Training Abs Everyday/recovery

General Fitness
1

Excuse me

Yeah of late, i have been training my abs again, because i started neglecting them. Because, when i was in the sauna, someone mentioned to me, what happened to your mid section, then i relised.

But for the past week, i have been doing afew exercise.

Which consist of

Sit Ups 4sets 80rep

Oblique sit Ups 2sets of 30rep

I understand that the make up of the muscle is, red Fibers/slow twitch, and High reps is the best way to train them. Also the abs, can recover very fast, compared to other muscle groups.

So i was wondering, is working them everyday ok, is this fine, or is it just me.

I mean, i enjoy working them. I know that there has been a topic on abs, before, but i don’t know if that topic talked about recovery.

Because its low intensity, high reps, Not that much stress on Cn’s, Central Nervous system, which a sprinter should limit, you should pick a chose, when your gonna stress you Cn’s. You don’t want to waste your time on, weighted abs, would’nt you want to sprint more, squat.

can i do abs’ everyday.

Back in college and in the winter, i use to, have two weight plates, both weighing 5kg. 10kg in total, 20pounds.

I would hold them both, in a separate hand, put my finger threw the whole in the weight, and cross them over my chest.

I would do sets of 60rep,and twists. Ridcousliy, i mean don’t want to brag. Even when I don’t train my abs, they where still in affect, I don’t want to site here and tell stories.

in total 500repittions, but i would take one day recovery, because they where weighted.

I don’t want to do weighted abs no more. Listen i know it’s not gonna dramatically improve sprinting on the track.

It goes further than that.

2

Shumon,

You can work them 5-6 days per week with reps ranging from 300-1000. Take a full day to rest from all physical exercise. Try to vary the exercises you do though. Do you own the GPP Essentials ?? There are a tonn of different exercises you can do. Also, there is a thread here on the site with some of those exercises listed with animations. Med-Ball Exercise Animations

3

Yes thankyou i will workout, 6days, and one day recovery.

I don’t use a medicine ball, just bodyweight.

I don’t have any of the GPP stuff.

thank you

4

We actually have a very intense workout that I recently filmed with Charlie. Trust me when I say this, its intense. Charlie takes you to the limit of intensity with this med ball workout (its simply extreme).

You’ll get more done in 15 minutes with this program than many others you’re problably used to. The “athlete” is a professional banker (average person, but in very good shape) and he was melting after a few minutes…I was melting just watching this.

I should have it ready for download shortly, I’ve just got some finishing touches to put on it.

I can’t wait…

Rupert
CharlieFrancis.com

5

hmmmm i will buy a med ball tommorow if i have enough money.

I have to pick up My Protien, and afew other suppliements.

I would like to see this workout.

thank you

6

When is this download gonna be up?

7

Rupert keeps us in suspense… I love Rupert! :wink:

8

OK, Before we lead you astray. It’s TOUGH but it is not going to fry your nervous system. I want you to see this to clarify the high/low concept. You can do this during the low intensity day because low intensity is a nervous system criteria and not a muscular criteria and DOES NOT EQUAL GOOFING OFF!

1 Like
9

What is the goal/purpose of this training? I haven’t seen it so I can’t comment…
We do a variation of tempo with medball with bball kids (various passes) — see the Tempo Solution for BBall thread — and the puls in recovery was around 26-30bp10sec --or 156-180bpm! Pretty tough after a couple of initial runs… but still considered LO and done on LO days

10

It’s for core training. You’re right that the heart rate can go very high and still keep you in the low intensity zone

11

great to hear about the new vid :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

MRCool: It seems that you are training your abs to look well also :wink:

Keep in mind that a good balance of the core is important.

12

There is a simple way to test the “functional” strenght of your abs — it is called Leg Lowering Test! I found that most of “gym rats” that do a ton of ab curls and none compund lifts CAN’T do it, while me that don’t do any curls, sometimes only McGill core stability exercises and a ton of compund freeweight stuff can!

