# Good abs exercises...



## t1mmy (Dec 9, 2006)

I know google and youtube are my friend, however, there are loads of abs exercises that you can do.

I'm after a top 10 of abs exercises that I plan to split across a couple of sessions at the gym. Which ones do people find most effective?

I'd appreciate the feedback as it's always good to know which ones people favour.

Cheers.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

Cable woodchops (upper and lower)

Plank inc superman

But, if you are after a 6 pack by exercise....you get it from your diet, not the gym...

:thumb:


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## somouk (Jun 14, 2006)

The Cueball said:


> But, if you are after a 6 pack by exercise....you get it from your diet, not the gym...
> 
> :thumb:


Completely true, you'll never get muscle to show through any excess fat.


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## t1mmy (Dec 9, 2006)

Cueball - Cheers for the suggestions, I will have a look into those tonight. I've got a pretty low body fat % and good diet so they will show with a bit of effort.


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

Crunches (proper ones) are very good as they hit all ab muscles. Sit ups only target the upper abs.

Hanging leg raises (off dip bars) are very good too but you need to very very careful with form or you'll hurt your back.

Try and exercise your lower back too to balance your body.

You need less than 12% bodyfat for a six pack though so plenty of cardio and a good diet is key.


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2008)

As said above... you can have a perfectly good set of abs but if there buried under a layer of fat there not going to be on show.

Key is diet as previously stated. However, with exercises I find a good mix of stuff is key to keeping you and your core stimulated. 

Look at TRX (very very good imho) Suspension training, bosu ball, med balls, swiss balls. Planks, wood chops, crunches, the good old sit ups. Theres a number of exercises.... dont forget to work your lower back aswell :thumb: (supermans, deadlifts etc).

What works for one person may not work for another but i've always suggested (Im a PT and Instructor by trade) High Interval Intensity Training (HIIT) as a really good fat burning workout.

Hope some of this is helpful


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

The TRX is mental... love HIIT too....

Used to train until I was sick... that was back in the day though...not too bothered about not having a 6% body fat! :lol:

:thumb:


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## Buzz819 (Sep 30, 2008)

www.bodybuilding.com

That is all.


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

You don't have to be a bodybuilder to have good abs. There are other sports that results in a decent lean physique.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

335dAND110XS said:


> You don't have to be a bodybuilder to have good abs. There are other sports that results in a decent lean physique.


I think all those "musclemen" are the daftest looking people on the earth....

Horrible look, not for me, and not needed for abs...and certainly don't need to pump your body full of supplements to have good abs either...

:thumb:


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

Cueball - after realising I was a bit skinny (but fit) I went all out to gain weight. Three stone later I had done it and wanted to keep going - then I realised surfing was harder, martial arts were trickier (more strength but less speed and power), running was trickier, etc, etc - realised it was a bit silly and after almost completely avoiding cardio, started cycling and running a fair bit. Shed a stone and started getting decent 10k trail race and a couple of good tri results. Surfing also got easier again!

I think weightlifting is an essential part of almost all sports as it makes you stronger, faster, better but simply pursuing the giant bodybuilder look is a wee bit silly.

IMO of course!


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

335dAND110XS said:


> Cueball - after realising I was a bit skinny (but fit) I went all out to gain weight. Three stone later I had done it and wanted to keep going - then I realised surfing was harder, martial arts were trickier (more strength but less speed and power), running was trickier, etc, etc - realised it was a bit silly and after almost completely avoiding cardio, started cycling and running a fair bit. Shed a stone and started getting decent 10k trail race and a couple of good tri results. Surfing also got easier again!
> 
> I think weightlifting is an essential part of almost all sports as it makes you stronger, faster, better but simply pursuing the giant bodybuilder look is a wee bit silly.
> 
> IMO of course!


I agree with the actual weightlifting, I do it myself... I'm just not into the fake tan, muscle bound, skimpy pants look...

There does come a point where your muscles are too big to let your body function properly...if it was as easy as massive muscles means better, all sports people would look like that...

I prefer the look of swimmers/gymnasts to body builders...

Always remember a MASSIVE guy coming to our kickboxing class, his ego was as big as his chest, and thought he could fight....after being knocked out by a little skinny girl, he changed his mind...calmed his ego waaay down and actually learned a few things...

:thumb:


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

Cueball - exactly the same at our KBing class (I sometimes instructed the beginners and often took the whole class for the circuits bit)! Big mouthy blokes who simply couldn't move fast enough! They'd usually last a week or two then skulk off, ego crushed.

