Good at-home ab workouts

[KJJ]

Along with cardio, you want to do some low intensity activities such as a moderate pace on an elliptical to target the fat for energy instead of your carbohydrate storage. This will trigger your body to use fat as its source of ATP rather than simple sugars. So in short, keep your heart rate at about 60% of its peak and you should be in that zone.

A problem that happens with a lot of guys is the fat around our midsection especially in the obliques can become trapped and nothing you do can burn it off. It results in love handles and liposuction is one of the only ways to get rid of it. They have a laser treatment that loosens all the trapped fat releasing it into the blood stream then all you have to do is cardio to burn it off.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

you should get a job where you can socialize with your girl coworkers. i think well over 50% of my post high school girlfriends were coworkers from my time at HEB, lifeguard, etc.

This. Busboy at a restaurant with hot hostesses never hurt a bit.

 

[NeonNinja]

This.

You'll need to get your body fat down to the 10% range and possible lower to have that 6 pack look.

Ab workouts shouldn't be any more frequent than any of you other muscle groups either. They need as much time to recover as your pecs do.

This.

Eating well is just as important as working out, probably even more so.

 

[MC KAos]

This. Busboy at a restaurant with hot hostesses never hurt a bit.

YEAH when i worked at chuys and other mexican restaurants as a waiter in college, it seemed like the hostesses were ALWAYS flirting! too bad i was already basically married! :laugh2:

 

[Wimbo]

You gotta stop thinking about it as 'ab' exercises, and start doing 'core' exercises. If you overdevelop your abs (lots of crunches), you put pressure on your spine because there is not a counterbalance on the other side. Also, you can actually make yourself look fatter, because you are building up muscle under your layer of fat. By working your full core, you create a 'girdle' effect, tightening your entire midsection. Also, keep in mind that your core is not developed to help you through a crunch maneuver. It is developed to stabilize your midsection and spine through a range of motion. A strong core helps in just about every sport, and has obvious aesthetic benefits as well.

IMO, the best things you can do for your core are the following:

Plank (hold for 45 secs to 1 minute):

Side Plank (hold each side 45 secs to 1 minute:

Superman:
[youtube]cc6UVRS7PW4[/youtube]

glute bridge (12 reps):
[youtube]sl5cg55DF4Q[/youtube]

leg lower (popup optional):
[youtube]drYIBSm-oSo[/youtube]

spiderman pushups:
[youtube]fSoigipsZM8[/youtube]

divebomber pushup:
[youtube]abpvDabVEX0[/youtube]

 

[Jenky]

Honestly what has worked for me:

1. Diet
2. Cardio
3. Resistance training

I've had to make sure all 3 were in check. Yes your ABS are like any other muscle group. Everyone has them, just like everyone has biceps. Some people have bigger biceps. Why? Because of resistance training. Apply that to your ABS and they will look "fuller" and more defined.

I can't advise just diet and cardio for that very reason. Yes, they will show and be flat, but that's about it. If you want striations and true definition, you'll have to add resistance to your leg raises, crunches, etc.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.

Very true.

But for strictly working the abs and the whole core (though I hate that trendy word), the best exercise I know is the old ab wheel. Yep, the cheap gadget you've seen for $8 at any Walmart or sporting goods store. I always thought they were a joke until some people like Pavel Tsatsouline brought back awareness of them years ago. Progress to doing standing rollouts with one and you won't need to do much else.

 

[Staggerlee]

Oatmeal- stray away from the packets. Most of them contain a large amount of sugar. Pick up the larger cylinders of natural oats. This with a dash of honey and fresh fruit gets the morning started well. Kick the low fat ranch. "Low fat" is such a misleading term. If you can keep away from the carbohydrate-rich food late at night, more power to you. Every once and a while, give yourself a cheat day where you can take down a juicy burger or few slices of pizza, but make sure you understand that a cheat day lasts only a day. Something that I've stuck by for awhile now is to eat about 1/2 the portion I would usually eat per sitting, but increase the amount of sittings. Hope that helped a little.

