Abs advice

[npoe1]

Someone knows of an exercise that really helps me to work the muscles at sides of the abdomen? I have been working the abs but I find very difficult that part of the body.

 

[Deeko]

One armed farmers walks? Putting down the fork?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: npoe1
Someone knows of an exercise that really helps me to work the muscles at sides of the abdomen? I have been working the abs but I find very difficult that part of the body.

You do realize that abs are almost completely a function of body fat, right? Body fat is a function of diet. You can't make the fat from your stomach go away any faster than the rest of your body. Clean up your diet, be in a small caloric maintenance, and be patient. You'll have to get below 10% BF to see stuff like that.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: npoe1
Someone knows of an exercise that really helps me to work the muscles at sides of the abdomen? I have been working the abs but I find very difficult that part of the body.

You do realize that abs are almost completely a function of body fat, right? Body fat is a function of diet. You can't make the fat from your stomach go away any faster than the rest of your body. Clean up your diet, be in a small caloric maintenance, and be patient. You'll have to get below 10% BF to see stuff like that.

Or dehydrate for a few days, cut out carbs completey for a week, hit the sauna and you'll look a lot leaner if yoru in the 10-12% bf range.

Most people don't walk around like that on the cover of the bodybuildering/ mens health magazine. They peak for it. Most of them can obtain a level of leaness all year around but for the photoshoot they'll do the above to lean up and the lightening is immense productive to making yourself look even leaner. Lights from above will cast shadows = makes you look leaner. A light directly in front of you is the least flattering as it hides shadows around your muscles = you look average. Tricks of the trade.

Koing

 

[KingGheedora]

I'm not sure the OP was asking about spot fat reduction, he just asked about working the obliques. One thing I do is use the machine that people normally use for back extensions. It is situated so you lean forward at a 45 degree angle facing forward, with your thighs resting on a pad. You bend forward and bend backwards. That's the back extensions. I stand in that machine sideways, hold a 25lb weight in the hand that is closer to the ground, and bend sideways and then come back up. Then switch to the other side.

Otherwise just google for oblique exercises.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: npoe1
Someone knows of an exercise that really helps me to work the muscles at sides of the abdomen? I have been working the abs but I find very difficult that part of the body.

You do realize that abs are almost completely a function of body fat, right? Body fat is a function of diet. You can't make the fat from your stomach go away any faster than the rest of your body. Clean up your diet, be in a small caloric maintenance, and be patient. You'll have to get below 10% BF to see stuff like that.

Where did you read he wanted to lose fat? He just said he wanted to work his obliques?

To answer the question, if i wanted to target them i just did situps but with a twist to one side on the way up, seemed to work for me..

Edit: Something like this.

 

[CLite]

A good oblique workout is holding a wieght in one hand and just bend that way and back. Also as someone mentioned a situp with a twist is a good workout. I usually use the 45 pound "plastic" plates that have grips in them for the bend workout.

 

[brikis98]

Out of curiosity, why are you interested in working your obliques? Is it for aesthetic reasons? Or do you do some sport/activity that requires you to strengthen them?

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Deeko
One armed farmers walks? Putting down the fork?

Only in H&F does your post make sense :laugh:

 

[KoolDrew]

One-armed deadlift / farmer walks.

 

[presidentender]

I like to kick a heavy bag for obliques.

 

[npoe1]

Originally posted by: brikis98
Out of curiosity, why are you interested in working your obliques? Is it for aesthetic reasons? Or do you do some sport/activity that requires you to strengthen them?

I'm overweight and I don't want to be more lean... yet. What I want to do is to start practicing box, but since I don't exercise at all. I want to start working my muscles a bit before trying with a trainer.

Thanks, for the tips. I didn't even know what the name of those muscles was.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: npoe1

Originally posted by: brikis98
Out of curiosity, why are you interested in working your obliques? Is it for aesthetic reasons? Or do you do some sport/activity that requires you to strengthen them?

I'm overweight and I don't want to be more lean... yet. What I want to do is to start practicing box, but since I don't exercise at all. I want to start working my muscles a bit before trying with a trainer.

Thanks, for the tips. I didn't even know what the name of those muscles was.

Uh, what? I think you lost me. You're overweight, but you don't want to lose weight? You want to practice boxing, but instead you're working random muscle groups? It's a bit odd. Anyways, let me try to lay it out simply:

1. If you want to see your abs, six pack, or obliques, then reducing your body fat percentage should be the primary goal. It doesn't matter how many crunches, sit-ups, side bends or whatever you do, if there is a layer of fat over the abs, you won't see them. Check out the fat loss sticky for advice on how to lower body fat percentage.

2. If your goal is to increase the strength of your abs/obliques, you're best off using typical strength training moves, such as squats, deadlifts, and OH press. Gymnastics moves, such as l-sits, levers, and turkish get-ups can be extremely effective too. Look into Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5 for complete guides to strength training.

3. If your goal is to increase the anaerobic endurance of your abs/obliques - which probably comes in handy in boxing - then you should do various anaerobic intervals of just about any ab/oblique exercise. Sit-ups, knees to elbows, and just about anything that you can do quickly/repetitively will work fine, but the key is to do them at high intensity and for high reps. Something like Tabata Intervals will be an ideal choice here. Look into Crossfit and RossTraining.com (the latter is especially good for boxing) for general fitness guides.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: npoe1
Someone knows of an exercise that really helps me to work the muscles at sides of the abdomen? I have been working the abs but I find very difficult that part of the body.

You do realize that abs are almost completely a function of body fat, right? Body fat is a function of diet. You can't make the fat from your stomach go away any faster than the rest of your body. Clean up your diet, be in a small caloric maintenance, and be patient. You'll have to get below 10% BF to see stuff like that.

Where did you read he wanted to lose fat? He just said he wanted to work his obliques?

To answer the question, if i wanted to target them i just did situps but with a twist to one side on the way up, seemed to work for me..

Edit: Something like this.

I'm sorry, I thought he said - "I find it very difficult to see that part of the body." That was definitely my mistake though. I apologize.

 

[Kipper]

...Hanging leg raises? Those bastards pretty much destroy everything abdominal.

 

[polarmystery]

Try not to work your side abs too much though as big obliques can make your waist bigger than you want it to...


<--- victim of this

 

[MrMatt]

Lay on your side, move your hips up into the air so that only your feet and one elbow is touching the ground. Move hip back onto ground. Repeat. At the end freeze in the up position for as long as you can until you hit failure. For added challenge do it with your feet on one bench and your elbow on another.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: MrMatt
Lay on your side, move your hips up into the air so that only your feet and one elbow is touching the ground. Move hip back onto ground. Repeat. At the end freeze in the up position for as long as you can until you hit failure. For added challenge do it with your feet on one bench and your elbow on another.

Seems awkward to me. Personally, I would do the one-arm farmer walks because it seems efficient and that everybody can do it without a certain instruction. Pick weight up. Stand up straight. Walk. Easy exercise.

 

[MrMatt]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: MrMatt
Lay on your side, move your hips up into the air so that only your feet and one elbow is touching the ground. Move hip back onto ground. Repeat. At the end freeze in the up position for as long as you can until you hit failure. For added challenge do it with your feet on one bench and your elbow on another.

Seems awkward to me. Personally, I would do the one-arm farmer walks because it seems efficient and that everybody can do it without a certain instruction. Pick weight up. Stand up straight. Walk. Easy exercise.

not awkward at all, I'm just explaining it poorly