Run-Down Forums

[nicktyerman]

I do sit-ups, crunches, and lower ab workouts every night. I do them each about 100 times at most for reps. I still can't get a flat stomach with a six pack. Any advice on how to accomplish this. Thanks in advance.

[LordSun]

1st of all, Nick (this is not a major point, but every little bit counts) mnost people agree that it's better to qork out earlier in the day, when ur body's more alert and responsive.

On to your main concern, though: perhaps ur loading is insufficient. I'm working on my abs myself, decided to get my old body back. My routine is mainly crunches, with a limited range of motion, so that I isolate the abdominal muscles. Perhaps the main difference, I imagine, is that I use weights. If u don't, ur abs will reach a certain strength level and stay there.

Now, having said that, what do u eat? Isur diet in line with ur workout regimen? Because, if u work on ur abs each night, doing up to 300 reps, u ought to have pretty strong muscles in ur midsection, but perhaps they're just covered up!?

[Cracka]

A) If you work your abs every night, they will never grow because they simply do not have time to rest. Work them hard every other night, and you should have some better results.
B) Crunches won't burn fat. And if fat is covering them, then you need to change your diet (Less sugar, less simple carbohydrates, more protein. Theres no such thing as "spot reduction" where you only burn fat off of the part of body being worked.
C) High reps, as you mentioned, will make you strong to a point, but will then only add endurance. If you do lower, slower reps, or use a weighted ab machine in the gym you will increase the size of your abdominal muscles, making them more visible. You should also do some high reps along with these, because higher reps will tone your muscles.
D) After working your abs, eat a meal high in protein because your muscles need immediate protein to grow following a workout.

-Hope my advice helps.

[LATL]