So at the gym, you have the option of either doing regular crunches, or using one of the ab machines, where one is adding weights. Which is better? With the ab machine you're sitting up, intead of lying on your back, so does that negate the extra benefit you would be getting from the weights? The gym I go to has the least knowledgeable staff ever, otherwise I would ask them.
El Greco
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It doesn't matter, as long as your pelvis and hips remain immobilized; otherwise you are also working the hip-leg flexors (psoas major & minor, sartorius, etc.).
Some people suggest Swiss balls for (weighted) crunches because you can hyperextend your spine and so abdominals use a more complete ROM. Also some machines allow for this kind of hyperextension.
In all cases you have to adjust the weights so that you can do 8-15 reps. Abdominals are muscles like all others and there is no reason to do hunderds of reps (in fact it is counterproductive if your goal is hypertrophy and not endurance).
Some people suggest Swiss balls for (weighted) crunches because you can hyperextend your spine and so abdominals use a more complete ROM. Also some machines allow for this kind of hyperextension.
In all cases you have to adjust the weights so that you can do 8-15 reps. Abdominals are muscles like all others and there is no reason to do hunderds of reps (in fact it is counterproductive if your goal is hypertrophy and not endurance).
Crossbow
Seeking Honesty and Sanity
When I went to the gym reguarly, I would use an incline bench while holding a 10 pound dumbbell behind my head.
The ab machines help one to do a good situp, but one can do a good situp without using them as well.
The ab machines help one to do a good situp, but one can do a good situp without using them as well.
HarryKeogh
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I agree with El Greco on the rep range and use of the Swiss ball.
I was very out of shape when I started working out at the gym. I had a great deal of trouble doing regular sit-ups. The difficulty made me avoid it. Then I started using the ab machines. It made my life much easier as I was better able to control the weight and the machine held me to the form. Once I had some strength in my abs, I was able to move on to free-form sit-ups.
If you are a serious couch potato like I was, start with the machines.
If you are a serious couch potato like I was, start with the machines.
Thanks for the advice everyone. I've just always used the machines, because when I first started going to the gym, I wouldn't do crunches properly (so I know exactly where you're coming from apoger). I really like the machines, I was just wondering if I would be getting better results doing the other one.
Although, being as I go to one of those women's gyms, the weights on the machines don't go as high. I think I'm going to try using the Roman Chair more. Ow.
6-packs are great on boys. As a girl though, I don't like having my stomache look all lumpy. Blegh! Too much definition and I would look really gross ('specially with my skin being all Casper-like!)
Although, being as I go to one of those women's gyms, the weights on the machines don't go as high. I think I'm going to try using the Roman Chair more. Ow.
6-packs are great on boys. As a girl though, I don't like having my stomache look all lumpy. Blegh! Too much definition and I would look really gross ('specially with my skin being all Casper-like!)
crimresearch
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Not literally true, but some fitness gurus have cautioned against doing torso work in the lower/heavier rep ranges that would maximize muscular hypertrophy, for fear of getting a 'blocky' waist.
That probably feeds into the 'more reps equals a leaner look' viewpoint.
Paul
That probably feeds into the 'more reps equals a leaner look' viewpoint.
Paul
El Greco
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crimresearch said:
First of all more reps have nothing to do with leaner look. Period.
Now, what those "fitness gurus" say doesn't exactly have to do with the abdominals, but with the obliques which laterally flex the spine. They say that doing (heavy) side bends will develop your obliques and if you already have a lowish shoulder to waist ratio, it will further reduce your sought-after "V" shape of the torso. This is of no concern to most people since they usually 1) will never develop their obliques so much that it will make a visible difference and 2) the fat deposits around their waist will be what actually destroys the 'V' shape.
Consequently, this should only worry bodybuilders above a certain level, like Nasser El-Sonbaty:
El Greco,
I'm sick of your advice on fitness matters. From what I can tell, it all comes down to "Eat the right food and do the right exercise in the right amounts".
