Heavy ab work- how many times per week?

[NickAus]

How many times can you hit abs per week?

At the moment I'm doing 2, can I do more or will it be too much?

Any help would be great!!

Thanks.

[AdamBAG]

Usually I do some type of ab work 3 days a week. I train MWFSu so I train abs on MWF. Usually 1 or 2 exercises, 3-5 sets of 5-15.

[Mick Manley]

heavy abs twice a week for me.

[slashkills]

heavy abs twice a week for me.

me too

[ThomasG]

On ME and DE lower body.

[Pete22]

I go twice a week, I know reading Scott Yard's log he hits his abs every training session if I remember right.

[muscle_g]

I do abs twice a week.

[shortguy]

i hit abs 4-5 times a week, but rotate which area i focus on

[SELK]

I don't do any direct ab work.

[ScottYard]

I use to do 1-2 times a week and really half ass it. Once I jumped it to 4 hard times a week my deadlift went up 30 pounds in 3 months.

[Mick Manley]

I use to do 1-2 times a week and really half ass it. Once I jumped it to 4 hard times a week my deadlift went up 30 pounds in 3 months.

what work do u do? and what poundages?

[ScottYard]

Straight leg situps 3 sets of 20 with15 lb med ball

bent leg sit ups 3 sets of 20 with15 lb med ball

Incline sit up against mini band 10 sets of 10 with 10 seconds rest

and a couple ab machines for 3 sets of 15.

I usually pisk 2-3 per day

[NickAus]

Thanks guys, big help.

[NickAus]

Just an update, I am doing abs and obliques 4 times per week.

Only one day is really hard and heavy, this is working well for me.

Thanks everyone for your help!!

[AJ Roberts]

Glad to hear it's working well. I've been hitting abs heave 4 times a week for a while now and really noticed a difference,

[NickAus]

Yeah huge difference for me, abs must have been so weak to start with lol.

[SELK]

I don't do any direct ab work.

After reading this thread + advice from yard I have included ab work in my program since this post. I havn't tested any maxes, but i have set some rep PRs while losing bodyweight.

[IronDiggy]

Every training day finishes with some kind of Ab work. which is 6x a week for me. I don't usually go too hard though I think I'm going to push my ab work harder since this past meet.

[Gugunir]

I don do any direct ab work per say (sit ups, crunches, etc) but I do core stability work three times per week. I stick with front and side plank variations, anti rotary work with cables or bands, and use push ups and inverse rows as spinal stability movements as well along with a lot of kettle bell work. This is due to my lower back problem(impinged nerve root L-5) which wont allow me to do any type of heavy flexion or extension work. Most of what I am doing is based of Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance by
Stuart McGill.

[MikeWilliams]

I don do any direct ab work per say (sit ups, crunches, etc) but I do core stability work three times per week. I stick with front and side plank variations, anti rotary work with cables or bands, and use push ups and inverse rows as spinal stability movements as well along with a lot of kettle bell work. This is due to my lower back problem(impinged nerve root L-5) which wont allow me to do any type of heavy flexion or extension work. Most of what I am doing is based of Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance by
Stuart McGill.

what is an "impinged nerve root?" Just curious, I've developed some sort of back pain involving my sciatic nerve, which is fairly crippling at times...It kinda takes the fun out of Deadlift and Squat days...

I need to find a specialist because my family Dr. just keeps giving me pills instead of figuring out what the problem truly is...

[mastermonster]

what is an "impinged nerve root?" Just curious, I've developed some sort of back pain involving my sciatic nerve, which is fairly crippling at times...It kinda takes the fun out of Deadlift and Squat days...

I need to find a specialist because my family Dr. just keeps giving me pills instead of figuring out what the problem truly is...

Mike, give a good Chiropractor a try. That has kept me lifting for several years when I was almost ready to retire from full meets.

I only do abs once per week and heavy (2-3 sets x 10-15 reps). I work each bodypart 1 time per week on a MWF schedule.

[muscle_g]

I only do abs once per week and heavy (2-3 sets x 10-15 reps). I work each bodypart 1 time per week on a MWF schedule.

I started doing this too when I switched to a MWF schedule at the first of this year, and I am still having great results

[Detard]

I do abs during my extra workouts. For example i'll do some mobility stuff at night or upper body recovery exercises and do a couple ab exercises then. Workouts usually last no longer than 25 minutes. I've been seeing some benefits from this type of work.

[Gugunir]

what is an "impinged nerve root?" Just curious, I've developed some sort of back pain involving my sciatic nerve, which is fairly crippling at times...It kinda takes the fun out of Deadlift and Squat days...

I need to find a specialist because my family Dr. just keeps giving me pills instead of figuring out what the problem truly is...

Its basically where the nerve root, mine passing through my L-5 is "pinched" http://www.ourhealthnetwork.com/cond...nchednerve.asp. For me it was cumulative re injury and chronic pain that finally made my back go out on me last September 09. I am no longer in chronic pain but I still have some of the referred symptoms and my back always(though less and less with the current PT i am working with) twinges a little bit every day.
My advice is get an MRI pronto then get in touch with a good PT who has a history in successfully rehabilitating lower backs and actually cares about you getting under the bar again and SFW, and ditch your family doctor he is a ******* for just giving you pills. Also avoid chiropractors at all costs unless you can find one who works with athlestes and has a good resume to back him up. I know all about lower back pain the hard way, get it taken care of quick.