Is it normal to never have DOMS in your core

wgilchrist

Cathlete
I have a really strong core (my favorite body part to work) but no matter what I do I never "feel it" the next day. Is it normal? I am able to do all of the exercises on STS ab circuits except for the levitations.:( My goal is to accomplish this soon.;):p
Thank you.
Sincerely,
 
Both abs and calves are high-endurance muscles (our abs work all the time to stabilize our body), so I think that's why it's difficult to get DOMS in the abs. I rarely do. And when I do, I only notice it when I move a certain way. (In any case, DOMS is NOT necessary as a sign of a good workout.)
 
Thank you! I was unsure since sometimes I can't even sit down because my legs get so sore. The same goes for upper body...I really feel it! This really helps.:D
 
The only time I have DOMS in my abs:

1. When I return to my Cardio Coach workouts after a break.

2. When I add weight to the ab exercises, especially on the stability ball.

Otherwise I get nothing.
 
I and a couple of my co-workers have been doing Ab Circuits...and boy do we feel it in our core. I am so out of shape! I'm grateful that I ordered the STS series, and will work towards changing this poor ol' bod.
 
Hi Wendy! It is hard to get DOMS in the core region once your body has acclimated to the exercise/overall workout. The way to stimulate further soreness to a muscle group once it has already acclimated to an exercise is by varying the exercise order, varying the tempo's, reps, duration of each workout, frequency (times per week),or intensity (through resistance or equipment challenges). The abs, by nature, are endurance based and can go on for a long time so if you already have a fairly strong core, then duration, frequency, and additional reps are not going to do much to challenge them further. You will do better adding equipment and weight to stimulate further challenges. Here is one that gets me really good in the core:

Take a decently heavy dumbbell (I usually use a 20 pounder) and a stability ball. Find a place to anchor your feet very securely under a sofa or somewhere where you will have no movement from your feet (them babies are planted down ;)). Now sit on your ball with your weight in your hand in front of this object that will anchor your feet. Roll down in a position on your stability ball so that you are facing the ceiling with your back arched over the ball. Place the dumbell in your hands (start light until you get your mechanics down) and arch your body over the ball getting a really good stretch and let the hands continue to go over your head with the weight (like if you were going to do a pullover). Now keep your neck strong and your arms in a fixed semi bent position (with the dumbbell either in a vertical or horizonal position in your hands... horizontal helps keep you from hitting floor with dumbbell) and crunch upward so that your ribcage moves toward your hip bones. Do 3 sets of 15 slow and controlled reps feeling a nice stretch on the way back. Be sure that you are crunching with your arms remaining in a fixed position as you move backward and upward and are not actually swinging the arms over head as you would do for a pullover.

Good Luck and let me know how it works for you.

By the way, it is important for me to say that you don't have to have muscle soreness to get a great core workout. But every now and then some nice DOMS in the deep core/obliques/upper/lower ab area feels really good :D





I have a really strong core (my favorite body part to work) but no matter what I do I never "feel it" the next day. Is it normal? I am able to do all of the exercises on STS ab circuits except for the levitations.:( My goal is to accomplish this soon.;):p
Thank you.
Sincerely,
 

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