abs

[i-10]

does anyone know how many days i should rest my abs before another workout because ive been told that you can work them out more often than other muscles?

[Cort]

Depends what you are doing.

If you kill them with HEAVY resistance, then it will take them longer to recover. If you are doing sets with very low resistance and high reps, you can do them more often because you just aren't putting as much stress on them so they recover faster. The downside is they don't really grow that much from doing billions of crunches, so you might not get anywhere.

[keam02]

I treat them like any other thing in my workout. I like a day off between each ab workout. I don't do abs intensively but I do get them done. For the most part I do abs with little resistance.

I'd give it at least a day between ab workouts. On off ab days work some of the little things you may miss in your main workout or do neckwork if you are playing a sport or just want a big neck.

[rbuchman]

work them like everything else very heavy (regular rep range) and rest accordingly (same as legs, chest or back). This theory of doing 1000 crunches every day is stupid, very high repetitions don't build size look at Lance Armstrongs legs they aren't massive. And Yes if you are worried about abs (i.e. you've made the diet commitment to allow them to show without that don't waste you time) you do want them bigger.

[Oldfolks]

Can I do light ab exercises every day? I am 58 and do a dumbbell exercise routine every other day. I have found that by sitting at my desk at work and raising my lower legs straight out and bringing them back down 100 times does wonders. I did this twice yesterday. Can I do something like that every day?

[CF-OC_gal]

It all depends on what your expectations are out of doing it.

Doing light ab work everyday of the kind you are talking about sounds OK.

You might consider working every muscle group in your body that way so you don't develop imbalances from front to back, up and down or side to side.

Welcome by the way! (Strange name for a 58 year old.)

[Oldfolks]

Thanks. I do work on every part of my body, I just wanted to do a little extra for my abs. Even though I was an athlete in younger days, I never had tight stomach muscles. As a result of the exercises I have been doing plus the leg raises, they are starting to tighten up. I just wanted to do a little extra, but not do anything damaging.

[CF-OC_gal]

Good to know that. Then you should be able to recapture and build on your athleticism.

I'm sure doing prone ab planks would help you. Why don't you ad them to your mix of ab/core work.

[Oldfolks]

Yes, prone ab planks are a part of my regular routine. Thanks.