HST and stomach

[Kate]

Quote[/b] (BIZ @ Mar. 01 2005,9:39)]Cosmetic benefits aside, you should train abs for postural benefits and hernia prevention at the least.  

Lots of good advice here... to me this is the bottom line.

I train abs separately once or twice a week as part of my "keeping the old joints up and running" workout. I don't have the stomach

for quite as many reps as O&G, but do keep them in the 12 to 15 range.

My "ab" routine, like O&G's, is about core strength and function. One of my new favorites is a Russian twist on the exercise ball.

I always throw in something for lower back (such as hypers or reverse hypers) for balance.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Kate

 

[BIZ]

Quote[/b] (Louno @ Mar. 02 2005,1:43)]

Quote[/b] ] Contrary to popular belief, the abs do not grow outward much unless you have a bad habit of pooching when you crunch.  Remember to pull your navel in as you crunch and blow your air out.  

im not 100% bilingual, what does, "pooching" means ?
and what is a navel hehe

Haha. Pooching is pretty much what Totentanz said. Most people when they crunch hold their air in on the contraction which leads to "pooching", forcing the abdomen to stick out more kind of like when someone is trying to make themselves look fat on purpose. Personally, I love using the Swiss Ball for crunches. I load them just like I would any other exercise. I even go as low as 5 reps and it has done nothing but make my abs feel harder and the cuts deeper.

I guess I am still confused as to why people would ever advise against doing abdominal exercises as Ian has sadi he has been told. The most prevalent reason I know as to why people do not do abs: laziness. I believe it's possible to have a great 6 pack without doing crunches if bodyfat is low and genetics are optimal, but few are blessed like that. As far as doing trunk twists for abs, I love them for obliques, but they do little for my abdominals. I also love punching the heavy bag for a good oblique workout for that matter.

 

[Old and Grey]

Louno, I don't use HST for abs but I don't see any reason why you could not. I exercise them strictly for strength and endurance. (Having a hobby horse farm means I sometimes have to put up 15 or more tons of hay in my loft off a conveyor belt. The bails only weigh 50 pounds each but you need core trunk muscle endurance to lift and stack 600 of them).

Don't worry about not knowing what pooching was. I never heard of it either. I think it is probably a new gangsta generation invented term that hasn't found its way into this old fart's dictionary yet!

 

[ian]

Ive finally posted a hot topic... my life is complete!!!!

I rekon most people dont know how to work stomach propery anyway, i get confused myself.

You see loads of people on benches forgeting about breathing and tensing and just grabbing there neck and trying to pull their bodies up with there hands.

I just try and squeeze as much as possible (not too much movement) and I feel it really well, but thats the problem.

Its kinda like Charles Atlas isometic training (think memory serves me right there). I mean anyone can do an arm workout without any weights, you just tense your arms enuff and it hurts, but im not sure how much you get out of it.

What im trying to say is would you....
1/do what I do, no weights go for the squeeze
2/do things with weights, why should stomach be different to anything else??

 

[Old and Grey]

Both 1 and 2 if you want strength and endurance.