Let's Get Ripped, OT!

  • 97 results
  • 1
  • 2

This topic is locked from further discussion.

Avatar image for lowkey254
lowkey254

6031

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 15

User Lists: 0

#1 lowkey254
Member since 2004 • 6031 Posts

I'm looking for a new circuit training routine to cut up my back and triceps. What can you guys offer?

If you have questions about anything else, fitness, post it. Hopefully the community can help out.

Avatar image for GazaAli
GazaAli

25216

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#2 GazaAli
Member since 2007 • 25216 Posts
Don't listen to FightingFan, that is my only advice for you.
Avatar image for Hiddai
Hiddai

6117

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 65

User Lists: 0

#3 Hiddai
Member since 2004 • 6117 Posts
Don't listen to FightingFan, that is my only advice for you.GazaAli
I like him. He just had some weird advice in that OTAH forum (lol)
Avatar image for konvikt_17
konvikt_17

22378

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#4 konvikt_17
Member since 2008 • 22378 Posts

oh, you mean that kind of ripped...

*walks sadly out of thread*

Avatar image for heeweesRus
heeweesRus

5492

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#5 heeweesRus
Member since 2012 • 5492 Posts
Awesome pics. Great size. Look thick. Solid. Tight. Keep us all posted on your continued progress with any new progress pics or vid clips. Show us what you got man. Wanna see how freakin' huge, solid, thick and tight you can get. Thanks for the motivation.
Avatar image for psn8214
psn8214

14930

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#6 psn8214
Member since 2009 • 14930 Posts

oh, you mean that kind of ripped...

*walks sadly out of thread*

konvikt_17

Hahaha literally my exact reaction to this thread. :P 

Avatar image for lowkey254
lowkey254

6031

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 15

User Lists: 0

#7 lowkey254
Member since 2004 • 6031 Posts
[QUOTE="psn8214"]

[QUOTE="konvikt_17"]

oh, you mean that kind of ripped...

*walks sadly out of thread*

Hahaha literally my exact reaction to this thread. :P 

What type of "ripped" were you guys thinking of?
Avatar image for konvikt_17
konvikt_17

22378

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#8 konvikt_17
Member since 2008 • 22378 Posts

[QUOTE="psn8214"]

[QUOTE="konvikt_17"]

oh, you mean that kind of ripped...

*walks sadly out of thread*

lowkey254

Hahaha literally my exact reaction to this thread. :P 

What type of "ripped" were you guys thinking of?

Marijuana

Avatar image for psn8214
psn8214

14930

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#9 psn8214
Member since 2009 • 14930 Posts

What type of "ripped" were you guys thinking of?lowkey254

This kind:

tumblr_mqp5st1hPo1s7vtxmo1_400.gif

Synoymns for "ripped" in this context might included "blazed" or "stoned," if the .gif isn't obvious enough. :P

Avatar image for rocinante_
rocinante_

1772

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#10 rocinante_
Member since 2012 • 1772 Posts

[QUOTE="konvikt_17"]

oh, you mean that kind of ripped...

*walks sadly out of thread*

psn8214

Hahaha literally my exact reaction to this thread. :P 

heh, mine too

let's postpone that idea till fri tho, maybe we can get some more people to join us :P

Avatar image for psn8214
psn8214

14930

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#11 psn8214
Member since 2009 • 14930 Posts

let's postpone that idea till fri tho, maybe we can get some more people to join us :P

rocinante_

I'll start prerollin' some stuff up. OT smoke sesh! :D

Avatar image for rocinante_
rocinante_

1772

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#12 rocinante_
Member since 2012 • 1772 Posts

[QUOTE="rocinante_"]

let's postpone that idea till fri tho, maybe we can get some more people to join us :P

psn8214

I'll start prerollin' some stuff up. OT smoke sesh! :D

hah, don't think the mods would be cool with that...maybe we can hide it under the guise of an ot drinking thread (that's what i'll be doin anyway, as i'm on a tolerance break). all those intoxicated are welcome! 

