Defined abs show the world you’re in top shape. No wonder people devote so much time to abdominal training in hopes of getting those elusive six-pack abs, or at least abs that look more defined. In fact, you might be tempted to work your abdominals every time you work out. Is this a good idea?
Are Daily Ab Workouts a Smart Idea?
You know the rules about working muscle groups. With resistance training, give your muscles at least 48 hours’ rest before working the same ones again. Does this apply to abdominal training too? Your abs are similar to other muscle groups in your body: when you train them hard they need rest and recovery time. As you know, adaptations and growth take place during the rest period BETWEEN workouts. For this reason, daily ab training can be counterproductive.
Why do so many people do daily ab work? Mostly because they don’t work their ab muscles to the point of fatigue. The way to build definition is to add resistance to some of your ab exercises to force your muscles to work harder. For example, hold a dumbbell when you’re doing crunches and do enough reps that you really “feel the burn.” Doing 10 reps with focus and resistance is more powerful for building definition and strength than 50 reps without resistance that don’t completely fatigue your ab muscles. Leg raises are another ab-building exercise that becomes more effective when you add resistance. Think about it. Would you do overhead presses without weights and expect to build strength and muscle definition? The same goes for your abdominals.
What Ab Exercises Are Best?
Are the ab exercises you’re doing the best for building strength and definition? Researchers at San Diego State University used electromyography (EMG) to determine which ab exercises best activate ab muscles. They found exercises that require mid-section stabilization and rotational movements force ab muscles to work the hardest.
Exercises That Activate the Rectus Abdominus Muscles in Descending Order of Effectiveness:
. Bicycles
. Captain’s Chair
. Exercise Ball
. Vertical Leg Crunches
. Torso Track
. Long Arm Crunches
. Reverse Crunches
. Crunches with Heel Push
. Ab Roller
. Hover
. Traditional Crunches
. Exercise Tubing Pull
. Traditional Crunch
Exercises That Activate Obliques in Descending Order of Effectiveness:
. Captain’s Chair
. Bicycles
. Reverse Crunches
. Hovers
. Vertical Leg Crunches
. Exercise Ball
. Torso Track
. Crunch with Heel Push
. Long Arm Crunches
. Ab Roller
. Traditional Crunches
. Exercise Tubing Pull
. Ab Rocker
(above information from ACE-Commissioned Study)
As you can see, everyone’s “go to” ab exercise, the traditional crunch, doesn’t activate the rectus abdominus or oblique muscles as strongly as a number of other exercises like bicycles, reverse crunches, long arm crunches, and vertical leg crunches. Time to look beyond the traditional crunch! When you do traditional crunches, you’ll generate more ab activity if you hold a weight or do crunches on a stability ball.
The Deep Abdominals
Underneath the more superficial rectus abdominal muscles is the transversus abdominus, the so-called corset muscle, a muscle you activate every time you move one of your limbs. Strengthening this muscle helps to pull in your abdominals and give you the firm, flat look that’s so coveted. When your deep abdominal muscles are strong, it improves your posture and lowers your risk for injury when you twist, bend, or squat. Crunches and traditional ab exercises won’t do much to strengthen deep abdominal musculature. For this, you need exercises that force you to suck in your abs like planks and plank variations.
Planks aren’t the only exercises that strengthen your transversus abdominus. Tummy vacuums, which you can do almost anywhere, will also help you strengthen your “corset.” To do tummy vacuums, focus on pulling your navel in towards your spine and holding it. You can do this lying down on the floor with your knees bent or while sitting in a chair. When you first start out, hold for 5 seconds and gradually increase the time to 10 seconds. Repeat several times. Doing planks and tummy vacuums will pay off with flatter abs, the appearance of a smaller waist, and a better-supported pelvis and spine.
Other Abdominal Defining Tips
Exercises that target your abdominal muscles won’t effectively burn the excess belly fat the covers them. For that, you need fat-burning workouts like HIIT training and high-intensity resistance workouts that fatigue large muscle groups. If you have excess belly fat blocking the beautiful abs you’re building, focus on doing compound lower body exercises that target large muscle groups – squats, deadlifts, and lunges – as well as ab exercises to help uncover the amazing abdominals you’re developing.
Get a handle on your nutrition too. You’re probably tired of hearing about how abs are made in the kitchen, but it’s true. You can do everything right from an exercise standpoint and still not get the abs you want because you’re eating too much junk. Make 90% or more of your diet whole, unprocessed foods without added sugar.
Finally, make sure you’re sleeping at least 7 hours a night and are adequately dealing with stress. Lack of sleep and chronic stress increases cortisol, a hormone that makes it hard to shed belly fat.
The Bottom Line
. Work your abs the way you work the other muscles in your upper and lower body. Train them hard and then give them 48 hours of rest.
. Focus less on traditional crunches and more on other ab exercises that rank high on the muscle activation chart listed above.
. When you crunch, do variations like reverse crunches and long-arm crunches that activate the target muscles more.
. If your body fat percentage is too high, focus more on high-intensity interval training and heavy resistance exercises like squats and deadlifts that work multiple, large muscle groups.
. Strengthen the deep, “corset” muscles by doing planks, plank variations, and tummy vacuums.
. Get at least 7 hours of sleep a night and find a way to reduce stress with yoga, meditation or whatever else works for you.
. Don’t forget about the importance of nutrition. A poor diet will keep your abs hidden no matter how strenuously you work them.
References:
ACE Fitness. “Should I Train My Abdominals Every Day? Also, What Ab Exercises Are Best?” September 3,2009.
ACE Fitness. “New Study Puts the Crunch on Ineffective Ab Exercises”
Poliquin Group. “These Are the Best Bulletproof Ab Exercises”
National Strength and Conditioning Association. “Core Training for the Deep Abdominal Muscles”
Related Articles By Cathe:
Abdominal Exercises: Are You Doing Too Many Reps?
What’s the Best Rep Speed for Building Abdominal Definition?
Should You Train Your Obliques?
Are Planks Better Than Crunches for Abdominal Development?
Are Abdominal Crunches on a Stability Ball More Effective?
Are Standing Abdominal Exercises More Effective Than Floor Ab Exercises?
Related Cathe Friedrich Workout DVDs:
