Training help

[IronMonkey]

Ok, Im mostly trying to focus on working my abs right now before I continue doing some other weight training, especially since I have a few school projects anyway.

1. I do about 5 ab exercises, taking maybe a min. between each one, and I do every single day, is this ok?

2. What are some tough ab exercises that you can tell me about or give link to (anything at all)? I have to do a whole lot of crunches to feel anything and its kinda taking long time, so please provide very hard ab exercises (no need for partners either).

3. I kinda have bad posture and my back aint that strong, so what kind of back exercises can I do that are effective? Also, I dont have no barbells, just myself and a pair of dumbbells, lol.

Thats about it I guess. And just to get this out of me... Im a lazy piece of ****, lol, I either dont have enough energy for the day or Im just not willing to accomplish anything =(

[WinterPalm]

I'd suggest doing some exercises that train the upper abs and then doning some for the lower abs. Train lower abs first, then train upper abs. Same principle as training your lower chest first then the upper chest. Try for around 100 reps per exercise.:D :D

































:D

[Vash]

Originally posted by WinterPalm
I'd suggest doing some exercises that train the upper abs and then doning some for the lower abs. Train lower abs first, then train upper abs. Same principle as training your lower chest first then the upper chest. Try for around 100 reps per exercise.:D :D

































:D

:mad: :eek: :mad:

Dayum, if I didn't think you were kidding, I'd verbally molest you.

As to Iron Monkey:

First, don't train abs everyday. Train no more than 3 days a week, with a day in between - Mon/Wed/Fri or Tu/Thu/Sat.

Second, train abs at low-rep, high-intensity. Me, I don't do more than 6 reps at once.

Third, I'll post some good ab/back exercises tomorrow.

[IronFist]

Good ab exercises? How about heavy squats, deadlifts, and bench, with no belt?

Or, you could try using an ab wheel ("evil wheel"), but just get one of the $8 ones at a sports store. There's no reason to pay $30 for the infomercial one cuz it's exactly the same.

Or Janda situps for strength.

Or hanging leg raises.

Or weight crunches.

Or regular crunches if your abs are weak now.

[abobo]

I do a few of these: http://www.american-gymnast.com/tt/strength/stomach/index.htm

[Toby]

Dragon flags.
Full-contact twists.
Windmills.
Bridge.
One-armed DL.

Or like Iron said, squat and DL without a belt. Bench, Iron? Huh?

[_William_]

Do some supermans for your low back if you don't have weights.

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by Vash
First, don't train abs everyday. Train no more than 3 days a week, with a day in between - Mon/Wed/Fri or Tu/Thu/Sat.


I dunno... depending on how you train, there's nothing wrong with training the muscle every day.

[Serpent]

Yeah, abs you can train daily, but only burn them out once in a while. Dragon flags and hanging leg raises are probably about the meanest options and supermans will be good for the back.

[IronFist]

Originally posted by Toby
Or like Iron said, squat and DL without a belt. Bench, Iron? Huh?

When I bench I tighten my abs hard as a mofo. It provides stability as well as more overall tension. I arch my back but keep my butt on the bench (the powerlifting way). It's just like squeezing your abs during squatting or DL'ing.

[Toby]

I bench like that too, but I've never noticed my stomach tensing so much. I'll have to check it out tomorrow.

[IronMonkey]

Well, I will continue to do the exercises everyday, maybe just taking one day off per week.

Also, what are supermans? Janda situps(I heard of them before but Im not quiet sure)?

And abobo, thanks for that link, I like 2 exercises that I will begin doing today during my workout.

And please, if you have more back exercises (no machines/weights required), please post em. I only got dumbells by the way.

[Toby]

Originally posted by IronMonkey
Also, what are supermans? Janda situps(I heard of them before but Im not quiet sure)?Superman - lie on your stomach and raise your feet and head like Superman flying. Jandas - google. You need to do them right, though. And you'll need to build a jig to do them but that only takes an hour and maybe $20 of materials at most.

Originally posted by IronMonkey
And please, if you have more back exercises (no machines/weights required), please post em. I only got dumbells by the way. Take a large piece or rope or a towel and throw it over a low branch of a tree near your house. Do pullups.

[IronMonkey]

Ok I found Janda situps. But about Superman, how long do I have to hold that position for, and how many reps do I do it?

And about the pull up towel/rope thing, wont be able to, thanks anyway though.

[Serpent]

Originally posted by IronMonkey
And about the pull up towel/rope thing, wont be able to, thanks anyway though. Why not? Pullups/chinups are the best for upper back stuff. Doorframes? Tree branches? Fire escape steps? Use your imagination - there's heaps of options.

[IronFist]

You don't need to build anything to do Jandas, it's just harder that way if you're not intimately aware of which muscles are contracting when.

How to do them:

Get in a situp position.
Squeeze a thick telephone book or something between your knees
Actively pull your heels DOWN and TOWARD you into the floor to activate your hamstrings. Continue this presure the entire time you're doing situps. I'd say the majority of people can't keep this tension up for an entire rep. It's too easy to lift up with your feet as you start the situp motion. If you can do more than one full rep you're doing it wrong.

Or just have a partner pull your calves toward them and upward thus forcing you to contract your hamstrings.

[WinterPalm]

That's tough! Does this help incorporate the abdominal muscles without using the hip flexors or something?

[Toby]

Originally posted by WinterPalm
Does this help incorporate the abdominal muscles without using the hip flexors or something? Precisely.

[Vash]

Dems is some bad mofos. I do them every once in a while, slightly more often than I do Tabata-protocol training.

[IronMonkey]

Thanks Iron, I'll try the best I can, lol.