Agree - the swimmer/gymnast/surfer look is what I aim for. Try and avoid the runner look although I do run a fair bit - don't want to be a skinny whippet!

The weights work has to be functional - not cosmetic.

OTT bodybuilders also look daft in a suit. Which isn't handy for work.


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## alipman (May 10, 2007)

This thread is rather interesting and does highlight the diet factor as the main reason for showing a 6 pack.

Being a runner, turning into a whippet  i am doing core exercises, like planks etc which is helping with my general running. I am now starting to get my top 2-pack showing, but this is mainly about diet and having lost weight.

Anyhow, this 12% body fat, I have a set of bathroom scales which also analyse fat. I am fairly thin now, 5'10, 160 lbs but the scales show i am at 18-19% fat.
I guess these are not that accurate, but if I got to 12% I think I would look anorexic.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

alipman said:


> This thread is rather interesting and does highlight the diet factor as the main reason for showing a 6 pack.
> 
> Being a runner, turning into a whippet  i am doing core exercises, like planks etc which is helping with my general running. I am now starting to get my top 2-pack showing, but this is mainly about diet and having lost weight.
> 
> ...


Just to be a geek for a minute...it's actually and 8 pack...most people just look for the 6..... :lol:

I have mates that are very, very thin and you can see there abs, but it doesn't look healthy, as you can see all their bones too! 

imo, it only looks good on healthy toned people, a bit of muscle, but not too much...very fine line!

Lowest I have been is 6%, anything under 5% is dangerous, and body builders on stage are about 3%

:thumb:


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

I prioritise exercise over diet. While I think diet is important, if you do enough exercise, you can get away with eating what you want.

Did RM officer selection (a POC) when in my early 20s (and passed!) - what struck me was the food they gave us and the officers (we ate in the same canteen) - not particularly healthy but had all the main elements you need and you certainly don't see any fat Marines.

Cue - 6% is VERY low! Think I'm now around 10ish.

Pics from the Summer/Autumn (this might be a BAD idea...!) - one on a boat, one just after the swim section of a triathlon:

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/58391_429405982804_631517804_5642057_4155510_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/60315_435787547804_631517804_5777646_3988005_n.jpg

Unfortunately no amount of exercise will restore my hair or make me better looking - dammit.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

335dAND110XS said:


> I prioritise exercise over diet. While I think diet is important, if you do enough exercise, you can get away with eating what you want.
> 
> Did RM officer selection (a POC) when in my early 20s (and passed!) - what struck me was the food they gave us and the officers (we ate in the same canteen) - not particularly healthy but had all the main elements you need and you certainly don't see any fat Marines.


I agree and disagree! :lol:

I think for people who work during the day, a good, healthy diet could actually help them a lot more than their 30 minutes on a treadmill a few times a week...

I think for professional sports people, a healthy diet is very important too, and I don't think many of them eat what they want - I do know most have cheat days (same as me... or cheat weeks/months )

The army are different however, as IIRC, and you can tell me if i'm right or wrong or just making this up , they still serve 3 meals a day, and it's pretty basic stuff...so it that not more in preperation of being at war, where you can't have the fancy diet...you need to eat what you get, when you get it and still have to be on top of your game!?!?!

:thumb:


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

The Cueball said:


> I think for people who work during the day, a good, healthy diet could actually help them a lot more than their 30 minutes on a treadmill a few times a week...
> 
> I think for professional sports people, a healthy diet is very important too, and I don't think many of them eat what they want - I do know most have cheat days (same as me... or cheat weeks/months )
> 
> :thumb:


Agree with that, diet helped me lose more fat than exercise did, even though I eat whatever I want at the weekends now. I'm 6'1" and 15 stone, I don't have a visible 6 pack but my stomach is flat and rock solid, when I was hitting the weights hard I was 17 stone and <10% fat but wasn't as strong as I am now.


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

I guess it depends where your diet "starting point" is - luckily we eat pretty healthily (organic veg box every week, decent meat and fish, loads of fruit, almost nothing fried, etc) but I don't find myself obsessing over food like many seem to. I guess if "healthy" means a lot of dietry changes, then it's more of an issue?


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

335dAND110XS said:


> I guess it depends where your diet "starting point" is - luckily we eat pretty healthily (organic veg box every week, decent meat and fish, loads of fruit, almost nothing fried, etc) but I don't find myself obsessing over food like many seem to. I guess if "healthy" means a lot of dietry changes, then it's more of an issue?


