your favourite ab toning workouts?

[kiss_andmakeup]

I already have a pretty "flat" tummy so to speak so I'm not trying to burn any fat. I just want more muscle definition in my abs. I've been doing crunches as part of my regular strength training routine, but I thought someone may have some better ideas. So if you do, share 'em!

[Lecturer]

I'll never do crunches again in my life - not only because they are dangerous for your back (they are right at and just past the strain limit your back can take before damage occurs), but because they are very unpleasant and take too much time.

 

On days where my workout is weights, I use an ab-roller (cost around $10). I do straight rolls and curved ones (to the sides), and it is quite the workout. For the first week or two your abs will ache for 1-3 days following the workout, even if you were already in shape to begin with. Women have a bit more trouble using it than men since it requires a fair bit of upper body strength, but if you can do (real) push-ups, then you have the strength to use one.

 

On cardio days I just do some standing/running workouts where I lift my knees or legs while focusing on my abs/core. I do some sitting exercises too, where you balance on your bum, lean back a bit, and do various leg movements (peddling, open/close your legs, lift/lower legs).

 

I've definitely noticed better results than back when I did crunches. These various workouts seem to better isolate individual abdominal sets and obliques. Unfortunately I'm now addicted to touching my ab ridges throughout the day, lol.

[2sure]

The only way Ive gotten definition is from doing leg lifts with a ball between my ankles. Vary the size and weight of the ball.

[Lecturer]

The only way Ive gotten definition is from doing leg lifts with a ball between my ankles. Vary the size and weight of the ball.

 

Yup, that is a badass workout, if you can do it. I don't have the means to do it in my home gym, unfortunately.

 

This was one of the main abdominal workouts Ryan Reynolds did to get in shape for Blade - I'm certain the ladies here know of him .

[tman666]

Kiss:

 

Visible ab definition comes from lowering body fat percentage to a point where the individual ab muscles show through. I know this seems obvious, but it's difficult to do primarily because of how the body likes to store fat. There are differences between males and females on how we store fat, but in general, the mid section is where most people tend to store fat first, and lose fat last.

 

Therefore, if you're looking for more visibly defined abs, you'll have to drop body fat. No amount of crunches or other ab exercises alone will produce that.

 

However, if you're looking to improve you're core strength, I recommend using compound barbell and dumbbell exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses. These will (if done correctly) force your body to develop solid core strength. Core strength also has absolutely nothing to do with how many crunches or sit ups one can do.

 

If you're looking to blast your abs directly though, one of my favorite exercises are hanging leg lifts. They help improve your grip strength, core stability, as well as lengthen your hip flexors. Another one I like and use frequently is a variation of a Russian twist where you lay on your back with your arms straight out. You then bring your feet up to where your legs are perpendicular to the ground. Then, keeping your feet together, "tick tock" back and forth from the left to the right, without letting your feet touch the ground (bring your feet as close to the ground without actually touching).

[kiss_andmakeup]

Kiss:

 

Visible ab definition comes from lowering body fat percentage to a point where the individual ab muscles show through. I know this seems obvious, but it's difficult to do primarily because of how the body likes to store fat. There are differences between males and females on how we store fat, but in general, the mid section is where most people tend to store fat first, and lose fat last.

 

Therefore, if you're looking for more visibly defined abs, you'll have to drop body fat. No amount of crunches or other ab exercises alone will produce that.

 

However, if you're looking to improve you're core strength, I recommend using compound barbell and dumbbell exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses. These will (if done correctly) force your body to develop solid core strength. Core strength also has absolutely nothing to do with how many crunches or sit ups one can do.

 

If you're looking to blast your abs directly though, one of my favorite exercises are hanging leg lifts. They help improve your grip strength, core stability, as well as lengthen your hip flexors. Another one I like and use frequently is a variation of a Russian twist where you lay on your back with your arms straight out. You then bring your feet up to where your legs are perpendicular to the ground. Then, keeping your feet together, "tick tock" back and forth from the left to the right, without letting your feet touch the ground (bring your feet as close to the ground without actually touching).

 

I had a feeling this was the case; I'm hesitant to lose more weight as my BMI is already on the low side at 5'9" and under 115lbs. As I've said my stomach is already basically flat, just doesn't have much muscle definition. Hoefully as I build up muscle I'll put on some "good" weight. Thanks for the exercise suggestions!

[kiss_andmakeup]

I'm looking for answers too. I have a big gut and don't have the core strength to do many crunches. Would like to lose it.

 

If you have a "big gut" the problem is body fat and not muscle tone. The best and most effective way to lose excess body fat is to do long sessions of low to medium intensity cardio and limit your calorie intake.

 

You can do core exercises for strength and to build muscle, but they won't help you shed the fat.

[TheLoneSock]

P90 X's 'Ab-Ripper X' will carve it out just the way you want it. I highly recommend it.

[2sure]

I bought the whole PX90 thing. It was too hard for me. I'm ..healthy, fit but not "muscular". I dont enjoy any excercise except running 1-2 miles 3 days a week. I do the rest just to stay in my clothes.

