HST and my core

J

Joe.Muscle

Active Member
Hey guys this cycle of my HST routine...I am doing 20 reps only again...I really enjoyed the lower volume...however one thing I am doing is a hard core core workout for around 8 weeks straight through my cycle.

What I have been doing is 3 sets of weighted crunches heavy (very Heavy) for around 8 to 10 reps...followed by 3 sets of incline situps (great stretch).

I am doing this b/c I have after getting down to low bf% several times in my life my abs are not that developed at all.

This routine is showing to be great effective so far for hypertrophy of the abs...the one problem I see coming ahead is I still have a some love handles on the sides of my body.

Now I know we can't spot reduce....I know abs are mostly diet...but would side bends or twists help tighten or bring up this area?

That is what several of the guys in the gym recommend..but honestly they are know were as educated as myself or this forum...so I don't take there opinions too much.

My guess would be even at 100% max hypertrophy training the obliques would not make that big of a difference to love handles...or am I wrong?

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I have throw in some russian twists...but I don't feel the movement know were as good as the good ol heavy crunches.

Any thoughts or opinons on bringing in the love handles?
 
Bigger obliques will actually make love handles appear worse. Even when lean, you may appear to have love handles when you have a shirt on. My waist area only drops down to 32 inches around when I am very lean and I blame this on my obliques...
 
Thanks Tot...the more reading I have been doing...which it outside of HST...and Lyles and DAns forum..so you have to be careful how truthful it is...but neverless the reading I am doing is saying not to train with any twisting movements for the reason you just stated.

I think I am going to just weighted crunches and roman chair situps!
 
Ever done overhead squats? After my experiments today I am going to get into them, so to speak. You have to tighten every muscle in your core more than you will ever imagine unless you try them. Much more fun than endless dull and boring ab workouts. Although genetics obviously play a role in ab size, I reckon you might make some great core gains using OHS and HST. Trouble is, before you can do a proper progression with them you've got to learn the lift and you need access to bumper plates in case you have to bale out.
 
joe just do either side crunches or side planks with no weight as tot said you dont really want them bigger just stronger,BTW dont forget to do hypers or reverse-hypers if you are doing so much ab work otherwise you will end up with a bad back and poor posture.
 
my abs are always sore the day after doing chinups. I have always done chinups and overhead presses and no direct ab work, and even though I am fat, the fat on my stomach shows the shape of abs underneath (at least at the top)
 
I do 15 reps of unweighted side crunches on a hyperextension stand and find that is all I need to do to keep my obliques in good shape. Tot is correct. Growing your obliques will make your love handles bigger and your V-taper look smaller. My body sheds fat from the obliques only after depleting fat in other areas, i.e. < 5% bodyfat and that is not a healthy level to maintain. To not get love handles, I think you would have to start back in the womb and stay on a low carb diet for life.
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Not sure how valid this is, but my buddy who's a CPT said that doing side crunches are actually almost a complete waste of time for abs/obliques and that they actually work out your lower back muscles more. He said the obliques are worked out best by any twisting motion. I don't really work out abs anyways so this isn't coming from experience, so I'm actually interested in what people think of it.
 
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