Dumb Abs Question

In article <1110240898.592915.172550.DeleteThis@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>,
"curtgarrison@cox.net" <curtgarrison.DeleteThis@cox.net> wrote:

> I started my new regimen today at the gym and loved it. Rather than
> bike to the gym, I walked (it's about 1.5 miles). Felt like I got a
> nice aerobic workout to compliment my resistance training. I'm starting
> with the 12 machine circuit to get my feet wet.
>
> Okay, here's the "dumb" ab question. From what I've read here and
> elsewhere, getting flat abs is more a matter of losing weight (at least
> at first) than building the muscles in that area. Is that correct?
>
> If that's so, and I'm about 65-80 pounds overweight (5'10", 265, 54
> years old), should I worry much about doing ab work right now as part
> of my regimen, or add it later when I've dropped twenty or thirty
> pounds or so (I'm also changing my diet, going low carb).
>
> If I should be doing ab work all along, that's fine; I'll do it. If it
> isn't making any sense right now, then I'll wait until some of the
> weight comes off.
>
> Told you it was a dumb question! I sheepishly await some answers...

Depends on your goals. If your goal is 'flat abs' then there really isn't
much point in doing them. If your goal includes any kind of general health
and fitness than you'll want some exercises which include hip and stomach
flexion and related core work.

As a general rule most people spend far too much time doing ab work and
not near enough time working on hip extension. IOW - not enough squatting
and picking up heavy (relative - assumes good technique!) things.

My own preference is to think in terms of movement instead of muscles.
With this approach isolation of muscle isn't really important and I don't
do any specific 'ab' work.
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"curtgarrison@cox.net" <curtgarrison.DeleteThis@cox.net> writes:

> I started my new regimen today at the gym and loved it. Rather than
> bike to the gym, I walked (it's about 1.5 miles). Felt like I got a
> nice aerobic workout to compliment my resistance training. I'm
> starting with the 12 machine circuit to get my feet wet.

Right on.

> Okay, here's the "dumb" ab question.

My friend, you are the poster boy for "good" questions. You write in
complete sentences. You mention what you have already read or heard,
you give plenty of details, and you are courteous and polite. I won't
speak for everyone here, but as far as I am concerned it is these
kinds of questions that make it worth checking in to mfw.

> From what I've read here and elsewhere, getting flat abs is more a
> matter of losing weight (at least at first) than building the
> muscles in that area. Is that correct?

This question was a perfect example of what I am talking about. You
start the question off by demonstrating that you have done a fair bit
of research. Once we know that you realize that flat abs are made in
the kitchen, then we can have an interesting discussion about whether
it is useful to target the abdominal muscles. That's an interesting
discussion, even for advanced weight training enthusiasts.

> If that's so, and I'm about 65-80 pounds overweight (5'10", 265, 54
> years old), should I worry much about doing ab work right now as
> part of my regimen, or add it later when I've dropped twenty or
> thirty pounds or so (I'm also changing my diet, going low carb).

Now a refresher of the vitals for those that haven't been paying
attention to your earlier posts. Once again, very well done.

> If I should be doing ab work all along, that's fine; I'll do it. If
> it isn't making any sense right now, then I'll wait until some of
> the weight comes off.
>
> Told you it was a dumb question! I sheepishly await some answers...

Whether you can see them or not, you definitely want to work your
abdominal muscles. Not only are these muscles critical to spinal
health, but they are key support muscles in an awful lot of lifts.
When push comes to shove the body is all one piece, and weak links
make for weak lifts. I personally like doing crunches, and so I
target my abs specifically. However, if you are doing a lot of whole
body movements you probably don't need to isolate your abs. If you
have to choose between crunches and squats or crunches and deadlifts
chuck the crunches. Otherwise mix a few in.

Jason
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<curtgarrison.TakeThisOut@cox.net> wrote in message
news:1110240898.592915.172550@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>I started my new regimen today at the gym and loved it. Rather than
> bike to the gym, I walked (it's about 1.5 miles). Felt like I got a
> nice aerobic workout to compliment my resistance training. I'm
> starting
> with the 12 machine circuit to get my feet wet.
>
> Okay, here's the "dumb" ab question. From what I've read here and
> elsewhere, getting flat abs is more a matter of losing weight (at
> least
> at first) than building the muscles in that area. Is that correct?
>
> If that's so, and I'm about 65-80 pounds overweight (5'10", 265, 54
> years old), should I worry much about doing ab work right now as part
> of my regimen, or add it later when I've dropped twenty or thirty
> pounds or so (I'm also changing my diet, going low carb).
>
> If I should be doing ab work all along, that's fine; I'll do it. If it
> isn't making any sense right now, then I'll wait until some of the
> weight comes off.
>
> Told you it was a dumb question! I sheepishly await some answers...

The only dumb question is the one you don't ask - it was a fine
question.

Sure, do some ab work, just don't expect to see visible abs until you're
damned thin. Since you're doing machines which don't usually require
any sort of core stabilizing, that's all the more reason to do some ab
work.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com
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