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SuperFly

Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 12:46 am Post subject: 2 really quick questions about health - working out |
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OK so I'm a 32 inch waist now, been working out for a few weeks. I'm up to 140 situps in one hour, 70 + 70. Simple question...how long and how many situps do I need to be doing to achieve the elusive six pack stomach? I've also been doing weight training, but I don't have any questions about that right now. Thanks for your help in advance...will check in later to see if anyone answered my question.
Oh, right - one more quick question...who the hell is Andre Kim??  |
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merkurix
Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Location: Not far from the deep end.
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 1:01 am Post subject: |
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Everyone may have different advice for you, but I know how hard it is to get that elusive 6 pack. I myself am having a tremendous amount of trouble achieving it.
I think it is great that you are doing 140 situps an hour. That's pretty freaking impressive. If you are looking for tone and definition, your abs will get used to just lifting you--nothing more. It is good for maintenance, but if you want to see some ab muscles riple through, you have to apply overload principle.
If you are doing 140 situps in one hour, try doing 60-80 while hugging a 20 KG plate against your chest. Once you push up to 140 again easily with the plate, gradually increase the size.
Oh and go easy on beer, sugary foods and white bread. They are solely responsible for my mini-gut. |
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blackjack

Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: anyang
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 1:05 am Post subject: |
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Some people just can't get that six pack. I am 180 cm (around 5 foot 11). At one stage i was down to nearly 50 kg (long story) workin out every day it was strongest i have ever been (nick name was Skeletor). Still had no six pack. when i was in korea averaged between 70 and 75kg best shape in my life, no six pack. don't worry about that six pack. chances are you will never get it.
sorry man but most guys can't |
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kimchi story

Joined: 23 Nov 2006
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 2:28 am Post subject: |
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blackjack wrote: |
Some people just can't get that six pack. I am 180 cm (around 5 foot 11). At one stage i was down to nearly 50 kg (long story) workin out every day it was strongest i have ever been (nick name was Skeletor). Still had no six pack. when i was in korea averaged between 70 and 75kg best shape in my life, no six pack. don't worry about that six pack. chances are you will never get it.
sorry man but most guys can't |
AMEN! I've been working out three days a week, 40 minutes cardio and 20 weights (including the crunch machine), for the last 7 months. I've got some definition going on, but the six pack remains as elusive as ever. |
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Thunndarr

Joined: 30 Sep 2003
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 2:35 am Post subject: Re: 2 really quick questions about health - working out |
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SuperFly wrote: |
OK so I'm a 32 inch waist now, been working out for a few weeks. I'm up to 140 situps in one hour, 70 + 70. Simple question...how long and how many situps do I need to be doing to achieve the elusive six pack stomach? I've also been doing weight training, but I don't have any questions about that right now. Thanks for your help in advance...will check in later to see if anyone answered my question.
Oh, right - one more quick question...who the hell is Andre Kim??  |
You're going to have to lose some body fat before your abs will show. Getting your body fat under 10% will do more for a visible six-pack than any number of sit-ups will.
Edit: Oh, and sit-ups are not that great an ab exercise.
Best and Worst Ab Exercises |
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Alyallen

Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Location: The 4th Greatest Place on Earth = Jeonju!!!
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 2:56 am Post subject: |
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When I was 18 I had a six pack....Haven't seen it lately...
High intensity work out, healthy eating and switching up your routine. As someone else already mentioned, utilizing the same workout without any increased weight will simply maintain the "status quo" of your ab development....
I should also mention that I am a woman...so this might be slightly different for you gents....
Best of luck! |
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MANDRL
Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Location: South Korea
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 3:05 am Post subject: |
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I am content with the fact that my high school six-pack is forever gone. My goal, which after four months of working out in Korea is starting to come to pass, is to eliminate the gut. I have accepted that my life style will never be conducive to a consistent six-pack, so I am happy to get a flatter stomach, with minimal rolls. Too many Sierra Nevadas and hot wings in adulthood account for the lack of a six-pack. When I move back to San Diego I know I will never give those god-send items up, especially as an avid sports nut. So why bother... |
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JAWINSEOUL
Joined: 19 Nov 2005
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 3:21 am Post subject: |
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Sit-ups are not in fact great for the developement of the abs.
#1 Cardio will burn fat around your stomach.
#2 A variety of excercises inclunding core work will give the best chance at getting a 4-pack. (good luck on the 6 -pack).
Core workouts - If you are interested PM me and I'll send you a copy of a good core workout with explanation. |
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BS.Dos.

