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Training Your Core

How much is too much???

ABrowning
ABrowning g Allen Browning
152 Post(s)
152 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: December 12, 2013
Posted

Hello nation!!! I have a question about conditioning your core and how much is too much. I am obsessed with core workouts!!! I don't know why I enjoy it so much. Probably because I've always had a fat belly and now for the first time in my life I have a developing six pack and it's awesome! Anyway I work out in the gym mostly five days a week. I do full body compound lifts and workouts every other day with core workouts at the end consisting of 4x20 ab pull downs with 80lbs supersetted with either 4x15 standing oblique crunch with 35lb dumbbel or 4x15 Landmine oblique twist (depending on how much room I have that day) which lasts about 15 min. Sometimes I add stomach vacuums afterwards depending on time. On my in between days I usually pick 4 exercises each for abs and obliques which last 30 mins or so. Then give myself a couple days of rest during the weekends. I've noticed a great improvement in my core strength especially during any suspension exercises or hanging exercises. Please tell me this isn't too much volume and I'm not killing myself. I never feel ran down or sore very long so I don't think it's too much. Thx

 

Allen

Kick ass!!!
jmboiardi
jmboiardi p John M Boiardi
2.6K Post(s)
2.6K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: ABrowning

Hello nation!!! I have a question about conditioning your core and how much is too much. I am obsessed with core workouts!!! I don't know why I enjoy it so much. Probably because I've always had a fat belly and now for the first time in my life I have a developing six pack and it's awesome! Anyway I work out in the gym mostly five days a week. I do full body compound lifts and workouts every other day with core workouts at the end consisting of 4x20 ab pull downs with 80lbs supersetted with either 4x15 standing oblique crunch with 35lb dumbbel or 4x15 Landmine oblique twist (depending on how much room I have that day) which lasts about 15 min. Sometimes I add stomach vacuums afterwards depending on time. On my in between days I usually pick 4 exercises each for abs and obliques which last 30 mins or so. Then give myself a couple days of rest during the weekends. I've noticed a great improvement in my core strength especially during any suspension exercises or hanging exercises. Please tell me this isn't too much volume and I'm not killing myself. I never feel ran down or sore very long so I don't think it's too much. Thx

 

Allen

Allen,

 

Your abs and core can sustain quite a bit of volume and training as they support your upper body all day. Kinda like legs which for most people need a lot of volume to spark growth since they support your body weight all day. I would say as long as you are not overly sore or tired, go for it.

 

John

34 years of lifting and nutritional experience and resident "old man" :-) MS Athlete and past Super Hermanite since 2013.
ABrowning
ABrowning g Allen Browning
152 Post(s)
152 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: December 12, 2013
Posted
Posted By: jmboiardi

Allen,

 

Your abs and core can sustain quite a bit of volume and training as they support your upper body all day. Kinda like legs which for most people need a lot of volume to spark growth since they support your body weight all day. I would say as long as you are not overly sore or tired, go for it.

 

John

Bitchin' thx man. I train my core 2 or 3 times as much as my other body parts. Never really get "sore" or any soreness afterwards

Kick ass!!!
Whisper
Whisper p+ Kostas Kroustaloudis
687 Post(s)
687 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: September 9, 2011
Posted
Posted By: ABrowning

Hello nation!!! I have a question about conditioning your core and how much is too much. I am obsessed with core workouts!!! I don't know why I enjoy it so much. Probably because I've always had a fat belly and now for the first time in my life I have a developing six pack and it's awesome! Anyway I work out in the gym mostly five days a week. I do full body compound lifts and workouts every other day with core workouts at the end consisting of 4x20 ab pull downs with 80lbs supersetted with either 4x15 standing oblique crunch with 35lb dumbbel or 4x15 Landmine oblique twist (depending on how much room I have that day) which lasts about 15 min. Sometimes I add stomach vacuums afterwards depending on time. On my in between days I usually pick 4 exercises each for abs and obliques which last 30 mins or so. Then give myself a couple days of rest during the weekends. I've noticed a great improvement in my core strength especially during any suspension exercises or hanging exercises. Please tell me this isn't too much volume and I'm not killing myself. I never feel ran down or sore very long so I don't think it's too much. Thx

 

Allen

Yea I dont think you can "overtrain" your core. You can practically hold a plank all day long and eventually your body will get used to it. Generally, if you want core strength, focus more on isometric exercises, like the dragon flag, different types of planks, "the boat pose" etc etc. Crunches and leg lifts are good but they include an eccentric motion which really destroys the muscle. I would definitely include eccentric type exercises 3-4 times a week ( for hypertrophy) and then I would include as much isometric work as you want on the other days ( for stability and strength).

Muscular Strength Athlete and Content Manager 6 Years Lifting Experience Bachelors in Molecular Chemistry/Biochemistry, Working towards Masters Lifting Style & Philosophy : Aikido, Energy, Balance, Flexibility, Posture
ABrowning
ABrowning g Allen Browning
152 Post(s)
152 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: December 12, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Whisper

Yea I dont think you can "overtrain" your core. You can practically hold a plank all day long and eventually your body will get used to it. Generally, if you want core strength, focus more on isometric exercises, like the dragon flag, different types of planks, "the boat pose" etc etc. Crunches and leg lifts are good but they include an eccentric motion which really destroys the muscle. I would definitely include eccentric type exercises 3-4 times a week ( for hypertrophy) and then I would include as much isometric work as you want on the other days ( for stability and strength).

Okay great! I do incorporate planks and "boat pose" (I never really realized that's what I was doing but makes sense now) along with all the other eccentric. I think I'll add a little more to the routine now

Kick ass!!!
Whisper
Whisper p+ Kostas Kroustaloudis
687 Post(s)
687 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: September 9, 2011
Posted
Posted By: ABrowning

Okay great! I do incorporate planks and "boat pose" (I never really realized that's what I was doing but makes sense now) along with all the other eccentric. I think I'll add a little more to the routine now

If you have an ab wheel available at the gym, you should start worshipping it. Buy one for yourself, if the gym doesnt have it. Its the best thing ever for core.

Muscular Strength Athlete and Content Manager 6 Years Lifting Experience Bachelors in Molecular Chemistry/Biochemistry, Working towards Masters Lifting Style & Philosophy : Aikido, Energy, Balance, Flexibility, Posture
spide319
spide319 g Mervin Vargas
91 Post(s)
91 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: October 10, 2012
Posted
Posted By: Whisper

If you have an ab wheel available at the gym, you should start worshipping it. Buy one for yourself, if the gym doesnt have it. Its the best thing ever for core.

Oh yeah standing it is!^^ #HTH

#SuperHermanite #SHFAthlete Check out my videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/spide319 "We are not winning over anyone until we defeat our old selves!" #HTH
ABrowning
ABrowning g Allen Browning
152 Post(s)
152 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: December 12, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Whisper

If you have an ab wheel available at the gym, you should start worshipping it. Buy one for yourself, if the gym doesnt have it. Its the best thing ever for core.

Yeah they have several. I never paid much attention too them bc I thought they were a little goofy but I'll trade an exercise for the ab wheel.

Kick ass!!!
muscular strength
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