 

The leg lifts gave me enough ab & ass definition to go to the beach in whatever I want, thats enough for me. Anyone can do them...start with a low degree of difficulty and increase it as you go along. Ive been doing them daily for 10-15 minutes for years...while I'm on the phone.

[kiss_andmakeup]

I bought the whole PX90 thing. It was too hard for me. I'm ..healthy, fit but not "muscular". I dont enjoy any excercise except running 1-2 miles 3 days a week. I do the rest just to stay in my clothes.

 

The leg lifts gave me enough ab & ass definition to go to the beach in whatever I want, thats enough for me. Anyone can do them...start with a low degree of difficulty and increase it as you go along. Ive been doing them daily for 10-15 minutes for years...while I'm on the phone.

 

I'm the same way...my boyfriend used to do P90X when we first met and I fear it would be a bit too intense for me. I definitely am not aiming to look like a female body builder.

[USMCHokie]

If you have a "big gut" the problem is body fat and not muscle tone. The best and most effective way to lose excess body fat is to do long sessions of low to medium intensity cardio and limit your calorie intake.

 

I will have to respectfully disagree. The best way to lose a lot of excess body fat is through a strength training regime and short sessions of high intensity cardio. In my opinion, there is no purpose or significant benefit to long sessions of low intensity cardio. Unless you are training for long stretches of low intensity movement (e.g., as part of marathon training).

 

But as always, diet is the most important factor in all of this.

[Lecturer]

What tman666 said is correct - if you're looking to have visibly defined abs the focus needs to be on reducing body fat. My post above describing my workouts was only about how to tone abdominal muscles (which can be done like any muscle group), but will not transform a flabby gut into chiseled abs..

 

As the old adage goes: "6 packs are made in the kitchen, not the gym."

[USMCHokie]

Visible ab definition comes from lowering body fat percentage to a point where the individual ab muscles show through. I know this seems obvious, but it's difficult to do primarily because of how the body likes to store fat. There are differences between males and females on how we store fat, but in general, the mid section is where most people tend to store fat first, and lose fat last.

 

Therefore, if you're looking for more visibly defined abs, you'll have to drop body fat. No amount of crunches or other ab exercises alone will produce that.

 

Truth. And physiologically speaking, women will have a significantly harder time dropping body fat levels to "six-pack" levels, due to their inherently higher body fat. This is done through a combination of diet and smart exercise.

 

"Toning" is simply a training myth. Toning = bigger muscles + less fat. So please remember that you don't lift to "tone." You lift to increase muscle mass, and you lower body fat through a combination of training and diet to see those muscles. So with that in mind, the abdominal muscle is like any other muscle group. You need to challenge it with weighted exercises. The only exercise I really ever do specifically for abs is the weighted crunch machine, usually in a pyramid from low weight to high weight and back down to low weight.

 

My only beef with traditional ab routines filled with crunches, leg raises, and more crunches is that the body eventually gets used to the movements and ab workouts eventually start to take forever. I prefer to replace time with weight...

[2sure]

My only beef with traditional ab routines filled with crunches, leg raises, and more crunches is that the body eventually gets used to the movements and ab workouts eventually start to take forever. I prefer to replace time with weight...

 

Yep. I have increased the weight of the ball I lift between my ankles as Ive gotten older. AND because ...like I said, I get bored and want it over with quick. I work really hard for those 10-15 minutes...but then its OVER.

[TheLoneSock]

I will have to respectfully disagree. The best way to lose a lot of excess body fat is through a strength training regime and short sessions of high intensity cardio. In my opinion, there is no purpose or significant benefit to long sessions of low intensity cardio. Unless you are training for long stretches of low intensity movement (e.g., as part of marathon training).

 

But as always, diet is the most important factor in all of this.

 

This is absolutely correct. Long, drawn out cardio sessions actually cause lots of stress to the body in the form of excess cortisol, which is counteractive to losing weight because they force storage of triglycerides (particularly in the core area). Here's a link to the effects of excess cortisol:

 

http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm

 

Short duration, high intensity cardio work outs will give much better results. Most of the calorie burning effect of cardio takes place during the time period following the work out, not actually during it. The shorter, higher intensity cardio blasts are much more effective - and cause far less stress to the body.

[kiss_andmakeup]

I will have to respectfully disagree. The best way to lose a lot of excess body fat is through a strength training regime and short sessions of high intensity cardio. In my opinion, there is no purpose or significant benefit to long sessions of low intensity cardio. Unless you are training for long stretches of low intensity movement (e.g., as part of marathon training).

 

But as always, diet is the most important factor in all of this.

 

This is absolutely correct. Long, drawn out cardio sessions actually cause lots of stress to the body in the form of excess cortisol, which is counteractive to losing weight because they force storage of triglycerides (particularly in the core area). Here's a link to the effects of excess cortisol:

 

http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm

 

Short duration, high intensity cardio work outs will give much better results. Most of the calorie burning effect of cardio takes place during the time period following the work out, not actually during it. The shorter, higher intensity cardio blasts are much more effective - and cause far less stress to the body.