Avatar image for lowkey254
lowkey254

6031

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 15

User Lists: 0

#13 lowkey254
Member since 2004 • 6031 Posts
[QUOTE="konvikt_17"]

[QUOTE="lowkey254"][QUOTE="psn8214"]

Marijuana

I must be getting old... I've heard blazed, lit, or simply high, but never ripped.

[QUOTE="lowkey254"]What type of "ripped" were you guys thinking of?psn8214

This kind:

tumblr_mqp5st1hPo1s7vtxmo1_400.gif

Synoymns for "ripped" in this context might included "blazed" or "stoned," if the .gif isn't obvious enough. :P

Gotcha
Avatar image for KiIIyou
KiIIyou

27204

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#14 KiIIyou
Member since 2006 • 27204 Posts
Add in dips if ya already haven't =)
Avatar image for Star67
Star67

5404

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 29

User Lists: 0

#15 Star67
Member since 2005 • 5404 Posts

Hmmm Ill add to this with some questions of my own.

For the summer Ive really upped my fitness routine. Im in the gym for about an hour and half 5 days a week, 60 minutes of cardio, 30 minutes of upper body.

Ive stopped eating fast food, sweets, and eating out, Ive also stopped drinking soda.

Now Ive lost a total of 15 pounds over the summer, Im short so that is actually a lot of weight for my body. My legs are much skinnier and my upper body looks really good.

Now my question is what to I do about my stomach fat? Now my belly has shrunk some, but I still have a nice little gut with some love handles. I feel like there is another good 3-5 pounds that could be lost here.

What do ot fitness gurus?

Avatar image for rocinante_
rocinante_

1772

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#16 rocinante_
Member since 2012 • 1772 Posts

Hmmm Ill add to this with some questions of my own.

For the summer Ive really upped my fitness routine. Im in the gym for about an hour and half 5 days a week, 60 minutes of cardio, 30 minutes of upper body.

Ive stopped eating fast food, sweets, and eating out, Ive also stopped drinking soda.

Now Ive lost a total of 15 pounds over the summer, Im short so that is actually a lot of weight for my body. My legs are much skinnier and my upper body looks really good.

Now my question is what to I do about my stomach fat? Now my belly has shrunk some, but I still have a nice little gut with some love handles. I feel like there is another good 3-5 pounds that could be lost here.

What do ot fitness gurus?

Star67

not a fitness guru, but from my experience, you're diet prob has too many carbs in it. cut down on the carbs and replace em with high protein foods (nuts, meats, beans, etc.), that way you're body will start burning fats instead of carbs when you're workin out. 

Avatar image for Star67
Star67

5404

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 29

User Lists: 0

#17 Star67
Member since 2005 • 5404 Posts

So to cut down on carbs I should eliminate bread right? What about fruits?

Avatar image for rocinante_
rocinante_

1772

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#18 rocinante_
Member since 2012 • 1772 Posts

oh, and eat lots of veggies/fruits they're delicious n good for ya

and when you do eat carbs, try to stick to stuff with a lot of fibre n protein, like whole wheat breads or pastas and the like

Avatar image for rocinante_
rocinante_

1772

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#19 rocinante_
Member since 2012 • 1772 Posts

So to cut down on carbs I should eliminate bread right? What about fruits?

Star67

eliminate em? depends how cut you wanna get. i still eat em, but i stick to the whole wheat stuff, n i got a pretty flat stomach with some ab definition, but nothing too defined

Avatar image for Star67
Star67

5404

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 29

User Lists: 0

#20 Star67
Member since 2005 • 5404 Posts

oh, and eat lots of veggies/fruits they're delicious n good for ya

and when you do eat carbs, try to stick to stuff with a lot of fibre n protein, like whole wheat breads or pastas and the like

rocinante_

yes I have switched to whole wheat bread and pasta. When should I start doing abb exercises? I keep reading that you should do them after you burn the fat from your stomach. I dont want to look like a greek god or anything, but I would like a flat stomach without love handles

Avatar image for rocinante_
rocinante_

1772

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#21 rocinante_
Member since 2012 • 1772 Posts

[QUOTE="rocinante_"]

oh, and eat lots of veggies/fruits they're delicious n good for ya

and when you do eat carbs, try to stick to stuff with a lot of fibre n protein, like whole wheat breads or pastas and the like

