Trying to get washboard abs... - Page 2

Leonid Soubbotine · 05-03-2007, 10:55 AM

Evan - that's a horrible advice. Abs should stay flat throughout the excercises. Not sucked in and not pushed out.

Sam Lepore · 05-03-2007, 11:13 AM

Purchase an "Abmat"

At the Cert in Ann Arbor 2 weeks ago, Coach Glassman talked about it and we demo'ed it. Awesome stuff!

www.abmat.com

Read this site. Has some good info on why it is so good.

Work and Fam safe site.

Erik Reckdenwald · 05-03-2007, 11:44 AM

Also, getting the right amount of sleep can help reduce fat storage. I don't know all the specifics, but the book "Lights Out" recommends 9.5 hours of sleep in complete darkness to make your body's hormones think it's winter time. When you don't get enough sleep and there's too much light, your body thinks it's summer and stores fat for the upcoming winter.

Nadia Shatila · 05-03-2007, 06:01 PM

Brian- Thanks for the info on the weighted sit-ups. I have a girlie 4 pack but want a mean lookin six pack like Nicole. I'm going to give your suggestion a try.

Patrick Donnelly · 05-03-2007, 06:36 PM

http://www.beastskills.com/L%20Seat.htm
http://www.beastskills.com/AbWheel.htm
(Safe.)

I found that L-sits don't address the upper abs too much though. For that, I do "tuck sits," where I pull my legs in, while grabbing onto parallettes, and then tilt my body up and backward.

Now to figure out a way to get the two upper abs to be the same size... The right one is so much bigger than the left. Oh well.

Bill Russell · 05-03-2007, 07:27 PM

Ouch, let's not slam Evan on his very first post. He's just passing on what many of us have heard.

I do both 'suck in' and 'puch out' iso holds with my abs from time to time. Korean ki breathing techniques focus on this a lot.

It may not be as effective as other methods, but not a bad way to mix it up, and it certainly can do no harm.

Stay with us Evan:gunsmilie:

Larry Lindenman · 05-04-2007, 04:47 AM

The activating the TA during exercise thing was a hot topic about 5 years ago. Paul Chek was a proponent. On the other side was the late Mel Siff (Super Training) and Louie Simmons of West Side Barbell who are proponents of pushing the abs out during the squat. Chek lost...big. Focus on performance and consistency in diet and exercise, the rest will come.

Elliot Royce · 05-04-2007, 12:15 PM

A few additional comments:

- Glute ham situps seem to me to be very effective at working the whole set of abs
- weighted situps will build mass
- to some extent, focusing on your abs may detract from your overall fitness if it means that you don't eat enough to fuel muscle growth. Rippetoe's quote is interesting: "most people who want a sixpack don't have a chest to put it in."

Jim Doherty · 05-08-2007, 01:50 PM

I have a really dumb question about sugar in the diet. I've read a lot about giving up sugar but I'm not clear if this means giving up refined sugars, or all sugars, even the ones found naturally in fruits. Can someone help me out here. It's sound even dumber now that I've typed it but I am assuming that one should not give up fruits.

John Nolan · 05-08-2007, 02:22 PM

Jim,
depending on how 'paleo' you want to go and what you can live without....let that be your guide

I dont add sugar,but will eat fruit. If you are following zone you can eat sugar, but count the carbs. I found that I would rather have food than sugar. So to answer your question....fruit is fine

05-03-2007, 10:55 AM	#11
Leonid Soubbotine Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Longwood Fl Posts: 1,586	Evan - that's a horrible advice. Abs should stay flat throughout the excercises. Not sucked in and not pushed out.

05-03-2007, 11:13 AM	#12
Sam Lepore Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Philly! PA Posts: 219	Purchase an "Abmat" At the Cert in Ann Arbor 2 weeks ago, Coach Glassman talked about it and we demo'ed it. Awesome stuff! www.abmat.com Read this site. Has some good info on why it is so good. Work and Fam safe site.

05-03-2007, 11:44 AM	#13
Erik Reckdenwald Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Garwood NJ Posts: 86	Also, getting the right amount of sleep can help reduce fat storage. I don't know all the specifics, but the book "Lights Out" recommends 9.5 hours of sleep in complete darkness to make your body's hormones think it's winter time. When you don't get enough sleep and there's too much light, your body thinks it's summer and stores fat for the upcoming winter.

05-03-2007, 06:01 PM	#14
Nadia Shatila Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: seattle wa Posts: 120	Brian- Thanks for the info on the weighted sit-ups. I have a girlie 4 pack but want a mean lookin six pack like Nicole. I'm going to give your suggestion a try.

05-03-2007, 06:36 PM	#15
Patrick Donnelly Banned Profile: Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: College Park MD Posts: 1,162	http://www.beastskills.com/L%20Seat.htm http://www.beastskills.com/AbWheel.htm (Safe.) I found that L-sits don't address the upper abs too much though. For that, I do "tuck sits," where I pull my legs in, while grabbing onto parallettes, and then tilt my body up and backward. Now to figure out a way to get the two upper abs to be the same size... The right one is so much bigger than the left. Oh well.

05-03-2007, 07:27 PM	#16
Bill Russell Affiliate Profile: Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cleveland OH Posts: 503	Ouch, let's not slam Evan on his very first post. He's just passing on what many of us have heard. I do both 'suck in' and 'puch out' iso holds with my abs from time to time. Korean ki breathing techniques focus on this a lot. It may not be as effective as other methods, but not a bad way to mix it up, and it certainly can do no harm. Stay with us Evan:gunsmilie:

05-04-2007, 04:47 AM	#17
Larry Lindenman Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chicago Illinois Posts: 2,769	The activating the TA during exercise thing was a hot topic about 5 years ago. Paul Chek was a proponent. On the other side was the late Mel Siff (Super Training) and Louie Simmons of West Side Barbell who are proponents of pushing the abs out during the squat. Chek lost...big. Focus on performance and consistency in diet and exercise, the rest will come.

05-04-2007, 12:15 PM	#18
Elliot Royce Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Inowa KS Posts: 922	A few additional comments: - Glute ham situps seem to me to be very effective at working the whole set of abs - weighted situps will build mass - to some extent, focusing on your abs may detract from your overall fitness if it means that you don't eat enough to fuel muscle growth. Rippetoe's quote is interesting: "most people who want a sixpack don't have a chest to put it in."

05-08-2007, 01:50 PM	#19
Jim Doherty Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Raleigh NC Posts: 9	I have a really dumb question about sugar in the diet. I've read a lot about giving up sugar but I'm not clear if this means giving up refined sugars, or all sugars, even the ones found naturally in fruits. Can someone help me out here. It's sound even dumber now that I've typed it but I am assuming that one should not give up fruits.

05-08-2007, 02:22 PM	#20
John Nolan Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sanford NC Posts: 242	Jim, depending on how 'paleo' you want to go and what you can live without....let that be your guide I dont add sugar,but will eat fruit. If you are following zone you can eat sugar, but count the carbs. I found that I would rather have food than sugar. So to answer your question....fruit is fine