I done my obsessing a long time ago, found things that worked for me, and now stick to it without really thinking..... still have the odd curry too mind you! :lol:

I don't think it is in any way healthy to worry about every meal, every calorie, point etc.... it's a bit sick for me...

The starting point is a good call, and combine this with the "yo-yo" diet weight gain, it's no wonder lots of people just can't lose weight and are unhappy...

I think they need to understand the real relationship between food, and body function, rather than just being told to count this, that or the next thing...

Apart from the 1 girl always crying at the end of a party, the saddest sight is a fat person on a diet, starving themselves thinking it's doing them good.....

But again, it's down to the personal decision to believe the media hype and lies, or actually find out the truth for yourself....there is only 1 person to blame....

:thumb:


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## t1mmy (Dec 9, 2006)

Well this thread suddenly has lots of replies. I fall into the low body fat category (roughly 6-7% at the moment) so abs showing is a given with exercise. I'm currently taking in around 4000 calories a day (as clean as possible) and have started to see some weight gain which is ideally what I am after.

Following suggestions on here and another site I have got 10 abs exercises that I have split into two groups of 5 to be done alternatively when I am at the gym. I will report back with progress in a few weeks.


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## alipman (May 10, 2007)

how are people measuring their % fat? machine?


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

alipman said:


> how are people measuring their % fat? machine?


I have the machine that looks just like scales...

And of course helpful mates that say hey fat c**t...or hey skinny c**t, depending on how I look...

:thumb:


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## alipman (May 10, 2007)

I have a weight watcher one that measures it. guess they are the same sort of thing


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

I've used three different methods and averaged them!


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## kmmfc1 (Jan 26, 2010)

Another abs exercise which I think is essential is working your obliques. We have a back extension bench at the gym and I use this (by turning onto my side) for stretching my obliques. Definitely have to include working the side abdominals as well as the central portion.


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## alipman (May 10, 2007)

335dAND110XS said:


> I've used three different methods and averaged them!


Sorry for being dumb, but what are they?


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## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

My two pence, in agreement with a lot of the guys...

12% BF and below you have abs to some extent... 6-8% more properly.

Whilst isolation exercises such as crunches/static stuff/leg raises are good, I think a bit of core lifting and free weights work does wonders on the other days you might be training. (Guessing you're not doing ab work every session)

I.e. Doing standing barbell curls requires way more core stability than using an isolation machine etc. Deads, squats etc also good... no point training your abs if you don't give your back a chance.

For a main exercise, I think you can't beat sit-ups (with a weight plate if you like), and leg raises. Any of the wood-cutter style cable pull downs can't hurt either.

As for big muscles vs. fitness... fitness everytime... just look at Bruce Lee (obvious example), early UFC with the massive size/weight mis-matches... or for a more subtle example, Nathan Cleverley vs Danny McIntosh, British Light HW, 2009. Danny looked far scarier, but got owned by Nathan's reach, handspeed and skill. 

A lot depends on body/shape composition too... I was always needing strip a bit of fat, but when I did, underneath had good abs. I know guys who are into amateur athletics etc, way fitter than me, but they're not training for, or favoured towards genetically, that full on washboard style ones you see on mens health!

Also, if you're looking to build muscle, you need resistance across the full range of contraction (i.e. body weight sit-ups/leg raises, or weighted if too easy)... plank etc will provide more static fitness, and isn't to be ignored.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

The cover guys on mens health have all been starved for about 3 days and airbrushed to appear ripped though, and I also wonder when they last had a curry and a pint without worrying whether they'll look fat! Having a great physique is all well and good but not to the extent of not enjoying yourself.


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

alipman said:


> Sorry for being dumb, but what are they?


Neck to waist ratio, calipers, machine that somehow works it out!


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## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

bigmc said:


> The cover guys on mens health have all been starved for about 3 days and airbrushed to appear ripped though, and I also wonder when they last had a curry and a pint without worrying whether they'll look fat! Having a great physique is all well and good but not to the extent of not enjoying yourself.


Yeah, not a look I'd go for either... don't exactly look like they'd be able to put up a shelf! Too busy waxing!! More just to illustrate that not everyone would have that sort of body shape anyway.


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## sim L (Jan 3, 2010)

Ab Ripper X:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/getfitwithchad/videos/3/

It's from a workout program called P90X, I can't really be bothered to explain it, it works though. I will be doing a write up in this section in the next few months about my fitness regime that I've been following since October (this includes P90X).

Only thing I will say about that video is, DO NOT do it every day. 3 times a week, 4 MAX, otherwise your abs won't recover properly, trust me, it's tough!!


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