Star67

yes I have switched to whole wheat bread and pasta. When should I start doing abb exercises? I keep reading that you should do them after you burn the fat from your stomach. I dont want to look like a greek god or anything, but I would like a flat stomach without love handles

not sure when to do em, like i said, i'm no fitness guru, just work out casually.

i would recommend gettin an ab roller tho, great workout that not only works out your abs, but also your chest, arms, and shoulders too. keep doin cardio, stick to a healthy diet (this can't be temporary, you have to make a lifestyle change), and you'll start to see results

Avatar image for Star67
Star67

5404

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 29

User Lists: 0

#22 Star67
Member since 2005 • 5404 Posts

Yes I agree with the lifestyle change! I will check out the ab roller as well. Ive been getting shin splints really bad so Ive had to quit running and am now doing just the eliptical untill my shins recover.

Avatar image for The_Lipscomb
The_Lipscomb

2603

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

#23 The_Lipscomb
Member since 2013 • 2603 Posts

Where's the weed?

Avatar image for rocinante_
rocinante_

1772

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#24 rocinante_
Member since 2012 • 1772 Posts

Yes I agree with the lifestyle change! I will check out the ab roller as well. Ive been getting shin splints really bad so Ive had to quit running and am now doing just the eliptical untill my shins recover.

Star67

good luck, dude, stick with it! it makes you feel great when you start seein results

Avatar image for GummiRaccoon
GummiRaccoon

13799

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#25 GummiRaccoon
Member since 2003 • 13799 Posts

I'm looking for a new circuit training routine to cut up my back and triceps. What can you guys offer?

If you have questions about anything else, fitness, post it. Hopefully the community can help out.

lowkey254

 

Deadlifts, squats, bench press, press

Avatar image for follyconvention
follyconvention

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#26 follyconvention
Member since 2013 • 25 Posts
There are many ways to get ripped, before achieving my aesthetics I trained many years building my nervous system, trial and error, from excessive bodyweight reps to heavy lifting, these are my exercises: Deadlifts, good mornings, squats, bench press, overhead press, prowler, snatch and clean and jerk. Elevated press ups, pull ups, handstand push ups, dips, burpees, tuck jumps, sprints, runs, squats and heavy bag. I do all kinds of rep ranges and weights, experiment to see what works for you, personally I am not a fan of body splits, I always focus on compound exercises, however strong legs are a good basis for strength so a leg split would be my only exception. Three youtube enthusiasts I recommend: - Strengthcamp (also has a second channel, Elliot Hulse), I use him for ideas. -CT Fletcher, I use him for motivation. -Mike Rashid, I use him for performance advice. For nutrition, I consume a non processed diet, essentially a "paleo" diet high in carbohydrates and the addition of rice and legumes, otherwise it's near impossible to maintain my mass. Hope this experience is useful!
Avatar image for nomsayin
nomsayin

1346

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#27 nomsayin
Member since 2013 • 1346 Posts
Don't listen to FightingFan, that is my only advice for you.GazaAli
brah, he's jacked
Avatar image for TacticalDesire
TacticalDesire

10713

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#28 TacticalDesire
Member since 2010 • 10713 Posts

Don't do crossfit:P.

Avatar image for TacticalDesire
TacticalDesire

10713

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#29 TacticalDesire
Member since 2010 • 10713 Posts

[QUOTE="GazaAli"]Don't listen to FightingFan, that is my only advice for you.nomsayin
brah, he's jacked

In all seriousness I do think he's one of the few users on this forum who's 200+ lbs and still has abs.

Avatar image for TacticalDesire
TacticalDesire

10713

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#30 TacticalDesire
Member since 2010 • 10713 Posts

Yes I agree with the lifestyle change! I will check out the ab roller as well. Ive been getting shin splints really bad so Ive had to quit running and am now doing just the eliptical untill my shins recover.

Star67

My personal favorite for abs is planks.  IMO they're far superior to most other ab excercises.

Avatar image for GummiRaccoon
GummiRaccoon

13799

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#31 GummiRaccoon
Member since 2003 • 13799 Posts

[QUOTE="Star67"]

Yes I agree with the lifestyle change! I will check out the ab roller as well. Ive been getting shin splints really bad so Ive had to quit running and am now doing just the eliptical untill my shins recover.

