Most people have heard that getting a six-pack, eight-pack, washboard abs, or whatever else you want to call it is mostly diet, but to go along with that, you need a proper exercise routine for your abs.

I've been trying to tweak my ab workout to be optimal, but it seems impossible. Just about every source I've looked at, read, or heard about has given different advice.

Here's my question:

What do you think is the optimal ab workout, along with reps, sets, how many times a week, etc? (I know that a good diet is important, but please do NOT include any diet answers to this thread, I would like to keep this mainly a discussion about exercises.)

Thanks :)

What do you think is the optimal ab workout, along with reps, sets, how many times a week, etc? (I know that a good diet is important, but please do NOT include any diet answers to this thread, I would like to keep this mainly a discussion about exercises.)

Thanks :)

In that case, I would suggest posting this in the Weight Training forum, rather than in the Fat Loss forum.

:gl:

In that case, I would suggest posting this in the Weight Training forum, rather than in the Fat Loss forum.

:gl:Yes, agreed. I'll move it - no need to repost.

I've had good luck with my ab routine. Check out my training page (http://www.johnstonefitness.com/html/training.html) if you want.

I've had great success with mine thrice a week, every other day:

With thera-ball: leg raises, hand to feet passes, and side raises.
Without: lowers, obliques, flutter kicking, and double crunch.

All exercises are done twice; some of the non-ball exercises are done three times - depending on what I feel needs extra work. All the thera-ball exercises, lowers, and double crunch are done until exhaustion/failure. Obliques are done for about 20-30 focused reps per side. Flutter kicking is done for a minute.

I also planche and alligator walk with the thera-ball to work on my upper stabilizers - twice, of course. I hold the planche position for 30 seconds on the toes and then execute 10 slow controlled push-ups and roll back. With the alligator walk, I roll out with a push-up every foot or so, for a total of about five or six; then, up on the toes, I do ten push-ups before rolling back in the same way.

Some of my exericises might not be the same as the name you use for them.

I already have good definition, I'm basically working them for strength now: got to get that transverse abdominis muscle tucked underneath all them other abs into a rock.

Thera-ball = Swiss ball, BTW.

i usually do 2 sets of 20crunches, then 2 sets of hover's
you dont really need much else, doing more than 20-25crunches(in a set) is a complete waste of time

the best way for abs i have read is to put as much stress as possible on them.....use a universal gym...and lay down flat on your back...and mabey be at a seated row station or something where u can adjust where the handles go...hold the handle right by your ears and put so much weight on that u can only do about 8 reps of a sit up...do that every other day or so...not every day cause it wont let you recover... and that is a pretty hard core work out for abs