# Abs - Weight - Vaccum - Kegel



## kim (May 25, 2004)

Well, I know we can not spot reduce regarding belly and it's all about eating clean, having good workout and Cardio about 3 x times/week HITT  

Now I am at a point that my stomach is almost flat, well not that bad, I send pics on my gallery photo and my abs are like . (I was able to send only 2 pictures don't know why, I guess my pictures were taking too much room, Anyhow) 

Now, should I train them with weight like cable while doing my crunch and is it really true that we should always perform the vaccum and kegel while training abs. I need 100% improvment over that area and I'm looking to build those abs.  So I guess I need to put weight to see them when my last layer of fat will be out. From now I evaluate my BF at probably 18%,  I don't know if by looking at my pics (visual look) it could give an idea of BF. I must take a test for BF reading, for quick info, I'm 5'6" - 136 pounds - waist 28 and have some muscle    But looking at my stomach really discouraged me


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## DanK (May 25, 2004)

What's kegel?


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## nikegurl (May 25, 2004)

Kegel exercises are for the interior pelvic floor.  They're named after the doctor who "discovered" them.  

They can help with incontinence and they can improve your sex life...but they won't improve your abs.


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## nikegurl (May 25, 2004)

by the way Kim - you look great!  i personally am a fan of weighted abdominal exercises .  as you said...a clean diet and having low bodyfat are the main keys to good abs.  

you look like you're just about there.


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## kim (May 25, 2004)

It seems that when performing a Kegel during abdominal work, you ensure not only that the pelvic girdle is strengthened at the same time, but also that you are building a strong core or center of balance and by engaging the pelvic girdle during abdominal training, you not only strengthen your center of balance, but fore more tension on the abdominal wall The pelvic girdle is tightened by clenching your insides - squeezing your rectum or performing the same action as cutting off the flow of urine.

I think you may be interested by reading the sources link:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/likness28.htm

This link is presents by Jeremy Likness and it's interesting.

But eventhough I have read it and will give a shot to do the vaccum and Kegel at the same time, I guess I should do my abs with weight.

Any suggestions

Thank's

Kim


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## kim (May 25, 2004)

Unfortunatly Nikegurl, my abs are not fantastic, it's like putting me down.  

I guess that all women with nice abs have been training them with weight.  Am I right.  Should I consider working my abs like I will do for my arms.  I oftently read that people do 3 set of crunch, decline crunch, leg raise and that's it. And some people don't really work hard on abs.  Well should I consider working my abs as hard I'm doing with all my other body parts to seem real improvment.


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## animalmachine (May 25, 2004)

Yes, you should train your abs in the same way you train everything else.  But as you know, in order for them to show at all, you need to work on diet and stick with the HIIT.  You'll get there.   You DO look good, and probably won't be long until your abs begin to show.


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## aztecwolf (May 25, 2004)

it sucks i have the bulge that he is talking about in the abs in that article


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## DanK (May 26, 2004)

Was one of your questions if you should be doing a vacuum while doing a crunch, or did you mean including vacuums as a regular excercise for abs?

My brother has mentioned a few times something about sucking in your gut while doing situps and stuff, but his logic there kind of strikes me as muscle shaping myth (his logic being that your muscle will stay in the sucked in position, which I assume would be true only if you actively did vacuums basically all day and it became more of a posture thing). When doing situps/crunches I usually do suck my abs in a bit but mostly I'm just keeping them tense (far from an actual vacuum but it seems easier to keep my back straight and keep my form good that way).

Anyway, I'd like to know if anyone wants to back up the idea of doing vacuums while doing crunches (for all I know it's just considered good form for ab work and no one ever brings it up here because it's considered the most basic of all knowledge).


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## kim (May 26, 2004)

Hi Dank,

I am talking doing vaccums while doing crunch and all other exercices.

I'm curious too, to know if anyone wants to back up the idea. Abs seem to be basic, but when Jeremy Likness start his article he first said that "Abdominal training is very misunderstood" 
and people are always wondering or asking questions about training abs.

Curious to know what's everybody's thinking

Kim


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## Akateros (May 26, 2004)

I think the biggest misunderstanding about abs is that they are a muscle like any other. Lots of people (including me in the past) have fallen for the "train abs every day with stupid numbers of reps". Well, 500 varied crunches per day really didn't do me any more good than training 'em twice a week with heavy weighted exercises and reasonable reps.

That said, I still don't have nice ripply abs. And it sucketh mightily. They're hard, I can feel 'em, but I can't see 'em. Even when my bodyfat is low enough that I've got veins crawling all over my pelvis and that cut on the lower ab edge, I STILL don't have ripply abs.


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