TacticalDesire

My personal favorite for abs is planks.  IMO they're far superior to most other ab excercises.

squats get your abs

Avatar image for TacticalDesire
TacticalDesire

10713

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#32 TacticalDesire
Member since 2010 • 10713 Posts

[QUOTE="TacticalDesire"]

[QUOTE="Star67"]

Yes I agree with the lifestyle change! I will check out the ab roller as well. Ive been getting shin splints really bad so Ive had to quit running and am now doing just the eliptical untill my shins recover.

GummiRaccoon

My personal favorite for abs is planks.  IMO they're far superior to most other ab excercises.

squats get your abs

It's never bad to add in isolation excercises...

Avatar image for GummiRaccoon
GummiRaccoon

13799

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#33 GummiRaccoon
Member since 2003 • 13799 Posts

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

[QUOTE="TacticalDesire"]

My personal favorite for abs is planks.  IMO they're far superior to most other ab excercises.

TacticalDesire

squats get your abs

It's never bad to add in isolation excercises...

Why?  You burn less calories.  Compound is the way to go.  If I am feeling lazy a particular week I just do deadlifts, squats and bench presses.

Avatar image for TacticalDesire
TacticalDesire

10713

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#34 TacticalDesire
Member since 2010 • 10713 Posts

[QUOTE="TacticalDesire"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

squats get your abs

GummiRaccoon

It's never bad to add in isolation excercises...

Why?  You burn less calories.  Compound is the way to go.  If I am feeling lazy a particular week I just do deadlifts, squats and bench presses.

Because abs are like any other muscle and needs some direct work to develop them fully.

Avatar image for foxhound_fox
foxhound_fox

98532

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 13

User Lists: 0

#35 foxhound_fox
Member since 2005 • 98532 Posts
 .
Avatar image for wolverine4262
wolverine4262

20832

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#36 wolverine4262
Member since 2004 • 20832 Posts

[QUOTE="konvikt_17"]

oh, you mean that kind of ripped...

*walks sadly out of thread*

psn8214

Hahaha literally my exact reaction to this thread. :P 

Same. Oh well. I dont need a thread to tell me what to do...
Avatar image for GummiRaccoon
GummiRaccoon

13799

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#37 GummiRaccoon
Member since 2003 • 13799 Posts

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

[QUOTE="TacticalDesire"]

It's never bad to add in isolation excercises...

TacticalDesire

Why?  You burn less calories.  Compound is the way to go.  If I am feeling lazy a particular week I just do deadlifts, squats and bench presses.

Because abs are like any other muscle and needs some direct work to develop them fully.

lol who taught you that?

 

Just pick up heavy things and put them down.

 

Whatever you do, don't do machines and don't over do curls.

Avatar image for EagleEyedOne
EagleEyedOne

1676

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#38 EagleEyedOne
Member since 2013 • 1676 Posts

1. Compound movement exercises followed by isolated muscle exercises.

2. Sprint your ass off every day for 30 minutes.

3. Drink protein shakes and take some creatine. Drink a gallon of water every day. Substitute all the carbs you'd normally have with green vegetables.

That's really all there is to it. Make sure you focus on shoulders. Work your shoulders good and focus more on the posterior deltoids as you want them to be pulled back, not forward.

Avatar image for lamprey263
lamprey263

45496

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 10

User Lists: 0

#39 lamprey263
Member since 2006 • 45496 Posts
supergoat would've been proud
Avatar image for EagleEyedOne
EagleEyedOne

1676

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#40 EagleEyedOne
Member since 2013 • 1676 Posts
Add in dips if ya already haven't =)KiIIyou
This, too. Dips are the best.
Avatar image for kickingcarpet
kickingcarpet

570

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#41 kickingcarpet
Member since 2011 • 570 Posts

all depends on body fat percentage..

Avatar image for Blueresident87
Blueresident87

6003

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 19

User Lists: 8

#42 Blueresident87
Member since 2007 • 6003 Posts

oh, you mean that kind of ripped...

