Working on abs during HST

[Avi1985]

I wonder how should i train my abs. So i think the best thing to do is to learn from others experience.

 

[vagrant]

Train them like any other muscle. Add a progressive ab exercise to your training cycle. My favorite is cable crunches. When doing HST, I can add weight to abs every workout just like the other muscles in the body.

 

[scientific muscle]

I find my abs get worked from all the stabilizing they do during compounds.

Squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, dips, standing presses all work the abs.

Especially squats and standing presses require a very strong core. I have been doing seated presses as I want to focus the tension on my delts, but pressing 150 lb.s overhead while standing is excruciating on the abs!

 

[Avi1985]

So you are not working on your abs, but still have good results there?

 

[scientific muscle]

yes, may abs are fairly strong...unfortunately they are covered by a layer of fat! But that will change when I diet this spring and start cardio to cut.

 

[scientific muscle]

Remember... training your abdominals only increases their tone and size...showing them off is all a matter of low bodyfat.

 

[Key Of David]

I was going to train my abs like the rest of my body in my last cycle only to find out it takes a LOT of load to do traditional crunches. I was using plates and then went to a dumbell resting under my chin/high on my chest. When I got into the 5s it was more weight than I could even put on a dumbell so I couldn't increase more.

I did get a lot of "ab" for the workout as when I flex em I get see some very good muscle in the top part.....but like many others the lower its goes down the torso the more fat it is covered with. Not a lot....just enough to fill in the "cuts" so the muscles aren't defined.

Makes me wish I were 17 again but such is life.

 

[quadancer]

If you reach your arms over your head with a weight, the leverage against the abs will be magnified.

 

[vagrant]

Key, think of how those big ole abs are going to look when you cut though. That's why I train mine heavy, because I want them to grow as much as possible. Sure I look like I've got a bit of a gut when wearing a shirt, but I don't really care. If I can ever get enough abs to fill up the loose skin left over from when I was really fat I'll be very happy.

Just today we were being measured for new extrication gear and the guy measured my chest, then my abdomen and said "I thought you were into bodybuilding...gotta get rid of that gut." I pulled up the shirt and had visible abs and it didn't matter any longer that my abdomen was bigger than any of the skinny guys and close to as big as a couple of fat guys. As long as it doesn't stick out past my chest I don't care.

Work 'em heavy, build some muscle on 'em, then cut to see 'em. The more muscle you have on your abs and back, the better you can squat and dead safely...I hope so anyway, 'cuz I'm tired of hurting my low back under the squat bar.

 

[Avi1985]

<div>
(Key Of David @ Jan. 05 2007,19:38)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I was going to train my abs like the rest of my body in my last cycle only to find out it takes a LOT of load to do traditional crunches.  I was using plates and then went to a dumbell resting under my chin/high on my chest.  When I got into the 5s it was more weight than I could even put on a dumbell so I couldn't increase more.  

I did get a lot of &quot;ab&quot; for the workout as when I flex em I get see some very good muscle in the top part.....but like many others the lower its goes down the torso the more fat it is covered with.  Not a lot....just enough to fill in the &quot;cuts&quot; so the muscles aren't defined.  

Makes me wish I were 17 again but such is life.  

</div>
In many gyms you can find an abs machine. If your gym includes one, it would be much more comfortable for you, with the weights.

 

[vagrant]

AVI is correct, you don't have to just do weighted crunches. Use an overhead pulldown machine if they have one so you can do kneeling or standing cable crunches. A rope instead of a bar seems somehow to make them even harder. They'll really work those abs, including the transverse abdominus. And you know how hard it is to hit that one. Any of the other weighted ab machines will hit them too.

 

[danish_dan]

I've just started my first HST rutine this week.. how to fit in da abs exersises kinda confuzzled me, since I've always done loads of em and suddonly only doing 15-10-5 reps seemed bit weird to me..

so wut i done is i do 3 sets of incline reverse crunches and 3 sets of hanging leg raises during the warmup(both 16-20 reps).

and then do weighted hyberextended crunches, and sidelifts af part of the actual HST rutine.

 

[Avi1985]

Sounds like too many sets if you working on abs 3 times a week. At least on my opinion.

 

[9to5lifter]

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Remember... training your abdominals only increases their tone and size...showing them off is all a matter of low bodyfat. </div>
Alas, this is true. I believe that MANY would like it to be different, but this is the way it works. You need low bodyfat. Unfortunately, it seems that most people ignore this simple fact. You can see it in the gym (people doing countless reps for abs in hope that they will be ready for the beach by the summer), on TV (heaps and heaps of abs products which will magically get you in shape with 3 minutes per day), everywhere. But the fact remains that to see your abs, you need to do more than just work them. Is it really so hard to grasp?

 

[imported_etothepii]

I don't have the equipment to do this, but here's my thought on HST and abs: Just use one or two weight increments, but increase the incline each mesocycle. Hypothetically: Body weight, 5 lbs, 10 lbs (behind head) for 15's. For 10's, same progression, but incline, 10 - 15 degrees. For 5's, same weight progression, but incline 20 - 30 degrees. Post 5's, keep the same weight progression, but up the incline steadily.

Do you all think that would work out ok?

 

[vagrant]

I think if you are doing something to increase the work load each workout then it will work. Increasing the incline each time...sure, why not?

 

[Maximuscrates]

I like to hold the plate directly behind my head. I do the weight progression but I am not as worried with abs as the other exercises because you will not see them well until you cut the fat off everywhere.

An experienced &quot;traditional trainer&quot;(non hst'er) once told me &quot;First you slap on a lot of clay, then you add the lines and shapes after&quot;

 

[vagrant]

<div>
(Maximuscrates @ Jan. 15 2007,16:13)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">An experienced &quot;traditional trainer&quot;(non hst'er) once told me &quot;First you slap on a lot of clay, then you add the lines and shapes after&quot;</div>
And he (or she) was very correct. I like to say, &quot;you can't shape what you don't have.&quot;

 

[BigL]

I am also planning on using HST to work my abs. Which Ab machine/exercise would work my entire abdomen?

 

[colby2152]

Pulley Crunches are great as they give you a decent stretch movement. You can also go side to side to hit the obliques. The other bonuses are that you can add more weight and people give you weird looks.