teen and i was known for my six pack(thats about all i had until i was 17:laugh that said i was always very lean.

I dont believe you can over train abbs you will just get very sore and cramp up the next day which sucks so you probs wont do it again.

If you want very thick abbs do heavy weighted sit ups and machine crunch.

But TBH if you have very low body fat and you do some form of compound movement with any moderate kind of weight your abbs will look fine.


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## ba baracuss (Apr 26, 2004)

nathanlowe said:


> Overkill.
> 
> He wants to gain size etc.
> 
> ...


Good post mate.

I always see people doing gay twists, using those gay crunch roller things with loads of reps.

I just get on the decline sit-up bench and do 3 sets of 15 holding a 20kg plate in front of me.

Bodyfat is the key though - mine is too high to see mine at the moment.

As Con says though, most brutes like him have good abs from compound exercises which work the core.


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## flapjack (Mar 1, 2008)

Plenty of heavy squats and chin ups to thicken the midsection muscle (I think)


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## anabolic ant (Jun 5, 2008)

nathanlowe said:


> Overkill.
> 
> He wants to gain size etc.
> 
> ...


good post mate...i have read a few pro's say they treat their abs just like other muscles groups for size and thickness!!!!


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

ba baracuss said:


> Good post mate.
> 
> I always see people doing gay twists, using those gay crunch roller things with loads of reps.
> 
> ...


Fair point, I see that as well and I won't dismiss it as I don't dismiss what anyone does (unless it's total bull****) but if something works for someone then fair play. I do use 5kg plate or 10kg and do crunches and sit ups but im never sure if it's the best thing to do. So many people go do this and that, it's all opinion based. There isn't a decline sit-up bench in my gym, but if you recommend me one from the internet to buy then I'll get that and put it in the house and get a few plates.

How often to work the abs? I know body fat is the key but at the end of the day if I don't have a good set of abs no matter how low the body fat they will either look not that great or just out of proportion to the rest of my body.

My main goals at the moment are to cut (reduce body fat) and develop thick and large abs. So from what everyones said what would you recommend would be a good ab program, how many exercises and how often per week? would this need to be completed whilst bulking or cutting? or would it matter if protein intake is high enough? Cheers.


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## anabolic ant (Jun 5, 2008)

if getting cut is your goal then tailoring up your diet to get cut would be the first line of action,then to increase cardio,intensity,length etc!!!!

its the fat when lifted will reveal all the muscles...then you will see what abs you have genetically...then you'll know whether you need to thicken and large them up!!!!


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## Zara-Leoni (Mar 12, 2007)

anabolic ant said:


> good post mate...i have read a few pro's say they treat their abs just like other muscles groups for size and thickness!!!!


so have i but i believe its different for all....

i tried that method it didnt work

started hitting them every single day and now theyre my best feature without doubt.

i do an exercise where you lie on bench and do combined leg extension/pullovers with dumbell and you bring dumbell up to meet knees in middle (am i explaining ok? lol), I do hanging leg raises with legs straight and i do decline sit ups.

I try to do 4 sets of 20 of each.

Works for me....


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## drb (Mar 11, 2008)

in the past i've done hundred's of sit-ups at a time but unless you've low bodyfat you're not going to see your abs.For thickness though heavy barbell squats do it for me,i've noticed over the last few months they've really come on,which basically is what con is saying.


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## joeyh1485 (Mar 2, 2008)

I find that both low and high reps work it's all about the mind muscle connection, just make sure you hit 3exersices one for upper, lower and sides(allways high reps for the sides for me) or even just pick 2areas to hit per workout but make sue you don't neglect any where

Try something like this

Crunches 3x20

Reverse crunch 3x20

Seated twists 3x40

Or a low rep workout

Cable crunch 3x10

Hanging leg raise 3x10

Side bends 3x20

I like to chop an change but I always swap exercises for one that hit the same area and I never do the same workout twice in a row, abs are hit every other training day

Most important thing is the mind muscle connection if you really squease the abs and especialy the sides it brings out more detail

Hope this helps mate


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## carly (Mar 8, 2008)

guinness said:


> PH, IMO is worth an argument. Why would abs grow any differently than any other other muscle?


agreed if you can do more than a set of 12 reps then your doing something wrong, 1st set I manage 12-15 then last set I struggle to do 10


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## carly (Mar 8, 2008)

I like to chop an change but I always swap exercises for one that hit the same area and I never do the same workout twice in a row, abs are hit every other training day

Most important thing is the mind muscle connection if you really squease the abs and especialy the sides it brings out more detail

Hope this helps mate


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## joeyh1485 (Mar 2, 2008)

yeah definatley as short a rest as possible I find the abs recover pretty quick, now if I could just get my legs to recover like that:laugh:


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## anabolic ant (Jun 5, 2008)

Zara-Leoni said:


> so have i but i believe its different for all....
> 
> i tried that method it didnt work
> 
> ...


yes indeed they look like they work for you miss!!!

and the abs,hee,hee


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## delhibuilder (Mar 24, 2008)

i do 20 warm up sit up 1 set of as many as i can do about 100 then 2 sets of heavy.