I hear you on the oatmeal. I only buy the quaker natural and, like you suggested, I add a little bit of honey and there are very few foods that will start you off better in the morning. I have been eating that for breakfast everyday for 8 months and I still love it. I know that "low-fat" isn't really all that much of an improvement but it is the one thing that I have found that makes eating so much chicken tolerable so I use it, but not even a full servings worth so I doubt it is doing too much harm. The carbs at night thing, heck eating late at night in general, is very tough for me. I almost always eat my last meal kind of late just because of my schedule so it is taking some getting used to.

Another thing that I am having problems with is eating more in general. I know you need to consume a small surplus of calories (250-500) so you can effectively build muscle. The problem is I've never been a big eater. Before I started working out I usually only ate twice a day, about 1800 calories total (yes I know this isn't enough to be healthy in the eyes of nutritionists). Now I'm trying to eat more but I'm just not hungry for it and if I force myself to eat I worry that it will be deleterious to my efforts to achieve and maintain a tight stomach.

 

[Staggerlee]

Also thanks to everyone for the info. Since posting this I have started incorporating more "core" exercises into my workouts. As far as the cardio goes I'm in a bit of a bind. The problem is that I am skinny, not anorexic skinny, but very skinny nonetheless (except for some minor fat on my lower stomach which is a constant source of consternation). In addition to this, as mentioned above, I have a very hard time forcing myself to consume enough calories to sustain myself and build muscle as it is. Thus if I incorporate more cardio into my regimen it's going to end up burning a lot of my muscle gains along with the fat. I already walk (4mph) about 3 miles a day because I walk to and from school so I do get a little cardio in.

 

[Jenky]

Also thanks to everyone for the info. Since posting this I have started incorporating more "core" exercises into my workouts. As far as the cardio goes I'm in a bit of a bind. The problem is that I am skinny, not anorexic skinny, but very skinny nonetheless (except for some minor fat on my lower stomach which is a constant source of consternation). In addition to this, as mentioned above, I have a very hard time forcing myself to consume enough calories to sustain myself and build muscle as it is. Thus if I incorporate more cardio into my regimen it's going to end up burning a lot of my muscle gains along with the fat. I already walk (4mph) about 3 miles a day because I walk to and from school so I do get a little cardio in.

I don't know any if your statistics, but if you are skinny fat then you should not be worrying about Abs at first.

 

[Staggerlee]

I don't know any if your statistics, but if you are skinny fat then you should not be worrying about Abs at first.

I'm 5'9 and I weight about 148. I'm skinny enough that you can see my abs, so long as I haven't eaten that day :laugh2:. If I eat then my stomach will obviously expand and the abs will be covered by the expansion of my stomach and minor layer of fat that is present. What I was trying to say was if I do a lot of cardio to lose that tiny bit of remaining fat then I will also lose any muscle gains I've made in other areas (bicep, chest, shoulder) because I am having a difficult time consuming enough calories as it is. I've considered peanut butter to supplement my diet as it is caloric, however that isn't exactly lean calories so I fear it will harm my efforts to lose that tiny layer of fat.

 

[Wimbo]

I'm 5'9 and I weight about 148. I'm skinny enough that you can see my abs, so long as I haven't eaten that day :laugh2:. If I eat then my stomach will obviously expand and the abs will be covered by the expansion of my stomach and minor layer of fat that is present. What I was trying to say was if I do a lot of cardio to lose that tiny bit of remaining fat then I will also lose any muscle gains I've made in other areas (bicep, chest, shoulder) because I am having a difficult time consuming enough calories as it is. I've considered peanut butter to supplement my diet as it is caloric, however that isn't exactly lean calories so I fear it will harm my efforts to lose that tiny layer of fat.

Increase the intensity of your muscle building efforts (less rest, higher reps). Use full body moves in your workout routine (squats, deadlifts, cleans) Do your lifting prior to any other cardio. Consume protein within an hour of your workout. Cut out alcohol from your daily routine. Adding muscle will increase your body's natural calorie burn rate & help to lower your overall body fat %.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I'm 5'9 and I weight about 148. I'm skinny enough that you can see my abs, so long as I haven't eaten that day :laugh2:. If I eat then my stomach will obviously expand and the abs will be covered by the expansion of my stomach and minor layer of fat that is present. What I was trying to say was if I do a lot of cardio to lose that tiny bit of remaining fat then I will also lose any muscle gains I've made in other areas (bicep, chest, shoulder) because I am having a difficult time consuming enough calories as it is. I've considered peanut butter to supplement my diet as it is caloric, however that isn't exactly lean calories so I fear it will harm my efforts to lose that tiny layer of fat.

