Maximising Abs

[^J-Rod^]

I guess thier are two questions in this one. with regards to achieving;

1) Strong abs for tennis
2) Chiseled abs for the beach (an added advantage) :)

Obviously number one is the priority, but my question does not seek out a program, rather clarification on what I have heard much talk about overtraining abs. What is the best balance of reps (small enough to say sane) and weight (No one sit ups thier squat load!).

I have heard that:

1) they are used in most compound exercises anyway, (squats)
2) Why do 50 reps of abs, if you only do 12 reps of any other muscle group?
3) They need time to recover, so working them everyday could also overtrain.
4) jeopardising flexibility for tennis if doing to much strength training on abs, (heavy resistance, small reps).

I currently do 3 different ab exercises; sets of 15 reps including swiss ball sit ups, and oblique sit ups for each side. Once a week I do leg raises for the lower abs (3 sets of 20). Any suggestions, or perspectives on this issue.

Obviously so important for tennis.

Ps. Body fat is v.low already, so no issue with that.

[Waimea_Boy]

1) true. they work as stabalizers
2) true. they are made of mostly fast-twitch fibers and should be trained accordingly
3) true. as long as you are actually working them properly
4) false. increased strength does not equal decreased flexibility

I can't imagine that your abs are fatigued by the end of doing 15 reps of swiss ball exercises. They're good to do for core training, but you're not going to be working your abs hard enough. Likewise with only 20 leg raises. Sounds like what you need are some resistance exercises.

[CrazyScheiner]

4) false. increased strength does not equal decreased flexibility


I prime example of this would be gymnastics. You need ALOT of strength and flexibility to be on. Look at the Olympic Gymnastic Men, they are ripped!

[^J-Rod^]

sorry maybe it was not expressed well enough. I don't mean one set of 15. three sets of each type of sit up. so nine sets in total. Plus, when I do leg raises, 3 sets of 20.

Do you think there is any merit to doing sit ups with weight attatched?

[Waimea_Boy]

sorry maybe it was not expressed well enough. I don't mean one set of 15. three sets of each type of sit up. so nine sets in total. Plus, when I do leg raises, 3 sets of 20.

Do you think there is any merit to doing sit ups with weight attatched?

I understood what you meant. 15 reps is nothing and shouldn't be enough to fatigue your abs.

Do you have access to a gym? There are plenty of different machines that you can use to work your abs more effectively than doing straight leg raises (poor ab exercise.) Do your regular 3 sets, but do them on a machine to really fatigue your abs. Then, finish with your two swiss ball exercises once your abs are already fatigued so you'll actually be able to feel something on the ball.