Joined: 29 Mar 2007
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 4:33 am Post subject: |
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Haven't got time to read all the other posts as I just flying out the door.
Not that I have one myself (6-pack that is), but it's very much a case of quality rather than quantity. Hitting them repetitively using the same exercise will not result in great dividends. Hitting them from every conceivable angle however, will.
The hour you are currently spending doing 140 would probably be better spent doing variation of, say sets of 35 etc. Leg raises and other similar exercises are good for the lower abs, which many overlook and complete the all important 6-pack.
You may also like to include a few exercises that require you to lie flat on your stomach such as supermans - lie flat on the floor, arms and legs extended in front and behind respectively and then raise both your arms and legs off the floor and hold for, say, 5-seconds. Repeat 15 times and maybe do 3 sets. Vary it with alternate arm and leg raises.
That's just a suggestion that you really should incorporate if you want a 6-pack in time for the summer. I'll see if I can find a few links for you later. Main thing to remember though is:
Quality not quantity. Variation, variation, variation. |
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BS.Dos.

Joined: 29 Mar 2007
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 4:44 am Post subject: |
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Not that you asked, but if you want to buff your general upper body, but don't have time etc to visit a gym then do 3x12/15 dips per day. Dips are probably the single most (IMO) effective upper body strength and muscle builder. They hit all your major upper body muscle groups - triceps, shoulders, upper back, upper chest, forearms etc)
I have a good selection of free weights but always incorporate dips into my workouts. I used to do them in-between my washing machine and tumble dryer, anything really just so long as whatever you use to support yourself is the same height .
They are tough if you're not used to doing them, but if you just do, say 3/4 for a couple of days and then keep adding you'll soon be up into double figures. Really good for stretching your chest and extremely good for popping your triceps out. |
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cdninkorea

Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 6:34 am Post subject: |
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BS.Dos. wrote: |
Dips are probably the single most (IMO) effective upper body strength and muscle builder. Really good for stretching your chest and extremely good for popping your triceps out. |
Seconded. Other favourite bodyweight exercises are pullups and handstand pushups.
But regarding your post Superfly: try some hanging leg raises too. Grab onto a pullup bar with your feet dangling below you. Using only your abs, lift your legs up until they're parallel to the floor. Come down slowly and feel the stretch, especially at the bottom.
When I first started doing these, years ago, it would hurt to cough or laugh the next several days because my ab muscles were so sore. |
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seoulsucker

Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 6:42 am Post subject: |
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Great abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.
You can do situps and leg raises until you're blue in the face, but if you're not watching your intake, you won't see the results you want. |
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the1andonly

Joined: 08 Feb 2007
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SuperFly

Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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A heartfelt thanks to all who responded, I'm reading all your responses and checking websites posted right now.
quick Edit before reading those websites: We have a gym in my company building that has one of those swivel deals where you go upside down and hang from your feet. You can do situps upside down...is this beneficial for the abs? Doing the situps upside down?
Second edit: God I hate dips. But I will reluctantly do them because of YOU brother...BS.Dos.  |
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seoulsucker

Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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SuperFly wrote: |
A heartfelt thanks to all who responded, I'm reading all your responses and checking websites posted right now.
quick Edit before reading those websites: We have a gym in my company building that has one of those swivel deals where you go upside down and hang from your feet. You can do situps upside down...is this beneficial for the abs? Doing the situps upside down?
Second edit: God I hate dips. But I will reluctantly do them because of YOU brother...BS.Dos.  |
I'm pretty sure those machines aren't built for inverted ab work. It's just for people to hang upside down and, apparently, "switch the blood" or whatever that's supposed to do.
I wouldn't trust it to support the stress of rocking it like that. A lot of gyms will have a rack that hangs from the cable deck that will allow you to do inverted ab work.
And for the record, inverted crunches ROCK for sculpting a good midsection, granted you've listened to my info posted above as well. |
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