Test procedure:
Lie on your back, arms crossed at chest. Back Flat on the floow. Lift your legs extended vertically. Back flat all the time. Now, while trying to keep back flat on the floor, slowly lower the legs down to ground (for about 10secs). If your lower back start to lift of (depends where), then your hip flexors are stiffer-stronger than your abs, so flexors pull the the pelvic into aterior tilt while your abs are not able to prevent it. You can find more on this ob the following articles:
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1098876
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=990092

13

Here is one interesting quote from running coach, Marshall Burt regarding HR monitoring in training (altought this is out of topic, but it is related to your post and it is pretty “powerfull” quote)

14

[quote=“duxx”]
There is a simple way to test the “functional” strenght of your abs — it is called Leg Lowering Test! I found that most of “gym rats” that do a ton of ab curls and none compund lifts CAN’T do it, while me that don’t do any curls, sometimes only McGill core stability exercises and a ton of compund freeweight stuff can!

Test procedure:
Lie on your back, arms crossed at chest. Back Flat on the floow. Lift your legs extended vertically. Back flat all the time. Now, while trying to keep back flat on the floor, slowly lower the legs down to ground (for about 10secs). If your lower back start to lift of (depends where), then your hip flexors are stiffer-stronger than your abs, so flexors pull the the pelvic into aterior tilt while your abs are not able to prevent it. You can find more on this ob the following articles:
(( I have deleted the dead links from this post. AC ))

That’s a bullshit test. All that tells you is how long your legs are! If you are a sprinter with long legs, you automatically flunk. if you’re a dwarf gymnast, you pass with flying colours. So what!

15

As long as you have a heartrate, you’re ok!

16

No disrespect intended, but aren’t the forces on the abs during sprinting related to leg length? e.g. the dwarf with shorter legs wouldn’t need as much ab strength?

17

Low intensity training includes doing sit ups and ab work.
Recovery does not always mean a day off with no training.
Days off are nice but rare for elite athletes but that does not mean days off with zero work is bad.
Devices are cool to use but it’s also a good idea to learn how you feel when you are at your best and worst.
Remember that low intensity for one is high intensity for another as part of it has to do with where your training is and has been.

18

This workout is the medicine ball workout which I still do on my non lifting, non sprinting, off day (which is tempo day as a sprinter) or instead of a day off. Most gyms have heavy medicine balls but if you are not familiar with medicine ball work, might not be a bad idea to start with a reasonable weight at first, do the workout 2 x per week for a few weeks or more and gradually move to a heavier ball.

19

I remember back in 83, I spent the winter/spring doing endless reps of push ups and chinniea( ala Alan Wells). I would be hanging with my coach, etc and would be doing 10 sets of 40 push up and 60 chinnies (bicycle crunches). We did a lot of early speed work, 60 30m etc. I started my season on a sleety col day in May in Calgary, Equalled my PB 11.00, into a bit of headwind! I thought great, finally time to break 11 on a good day. Ran a 200 that afternoon, was coming through the corner fast, the…Bam…blown hammie, whole season done, although I could wash clothes on my abs. In retrospect, we spent no time on eccentric hamstring strength which could have averted the disaster. The next fall our training was changed completelyI My hundred got slower, we did way too many 600m fast tempos. My coach changed tactics with the wind! I did manage a 36.1, and a 2:03 800, but my dreams of breaking 11 seconds were shattered! I am now 65, have developed asthma ( ironic for a respiratory therapist), but have decided to train up for one more 100m race this summer, Arthritic knees be damned!! While working nights, we combined all of our breaks, was able to do 1/2 of the bicycle workout and then a weight routine, and never lost a race to a cardiac arrest in 30 yrs!

20

Repeating what you hear or see someone doing such as Alan Wells, without context is never a good idea.
I am sure you know that a blown up hamstring need not take you out for the entire season hence why I have published how to rehab a hamstring in less than 2 weeks. Having said, there might be pre-exsisting scar tissue and so many other variables going on that make healing ideal and efficient and not everyone is cut out to be a coach or elite athlete and it’s not an easy route for many. I am sorry you never got to realize your best races. I am sure you know Charlie had to quit track before 25 years old and he had made the 1972 Olympic team and he had been ranked 5th in the world. This experience was in large part what drove him to learn more.