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## nathanlowe (Jan 8, 2008)

If seriously high reps made a muscle grow then tbh i would be doing

100 bicep curls with 5kg dumbbell

100 bench presses with the bar

100 body squats

100 20kg deadlifts

100 shoulder presses

Dont know why people dont understand, the abdominal muscle, is just the same as any other muscle in the body.


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2008)

Con said:


> Havent trained abbs in over one year.
> 
> I used to do 1000 sit ups once or twice per day every day when i was a teen and i was known for my six pack(thats about all i had until i was 17:laugh that said i was always very lean.
> 
> ...


dito

aint trained abs since i joined here and because of deadlifts they doubled in width

just lower the body fat me thinks


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## Zara-Leoni (Mar 12, 2007)

nathanlowe said:


> If seriously high reps made a muscle grow then tbh i would be doing
> 
> 100 bicep curls with 5kg dumbbell
> 
> ...


thats quite patronising... I've been training yrs and the weighted, lower reps, once a week did not do a single thing for me.

All am saying is everyone is different. This works for me clearly. It doesnt work for me for any body part other than abs though and i know the theory is sound... theyre just muscle and jst the same... but for whatever reason with me, that area is different.....

for each individual, what works works, and what doesnt, doesnt.


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## nathanlowe (Jan 8, 2008)

Mrdaveyk said:


> dito
> 
> aint trained abs since i joined here and because of deadlifts they doubled in width
> 
> just lower the body fat me thinks


Ive not trained abs since pre may.

Theyre looking the best they have for a long time.

Core muscles get worked when you are using your stabilizing muscles.

In the deadlift and squat to stop rocking and leaning etc.


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

Okay from what people are saying, generally lower body fat. I really like the size of my arms, and body as it is, really like it. But it's just my stomach it's meh. So yeah best idea is to start stripping fat off stomach. So can anyone help me with a diet? I don't really have a lot of time to make one up, been eating **** lately due to college and working all of the time just never had time. Always busy but if someone could help me that would be great thx.


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## -S-K- (Feb 9, 2008)

Zara-Leoni said:


> thats quite patronising... I've been training yrs and the weighted, lower reps, once a week did not do a single thing for me.
> 
> All am saying is everyone is different. This works for me clearly. It doesnt work for me for any body part other than abs though and i know the theory is sound... theyre just muscle and jst the same... but for whatever reason with me, that area is different.....
> 
> for each individual, what works works, and what doesnt, doesnt.


Yeah fair point. I'll just play about and try different rep ranges, resistance etc and see what works best as I've done with every other muscle group and from there expand on it. I mean your abs are really good and well developed as I can see, not only from low body fat but just muscle growth so obviously your doing something that works for you.


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## nathanlowe (Jan 8, 2008)

Low body fat will bring out your abs.

Wether you have 6 or 8, thats all down to genetics.

Your abs will be a certain size and then whilst keeping the body fat low so they are still visible, you can train them so they grow.


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## joeyh1485 (Mar 2, 2008)

nathanlowe said:


> If seriously high reps made a muscle grow then tbh i would be doing
> 
> 100 bicep curls with 5kg dumbbell
> 
> ...


You don't want your abs to grow like other muscles you want to shape them as well as thicken them

Thickness comes from low heavy reps or as you say deads etc so it's best to aim your ab work out at shaping them

You don't want to thicken your sides hence I suggested high reps to "tuck" them in

Your abs are different to your other muscles as they contain different ratio of slow and fast twitch muscle fibers (I think there called brown an white fibers??)

I prefer to do a combination of low and high reps but am sure other things work well for other people the key is to find out what works for you as every one is diferent


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## joeyh1485 (Mar 2, 2008)

http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/contest/full/100/5/1554

This is kinda above my level but it is an interesting read

Sorry if the link dosnt work am typing on my iphone LOL

Just checked the link it doesn't work so if you type in abdominal muscle fibers into google I think it comes up as the forth one down


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