*walks sadly out of thread*

konvikt_17

Avatar image for TacticalDesire
TacticalDesire

10713

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#43 TacticalDesire
Member since 2010 • 10713 Posts

[QUOTE="TacticalDesire"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

Why?  You burn less calories.  Compound is the way to go.  If I am feeling lazy a particular week I just do deadlifts, squats and bench presses.

GummiRaccoon

Because abs are like any other muscle and needs some direct work to develop them fully.

lol who taught you that?

 

Just pick up heavy things and put them down.

 

Whatever you do, don't do machines and don't over do curls.

Well, you're going to get faster growth as far as getting bigger abs if you do some ab excercises just a couple times a week.  That's really all it takes.  You don't need to focus an extensive amount of time, so why not do them?  Of course getting abs to show is mostly about bf% anyway, but a couple ab excercises will make your abs bigger even when they do show.

Also, I'm not sure what the curlbro comment has to do with this discussion at all, lol.

Avatar image for Ninja-Hippo
Ninja-Hippo

23434

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 7

User Lists: 0

#45 Ninja-Hippo
Member since 2008 • 23434 Posts

 

Well, you're going to get faster growth as far as getting bigger abs if you do some ab excercises just a couple times a week.

TacticalDesire

This is completely and entirely incorrect. Natural trainees should not be doing isolations, if anything it's counter productive. Doing extra ab work will yield no better results than just doing heavy compound lifts which works your entire core in the manner in which it naturally functions; stabilising the spine. Crunches and situps and whatever else might make you 'feel the burn' are borderline useless at building dry muscle mass. You're wasting your time.

Avatar image for TacticalDesire
TacticalDesire

10713

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#46 TacticalDesire
Member since 2010 • 10713 Posts

[QUOTE="TacticalDesire"]

 

Well, you're going to get faster growth as far as getting bigger abs if you do some ab excercises just a couple times a week.

Ninja-Hippo

This is completely and entirely incorrect. Natural trainees should not be doing isolations, if anything it's counter productive. Doing extra ab work will yield no better results than just doing heavy compound lifts which works your entire core in the manner in which it naturally functions; stabilising the spine. Crunches and situps and whatever else might make you 'feel the burn' are borderline useless at building dry muscle mass. You're wasting your time.

When I said ab exercises I wasn't referring to crunches and sit-ups, but rather hang-raises, and planks, which are proven to be better.  I think people have this idea that ab excercises are useless because they only do crunches or sit-ups. 

Avatar image for Zlurodirom
Zlurodirom

1281

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

#47 Zlurodirom
Member since 2006 • 1281 Posts

[QUOTE="TacticalDesire"]

 

Well, you're going to get faster growth as far as getting bigger abs if you do some ab excercises just a couple times a week.

Ninja-Hippo

This is completely and entirely incorrect. Natural trainees should not be doing isolations, if anything it's counter productive. Doing extra ab work will yield no better results than just doing heavy compound lifts which works your entire core in the manner in which it naturally functions; stabilising the spine. Crunches and situps and whatever else might make you 'feel the burn' are borderline useless at building dry muscle mass. You're wasting your time.

I've got plenty of anecdotal evidence that is opposite of what you think about isolation ab exercises with crunches and situps and core muscle building. Also, not everyone has access to areas where heavy compound lifts are possible.

The biggest problem with everything you said, is that many people don't perform lifts correctly. To my knowledge if you want good muscle recruitment from the rectus abdominus core area you need to squat a little deeper than what most people do, which means squats assist core strengthening very little unless you know what you're doing. This is mirrored with dead lifts and many other lifts as well. Yes you are stabilizing the core when 300+lbs are on your back, but you don't get as much of the "6-pack" rectus abdominus activation unless you are doing parallel level squats or so. When someone is doing crunches 90% (just a guess) of the time it's to work the rectus abdominus, which means they don't necessarily care about stabilization or other benefits from a heavy loaded compound lift.

I would say the biggest problem with ab exercises is that most people do them with terrible form, which supports the argument that crunches/situps/ab isolation exercises are useless. Because of this, it is harder to tell what (or any) benefits the body gets from it.