I don't want advice like that, it would involve me making some life changes in order to achieve my fitness goals. What I want is a simple set of instructions (like only eat foods starting with the letter "B" on a Tuesday, breathe in through the left nostril and out through the right to burn fat) which enable me to progress with little or no effort.
You'll be telling me next that those "fat burning" pills don't work and that I can't "lose 30 lbs in 10 days with no exercise and no change to your diet" or that people's claims to have "lost 50lbs of fat and put on 20 lbs of lean muscle in 3 months without exercising" may be false.
People like you undermine the mountebank industry
I'm sick of your advice on fitness matters. From what I can tell, it all comes down to "Eat the right food and do the right exercise in the right amounts".
I don't want advice like that, it would involve me making some life changes in order to achieve my fitness goals. What I want is a simple set of instructions (like only eat foods starting with the letter "B" on a Tuesday, breathe in through the left nostril and out through the right to burn fat) which enable me to progress with little or no effort.
You'll be telling me next that those "fat burning" pills don't work and that I can't "lose 30 lbs in 10 days with no exercise and no change to your diet" or that people's claims to have "lost 50lbs of fat and put on 20 lbs of lean muscle in 3 months without exercising" may be false.
People like you undermine the mountebank industry
El Greco
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Don, I know what you mean. You seem to have figured out that the truth is very simple and straightforward, yet I hope you understand that somehow I have to make it sound difficult and complicated in order to establish my authority. If everybody knew the truth I couldn't possibly charge 100 euros for 15 minutes of advice, right ?
But I can't keep fooling people for too long, they soon start to suspect the truth and they tell me to cut to the cheese. And then I'm forced to give a no-bs advice, which is what I'm going to do here too, since I can't avoid it any more:
Join the special forces, particularly somewhere that you can't quit.
I'm so certain about the results of this simple advice that I offer a money-back guarante. In no-time you will have the physique that you always aspired for.
But I can't keep fooling people for too long, they soon start to suspect the truth and they tell me to cut to the cheese. And then I'm forced to give a no-bs advice, which is what I'm going to do here too, since I can't avoid it any more:
Join the special forces, particularly somewhere that you can't quit.
I'm so certain about the results of this simple advice that I offer a money-back guarante. In no-time you will have the physique that you always aspired for.
So will exercising on the twisting machine (have no clue what it's called, I'll look at the sticker tonight, but essentially you're sitting, and you twist in both directions against weight), thicken your waist, or make it smaller? I always thought it would make it smaller.
El Greco
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Jas said:
In order to build muscle you need to exercise with heavy weights, where you can only do a few repetitions, and eat more so that you gain weight. In that machine you do lots of reps, so your waist will not get any bigger, exactly like your legs are not going to get any bigger by walking. What you are improving in that machine is just the endurance and flexibility of your obliques.
No exercise is going to make your waist smaller. Dieting will make your waist smaller, even without any exercise. But if you ommit exercise you will be not losing mostly fat, but also muscle. You don't want that.
roger
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No such thing as "toning". You either cause your muscles to increase in size, decrease in size (by lowering caloric intake), or leave them the same size.
"Toning" is sold by the spas and magazines to people who want to move 2.5lb weights and convince themselves they are getting a "workout". Seriously.
"Toning" is sold by the spas and magazines to people who want to move 2.5lb weights and convince themselves they are getting a "workout". Seriously.
El Greco
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Jas said:
Actually there is a "muscle tone" concept, it is the level of contraction that the muscle maintains when it is not voluntarily used. This does not mean however that "the more toned the better". Too much resting contraction leads to stiff muscles and cramps, posture problems etc. Low muscle tone can be usually observed in old people where their muscles seem to just hang from the bones.
I don't think that twists will significantly affect your "muscle tone" in the obliques since any regular activity will prevent a low muscle tone. This is usually a problem for old people. And it certainly is not going to affect the way you look.