Exercise questions?

white spaniard · #1 04-04-09, 09:35

Two questions can anyone recommend exercises that focus on the stomach area? And what other exercises except for the plank can work the core muscles?

BravoCompanyUSA · #2 04-04-09, 10:57

Most obvious for stomach is crunches.

One of my favorates for lower back is roman chair.

Squats does a lot more for the core than one might first think.

If you want to see those abs; diet is most of the equation.

Pistola · #3 06-15-09, 13:03

When I was in the Army we use to do a lot of flutterkicks, it's good for the lower part of the stomach. And yes, Crunches.

QuickStrike · #4 06-15-09, 17:38

I don't know what it's called, but try this:

1. Lay on your back

2. knees bent 45 degrees with someone stepping on your feet

3. Have that someone hold focus mitts about slightly wider than your shoulder width (about 2-3 feet away from your face, depending on your reach)

4. do a sit up til you're at the lower mid point (back not touching the ground,
but far from sitting up)

5. Punch at those mitts
use your left hand on target on the right, right hand on target to the left
with straight punches only (hooks will probably over-twist your spine)
do it til you can't anymore = one set

This sounds a lot more complicated than it really is. But being at the mid-point = there's constant tension on your abs.

IMO This is great for mma, for punching up at someone while they're in your guard. We have found that this fatiques our abs faster than crunches, medicine ball, etc...

Edit: oh, and if you're looking for something to slim the abs, this will not do it much. Spot reduce = impossible.

Mr.Goodtimes · #5 06-15-09, 20:36

1. Crunches
2. Flutter Kicks
3. Leg Lifts from a pullup bar
4. Weighted Crunches
5. Various medicine ball workouts.

my favorite medicine ball workout i use a fairly heavy ball and i sit on a decline crunch bench and have a work out partner throw the ball to me from left, to middle, to right. it works great!

LittleRedToyota · #6 06-17-09, 15:57

hiking and/or walking stairs with some weight on your back (backpack) is a good core strengthening exercise as well. your core is what stabalizes the weight and keeps your body upright. very good all around real world applicable core strengthening exercise (probably not much good for getting six pack abs, though).

as it gets easy, add more weight, walk faster/longer, etc.

JHC · #7 06-17-09, 19:31

I'm 100% certain that the finest training of abs and core is done by jumping up on the pull up bars and doing "knees to elbows" until you can graduate to full "pikes". Then when you can execute 6-10 full pikes in a set start to graduate to the "windshield washer" where you basically hold a pike up, then rotate 60-90 degrees alternately to the left and to the right.

The pikes I figured out on my own. The knees to elbows and windshield washers I later found on the Crossfit pages and worked in.

I'm 51+ years old. Been training pretty much non-stop since a teen. Studying it as a hobby and passion. And I've not come across anything for ab/core that tops these although intense heavy bag workout are right up there also. And FWIW I don't have any experience with kettle bells although the Russian swings with dumbells are butt kickers and work the core and posterior chain very heavily too.

These are so strenuous that these muscles actually grow. The Windshield Washer really hits the obliques for rotational strength and core stability. And those muscles thicken also. At the same body weight my waist has grown an inch or inch and a half since getting on these hard.

I kid you not. These are the daddy! But one needs a pretty decent base of bodyweight strength to get far with them (ie pullups, chinups). But knees to elbows is manageable to start at.

Check out the vids of these on Crossfit.

JBone870 · #8 06-17-09, 23:03

you should try a standard crunch, reverse crunch, and broomstick twists. 100 reps a piece.

DT1 · #9 06-18-09, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by BravoCompanyUSA

Most obvious for stomach is crunches.

One of my favorates for lower back is roman chair.

Squats does a lot more for the core than one might first think.

If you want to see those abs; diet is most of the equation.

This is the best advice you'll get. Diet/Wt loss will bring the abs out, there's no such thing as "spot reducing" in the abdominal area by doing millions of reps.

Use resistance when training the abs as with any other body part to develop the muscle, then watch what you eat.

WS6 · #10 06-19-09, 03:05

I will assume that you understand none of these will give you a 6-pack if you are fat.

weighted cable-crunches.

hanging twisting crunches (what I call them, self-descriptive).

wood-choppers (or whatever they are called) standing using the cable-cross machine.

Also, strengthen your lower back. That is part of your core too!

WS6 · #11 06-19-09, 03:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHC

I'm 100% certain that the finest training of abs and core is done by jumping up on the pull up bars and doing "knees to elbows" until you can graduate to full "pikes". Then when you can execute 6-10 full pikes in a set start to graduate to the "windshield washer" where you basically hold a pike up, then rotate 60-90 degrees alternately to the left and to the right.

The pikes I figured out on my own. The knees to elbows and windshield washers I later found on the Crossfit pages and worked in.

I'm 51+ years old. Been training pretty much non-stop since a teen. Studying it as a hobby and passion. And I've not come across anything for ab/core that tops these although intense heavy bag workout are right up there also. And FWIW I don't have any experience with kettle bells although the Russian swings with dumbells are butt kickers and work the core and posterior chain very heavily too.

These are so strenuous that these muscles actually grow. The Windshield Washer really hits the obliques for rotational strength and core stability. And those muscles thicken also. At the same body weight my waist has grown an inch or inch and a half since getting on these hard.

I kid you not. These are the daddy! But one needs a pretty decent base of bodyweight strength to get far with them (ie pullups, chinups). But knees to elbows is manageable to start at.

Check out the vids of these on Crossfit.

Please expound more on this. Maybe a link or something? I dont think knees/elbo's would challenge me much, I want to know what this pike/windshield washer is so I can do it.

JHC · #12 06-19-09, 19:26

At this link, look at the first "paragraph" of video demonstrations. Watch the vid for Knees to Elbows. It will progress through what I called pikes and then the windshield washer.

I seek functional strength but I don't mind a bit being this old and running a 4--6pack either. I do eat pretty clean (combo of warrior diet and paleo-diet). I'm sold on these exercises as the primary foundation for training these muscles. BTW, upper back/lats get a lot of work off of these two.

http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html#Exer

PS - Wood choppers are awesome. +1

greene · #13 06-29-09, 21:42

If you want to just get them strong buy an ab wheel. 3-5 set of as many as you can three times a week will keep them strong and hard. But if you want them to bug out diet and cardio is the only way.

jsbcody · #14 06-30-09, 10:49

Kettlebell swings and other kettlebell exercises will work both the lower back and work the stomach area......along with your cardio, endurance, and strength.

TomD · #15 06-30-09, 11:59

Would suggest purchasing Russ Enamait's book 'Never Gymless'. Many exercises for the core & general fitness. It will take you as far as you are willing or able to go.

John Frazer · #16 07-05-09, 20:04

One-legged knees to elbows are a worthy variation I learned at CrossFit DC. Let one leg hang while touching the other to the elbow. Alternate as needed.

A timed circuit of kettlebell swings and KTEs is also "fun." You use your abs heavily during the swings to stabilize your back and to put on the brakes at the top of the swing, then switch to the powerful contraction of the KTE. A real crowd pleaser...

JHC · #17 07-05-09, 20:08

Oh hell yeah!!! John!

You have a twisted idea of "fun". LOL

Will combine those two this week for a try.

152dbs · #18 08-08-09, 19:54

or if u want to go in time with a video...the p90x vids (ab ripper, core synergistics) work pretty well.

d90king · #19 08-08-09, 20:59

Push ups on a yoga ball. Do a 100 a day 4 days a week and 50 on your off days is all you should need. If you want a little more of a challenge do them on one foot and alternate feet every 10 reps.