Avatar image for lowkey254
lowkey254

6031

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 15

User Lists: 0

#48 lowkey254
Member since 2004 • 6031 Posts

[QUOTE="KiIIyou"]Add in dips if ya already haven't =)EagleEyedOne
This, too. Dips are the best.

Yeah, I was focusing on dips and upper back yesterday. I would like to do a circuit of compound exercises for my triceps, dips and skull crushers are what I'm working on now, but I'm starting plateau.

Avatar image for Ninja-Hippo
Ninja-Hippo

23434

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 7

User Lists: 0

#49 Ninja-Hippo
Member since 2008 • 23434 Posts

[QUOTE="Ninja-Hippo"]

[QUOTE="TacticalDesire"]

 

Well, you're going to get faster growth as far as getting bigger abs if you do some ab excercises just a couple times a week.

Zlurodirom

This is completely and entirely incorrect. Natural trainees should not be doing isolations, if anything it's counter productive. Doing extra ab work will yield no better results than just doing heavy compound lifts which works your entire core in the manner in which it naturally functions; stabilising the spine. Crunches and situps and whatever else might make you 'feel the burn' are borderline useless at building dry muscle mass. You're wasting your time.

I've got plenty of anecdotal evidence that is opposite of what you think about isolation ab exercises with crunches and situps and core muscle building. Also, not everyone has access to areas where heavy compound lifts are possible.

The biggest problem with everything you said, is that many people don't perform lifts correctly. To my knowledge if you want good muscle recruitment from the rectus abdominus core area you need to squat a little deeper than what most people do, which means squats assist core strengthening very little unless you know what you're doing. This is mirrored with dead lifts and many other lifts as well. Yes you are stabilizing the core when 300+lbs are on your back, but you don't get as much of the "6-pack" rectus abdominus activation unless you are doing parallel level squats or so. When someone is doing crunches 90% (just a guess) of the time it's to work the rectus abdominus, which means they don't necessarily care about stabilization or other benefits from a heavy loaded compound lift.

I would say the biggest problem with ab exercises is that most people do them with terrible form, which supports the argument that crunches/situps/ab isolation exercises are useless. Because of this, it is harder to tell what (or any) benefits the body gets from it.

Anecdotal evidence is hardly anything to go by. You can do the worst routine imaginable and still make some gains. There's a guy in my gym who does TWENTY SETS of bench with baby weights and he even he looks ok after a year of training. Isolations and direct ab work are both sub optimal to the point of being pointless in natural trainees. You will get vastly better gains doing heavy compound rows or weighted chin ups then all the curls you could ever do. Most people doing lifts wrong is not a good reason to dismiss what works best and what works the least. Learn to lift properly. If you're committed to lifting and getting results, take a day to do some research and know what you're doing. Doing sit ups to work your abs is also a ridiculous ineffective thing to do and will only end up giving you anterior pelvic tilt from tightening your hip flexors so much. You'll end up with little to no improvement in muscle mass around your abdominals and a posture deformity. Not bad for hours of work in the gym. At the end of the day, the mantra of do whatever the **** you wanna do is the correct one. But in terms of pure irrefutable scientific facts, heavy compound lifts are the most effective means of training for a natural trainee.
Avatar image for GummiRaccoon
GummiRaccoon

13799

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#50 GummiRaccoon
Member since 2003 • 13799 Posts

[QUOTE="Ninja-Hippo"]

[QUOTE="TacticalDesire"]

 

Well, you're going to get faster growth as far as getting bigger abs if you do some ab excercises just a couple times a week.

TacticalDesire

This is completely and entirely incorrect. Natural trainees should not be doing isolations, if anything it's counter productive. Doing extra ab work will yield no better results than just doing heavy compound lifts which works your entire core in the manner in which it naturally functions; stabilising the spine. Crunches and situps and whatever else might make you 'feel the burn' are borderline useless at building dry muscle mass. You're wasting your time.

When I said ab exercises I wasn't referring to crunches and sit-ups, but rather hang-raises, and planks, which are proven to be better.  I think people have this idea that ab excercises are useless because they only do crunches or sit-ups. 

because the venn diagram of the guy working abs and the guy doing curls is going to be 99% overlap