 

Hmm...I must have been misinformed about this. I've never trained specifically to drop excess body weight (always been skinny) so I wasn't speaking from personal experience. Thanks for settin' me straight.

[tman666]

I'm the same way...my boyfriend used to do P90X when we first met and I fear it would be a bit too intense for me. I definitely am not aiming to look like a female body builder.

 

I promise you that no matter what type of training you're doing, you won't end up looking like a body builder. Female body builders (the huge, "is that a man or a woman?" type ones) rely heavily on testosterone supplements to achieve their look. Unless you plan on taking "Vitamin T", and adhering to a very strict diet, you won't look even remotely like them.

 

A program such as P90X which is composed of (to my understanding) high intensity sessions that combine stretches, mobility work, HIIT (high-intensity interval training), and strength-endurance work, would probably be a good way to lose bodyfat and gain strength endurance.

 

Personally, I would save your money and start a traditional weight training routine that includes both steady state and HIIT cardio sessions.

 

If you get bored with traditional methods and you don't want to spend 120 bucks on P90X, try getting innovative with household items. For example, try pushing your car for sprints of about 30 yards. Not kidding.

[USMCHokie]

If you get bored with traditional methods and you don't want to spend 120 bucks on P90X, try getting innovative with household items. For example, try pushing your car for sprints of about 30 yards. Not kidding.

 

 

Come on tman...gotta step it up...school buses...

[2sure]

IIf you get bored with traditional methods and you don't want to spend 120 bucks on P90X, try getting innovative with household items. For example, try pushing your car for sprints of about 30 yards. Not kidding.

 

Holy Crap! Are you my old personal trainer?? The guy that made me cry and I actually kicked him in the shin??

[tman666]

Come on tman...gotta step it up...school buses...

 

Hahaha I was about to list all of the stuff that you could do if you really want to have fun training (tire flips, sledge hammers, sled sprints, keg tosses, etc.) but I figured that I might be written off as a lunatic before I made a breakthrough.

[tman666]

 

Holy Crap! Are you my old personal trainer?? The guy that made me cry and I actually kicked him in the shin??

 

Lo, yet another car pushing, tire flipping, sledge hammer swinging convert!

 

Welcome to the dark side! *throws head back, cackles with insane glee*

[2sure]

Not to tj...but that trainer, wow. I stopped working with him after I cried...I ran into him about 6 months later. Having already laughed at my own tantrum I realized I had taken it too personally and he was just doing what I hired him to do. I went up to him and said:

 

Wow..I am so sorry about the way that ended. I know its stupid, but I felt like you hated me. Ha ha. You didnt right?

 

He told me he did. " I hated you".

 

I had no idea what to do or how to respond, so I just said "K" and walked away.

[Lecturer]

I don't think I can do high intensity cardio. Maybe if I get in better shape, but that will take awhile. My BMI is about 33.

 

I believe high intensity cardio is actually defined by any cardio activity in which you cannot sustain speaking (because you are too out of breath) during the exercise. If you are overweight/out-of-shape, then your "high intensity" will just be less intense than the normally expected "high intensity".

 

About P90X, etc, no, as a woman doing it you will not look like a body builder unless you take testosterone supplements. Personally, though, I do Insanity - I find P90X actually too boring/slow. I'd rather go super intense for 35-45 minutes than go less intense for over an hour. Plus P90X is more resistance/lifting oriented, and I have my own lifting workout regime which I feel is better (at least for me).

[Lecturer]

I'm a man, but I figure much of the advice applies to men and women.

 

Heh, yes, I assumed you were a man. The second part of my post was more speaking to the OP's concern in an earlier post about not wanting to look like a bodybuilder .

[tman666]

I don't think I can do high intensity cardio. Maybe if I get in better shape, but that will take awhile. My BMI is about 33.

 

Do you have a medical reason for not being able to push yourself? If not, then you'll just have to cowboy up and do it! It will always suck, but it should suck less as time goes on.

 

If you're interested in losing weight and not spending a lot of time exercising, HIIT is the way to go. You'll get gassed pretty early compared to someone else who is in good shape, but it doesn't mean you can't go as hard a they do. Note that the difficulty level should not be gauged on performance (not yet, at least), but on your perceived level of exertion. HIIT should be performed at nearly 100 percent exertion for maximum affect. The other nice thing about HIIT is that you will ramp up your metabolism for a longer period of time after you're done exercising then you will with steady state cardio, such as jogging. HIIT doesn't have to be anything crazy. It could be as simple as getting on an exercise bike (those old school "fan" ones are good for this) and pedaling as hard as you can for 30 seconds followed by 1 minute of pedaling at a slower, steady pace over a period of 15 minutes. If you weight train in addition to HIIT, you'll be adding muscle mass, which in turn creates a better metabolic environment for fat loss.

 

*Disclaimer* BMI doesn't tell us much about how in/out of shape you are. All it says is that you're considered overweight based on your height and weight.

 

I know we've gotten way off topic here, so I don't mean to threadjack. If you're interested in learning more, start another thread with your questions and I'm sure they'll be answered.