ab day?!

[weekend]

so most of my lifting career, i have done a small amount of abs every other day, probably like 15 minutes.

last two weeks, ive dedicated an entire day at the gym to abs (1 hour+). weighted crunches, cables, leg raises, torso rotation, various decline bench stuff, and finished it off with planks for at least 10 minutes.

the results have been impressive, soreness has barred me from lifting the next day both times. its like when i first hit chest in high school and couldn't move my pecs for days all over again...

what do you guys think of this?

any exercises i should add?

[O_RYAN_007]

so most of my lifting career, i have done a small amount of abs every other day, probably like 15 minutes.

last two weeks, ive dedicated an entire day at the gym to abs (1 hour+). weighted crunches, cables, leg raises, torso rotation, various decline bench stuff, and finished it off with planks for at least 10 minutes.

the results have been impressive, soreness has barred me from lifting the next day both times. its like when i first hit chest in high school and couldn't move my pecs for days all over again...

what do you guys think of this?

any exercises i should add?

TBH, i think spending an entire day dedicated to abs is a waste of a training day. If you squat, deadlift, and bench press properly you'll engage your entire core to the point that you really dont need to work your core all that much. I will do 2 different ab workouts at the end of my workout, but thats it. Hanging leg raises, weighted decline sit ups, planks, in and outs, behind the neck cable crunches, etc.

[burlyman30]

When I was competing, I never did abs until the last 4 weeks prior to a show. As Ryan mentioned, intense deads and squats are amazing core builders. I would tack abs on to the end of another workout for 6-9 sets total, 2-3 exercises each time, and rotate exercises used.

[weekend]

I feel like intense dears and squats, while they are developing my core, they really just get my legs, ass, lower back sore.

Sometimes max effort deads get my lower abs sore.. But the last two weeks when I did a whole day of abs I woke up and knew it was doing something I never did before. Is this really not going to develop my core better as an addition? Or am I just pointlessly crippling my core for a day? Lol.

[burlyman30]

I feel like intense dears and squats, while they are developing my core, they really just get my legs, ass, lower back sore.

Sometimes max effort deads get my lower abs sore.. But the last two weeks when I did a whole day of abs I woke up and knew it was doing something I never did before. Is this really not going to develop my core better as an addition? Or am I just pointlessly crippling my core for a day? Lol.

I guess the better question is "is your core so weak that it is far behind the rest of your body and needs the extra attention?"

[AresTS]

Pull ups and the different variations also hit abs pretty nicely.

I agree with the other guys here though, I think a day specifically specifically dedicated to abs is a day wasted. I'm sure you'd be much better off just using that day as a recovery day.

- Valdez

[DJM]

ill 2nd third fourth whatever everyone here......low bf youll have abs anyway, and an entire workout, eeshhh, i wont base a workout around arms even let alone abs, and i have, altho its cold here and might be time to put them away for the winter

[O_RYAN_007]

I think when doing squats and deadlifts and other major compound exercises, you should really be focusing on calling your core into action here. I think you will do you spine some good if ALWAYS make sure you engage your core into these lifts. After speaking with some of my wife's colleges (Physical Therapists) they really recommend using your core as the foundation of these lifts. I'm not saying dont work your abs, I'm just saying focus on using your core more and more during squats and deads and you will develop them that way. I really love weighted decline situps and leg raises, but dont forget to work your lower back as well. YOu really want to work and create a tree truck of a core.

[Eden]

I always find my entire core is on fire after squats. I just do some exercises for abs every other workout day. A whole day seems like too much. If it works for you keep at it though.

[Rodja]

There is a huge misunderstanding when it comes to training the core. If you're looking for carryover to strength, then doing any ground-based movement (e.g. crunches, lying leg lifts, etc.) are a complete waste of time. You don't squat on the ground, so why train your core on the ground. I generally use only 4 movements for the front side of the core: standing cable/band crunches, full hanging leg raises, ab wheel, and DB side bends. The confusion has come from the whole notion that compound lifts alone are enough to train the core. My retort that is, "Do you never utilize an isolation or assistance exercise?" If benching was enough, then why bother to train your triceps? If pullups are enough, then why train your biceps? The same applies to the core when it comes to compound lifts. More often than not, the core is what holds people back on both technique and gaining strength.