can anyone give me some tips on what i can do to make my abs stronger
(pitcher,14 years old, 5'10, 170 lb)
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If you have a medicine ball theres a good exercise you can do but its kinda hard to explain.
First thing is your in a sit up position and the first move is just a regular (straight) up situp. Then you go back down, and when you come back up the next time you reach with the med ball and reach out to your left, rotating your body. Then when you go back down, come up and go to the right side. Then repeat it... its a good workout for your abs and tires you out quickly
First thing is your in a sit up position and the first move is just a regular (straight) up situp. Then you go back down, and when you come back up the next time you reach with the med ball and reach out to your left, rotating your body. Then when you go back down, come up and go to the right side. Then repeat it... its a good workout for your abs and tires you out quickly
There are a great deal of exericises that strengthen the abs. Crunches do a very poor job of this. Squats, Deadlifts, and Olympic Lifts are extremely effective at strengthening the core.
Crunches do a poor job of this?I never knew that
I have been doing crunches for roughly 2 years now(on a routine) and the results have been respectable.
I do deadlifts,but I never knew they strengthened your abs.Cool stuff.
My question is when doing it with a Med.Ball(crunches),how far should you be coming up?There are times when I feel I come to far up,then there are times when I feel I dont come up far enough
I have been doing crunches for roughly 2 years now(on a routine) and the results have been respectable.
I do deadlifts,but I never knew they strengthened your abs.Cool stuff.
My question is when doing it with a Med.Ball(crunches),how far should you be coming up?There are times when I feel I come to far up,then there are times when I feel I dont come up far enough
futurecatcher,
Jon is right on with his advice...stay away from crunches and focus on exercises and movements that strengthen the core WHILE performing other movements. Very rarely should a person with correct posture and an otherwise unremarkable medical history, be performing specific work for the core musculature (ie. crunches, jacknives, leg raises, etc.). All these exercises serve to accomplished is to attempt to isolate the core, which A) is impossible and B) is counter-productive to your overall physical development. When you squat, push, pull, bend, lunge, twist and perform gait, you want your core supporting and stabilizing your entire body throughout all of these movements.
If you want to test this out for yourself or if you get questions from fellow teammates, have them perform a squat session performing only front barbell squats with about a 4Rm to 6RM (depending on your age). Ask them how their abs feel...particularly the rectus abdominus the next day (the six pack muscle)! You'll often find that you're more sore in the abs the first time you try this than you ever were peforming thousands of crunch-type movements.
Dave
Jon is right on with his advice...stay away from crunches and focus on exercises and movements that strengthen the core WHILE performing other movements. Very rarely should a person with correct posture and an otherwise unremarkable medical history, be performing specific work for the core musculature (ie. crunches, jacknives, leg raises, etc.). All these exercises serve to accomplished is to attempt to isolate the core, which A) is impossible and B) is counter-productive to your overall physical development. When you squat, push, pull, bend, lunge, twist and perform gait, you want your core supporting and stabilizing your entire body throughout all of these movements.
If you want to test this out for yourself or if you get questions from fellow teammates, have them perform a squat session performing only front barbell squats with about a 4Rm to 6RM (depending on your age). Ask them how their abs feel...particularly the rectus abdominus the next day (the six pack muscle)! You'll often find that you're more sore in the abs the first time you try this than you ever were peforming thousands of crunch-type movements.
Dave
Thanks for the tips.
Im not saying a crunch is the best thing in the world,but I have seen very respectable results from it,so I have to be doing something right
I should probably try to do stuff with a medicine ball(big air filled ones,not heavy 5 lbs kind)
Im not saying a crunch is the best thing in the world,but I have seen very respectable results from it,so I have to be doing something right
I should probably try to do stuff with a medicine ball(big air filled ones,not heavy 5 lbs kind)
The big air filled bals are called stability balls, or Swiss balls.
Medicine balls work (ranging from 2lbs-10lbs) is some of the best strength & conditioning work a baseball player can do. So I would urge you to utilize them in your program.
On the med ball crunch it's not how far you com eup, but rather how you perform the movement. If you like your crunches fine, but mix in the movements listed above along with other ground based movements if you want a very high functioning core.
Medicine balls work (ranging from 2lbs-10lbs) is some of the best strength & conditioning work a baseball player can do. So I would urge you to utilize them in your program.
On the med ball crunch it's not how far you com eup, but rather how you perform the movement. If you like your crunches fine, but mix in the movements listed above along with other ground based movements if you want a very high functioning core.
Thanks for your help Jon Doyle