Chip - IMO (and don't trust me, look up some of the research on the web) for your goals you should forget traditional "cardio". Do more high intensity workouts like sprints or other interval training, crossfit-type workouts, kettlebells, etc. These more explosive, high-intensity workouts won't kill your muscle-gaining efforts like long slow cardio will, and they'll burn more fat anyway.

If I were training you, I'd have you lift heavy (full body stuff like squats, deadlifts, cleans, presses, dips, etc. like Wimbo said - no machines) do some of these HIIT type workouts, and eat clean. That's it. At your weight I don't think you need cardio at all.

And I know we've been down this road on this board, but I would experiment with cutting your carbs back and eating more "Paleo" style. Everyone is a little different, but I suspect that along with heavier work would get rid of that little bit of fat you're talking about.

 

[Jenky]

I'm 5'9 and I weight about 148. I'm skinny enough that you can see my abs, so long as I haven't eaten that day :laugh2:. If I eat then my stomach will obviously expand and the abs will be covered by the expansion of my stomach and minor layer of fat that is present. What I was trying to say was if I do a lot of cardio to lose that tiny bit of remaining fat then I will also lose any muscle gains I've made in other areas (bicep, chest, shoulder) because I am having a difficult time consuming enough calories as it is. I've considered peanut butter to supplement my diet as it is caloric, however that isn't exactly lean calories so I fear it will harm my efforts to lose that tiny layer of fat.

Ah yes, you mean when you wake up dry, you can see your abs. I know what what you mean. They'll usually look more defined.

I know you're going to hate me for saying this. In your case, I wouldn't do cardio. I'd focus on getting to the 170 lb - 175 range while eating good clean foods and following a good body building program.

You just really need to build muscle. Think of muscles as peaks and valleys. Without any mass, you won't have either. You'll basically have nothing to sculpt or mold if that makes sense.

This is generally what most people do. They'll bulk up and gain muscle and fat. Once they've reached a desire weight or goal, they'll lean out. What's left is most of the muscle. That's the fastest way.

I don't usually bulk. I'll just tweak my diet here or there and weigh my self every week to see the rate of growth. It really depends on my goals at the time.

Also all natural peanut butter is good for you. It's the right kind of fats you'd want. I'm talking about Smucker's for example and not Jiff (trans/hydrogenated fats). The only ingredients you'll see in Smucker's is salt and peanut. That's it.

 

[Staggerlee]

Ah yes, you mean when you wake up dry, you can see your abs. I know what what you mean. They'll usually look more defined.

I know you're going to hate me for saying this. In your case, I wouldn't do cardio. I'd focus on getting to the 170 lb - 175 range while eating good clean foods and following a good body building program.

You just really need to build muscle. Think of muscles as peaks and valleys. Without any mass, you won't have either. You'll basically have nothing to sculpt or mold if that makes sense.

This is generally what most people do. They'll bulk up and gain muscle and fat. Once they've reached a desire weight or goal, they'll lean out. What's left is most of the muscle. That's the fastest way.

I don't usually bulk. I'll just tweak my diet here or there and weigh my self every week to see the rate of growth. It really depends on my goals at the time.

Also all natural peanut butter is good for you. It's the right kind of fats you'd want. I'm talking about Smucker's for example and not Jiff (trans/hydrogenated fats). The only ingredients you'll see in Smucker's is salt and peanut. That's it.

Thanks for the advice man. I usually buy the all natural pb and it is delicious. My main concern was even though it was the good fat that it would still add fat to my body but seeing as I am eating a relatively low fat diet to begin with that probably won't be an issue. After reading what you and CL and others have said I think I'm going to just try to add some weight to my frame by eating healthy and weight lifting and see what my abs are like at that point. Like you said, you can't really build muscle anywhere else if you don't have some mass to build it with.

 

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

you should get a job where you can socialize with your girl coworkers. i think well over 50% of my post high school girlfriends were coworkers from my time at HEB, lifeguard, etc.

Well there is this new place that opened up a couple of weeks ago that has a lot of hot blondes that work there. I actually got a job application but just never turned it in.