# Abs of Summer 2011



## rbuecker (Feb 21, 2011)

I've decided to log my journey through an ab workout that is basically a 90 day routine, with a 6 days on 1 day off approach. For this mission, I'm going to put any 3/4 day splits on hold until I get a better feel of its direction and demands on my system.

I have never explicitly worked my core.  For the last number of years, I relied on thinking that squats and deadlifting and other exercise would be enough to get abs.  I have no idea why, but I also avoided crunches to avoid working hip flexors.  Very stupid, but I'm moving past that now and hitting core heavy- which basically means intensity.  This means working past the lower back pain and ultimately replacing it with the burning pain of a good damn workout.

I will be missing some of these days due to friends birthdays, the occasionally chaotic work schedule, and unforeseen circumstances.  Saying this is the only way to keep my stress and cortisol levels down when crap hits the fan, because I really really REALLY HATE missing a workout.

Diet will be about 2700 calories to start (40/40/20) and we'll see how energy levels are and adjust from there.

This morning I weighed in at 183 (at 6'1", not likely to change anymore).  For the record I'm 31 until August.

I plan to post pics mostly for myself to notice the gradual changes, because I'd really like to know if this is going to do what I want it to.  I'm in it 100% until the end and we'll see what's at the end of this chapter when the time comes.

I can already tell that it's going to be more difficult working the lower abs at first because simply, they're not there.

Thanks to all who post comments questions praise and/or criticism, and even those who just pass by.

Robert


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## rbuecker (Feb 21, 2011)

Reserved for photo updates.


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## rbuecker (Feb 21, 2011)

YouTube Video











Gettin ready to tear this shit up son!


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## Phineas (Feb 21, 2011)

You should apply 5/3/1 for your abs. 

Nah just kidding. But seriously, an ab journal? It sounds like you were on the right path before with squats and deadlifts. Hell, looking at your pic I can see you have well developed abs. You just need to lower your BF. That's all abs are about. The bigger the muscle the more they'll show, regardless of BF. But, the lower BF the better they'll show.

How much were/are you deadlifting and squatting? You may not have gone far enough to see the results. I can't see much else from that pic but it seems you're not the most built guy (not sure though??). Exercises like squats and deads develop all the muscles, but they do so evenly. Abs will develop but so will legs, back, and chest (when doing bench, as well...squats and deads won't really do anything for that one area). However, if you're really just wanting a certain few muscles to show then ya they probably won't give you the results YOU want terribly fast. If you want crazy abs and arms but nothing else then you might as well curl and do situps, but nothing else will be developed. 

If you take the big lift approach, train smart, rest plenty, and eat a lot you'll get good abs, but remember if you never got your weight past a certain number your muscles will have only developed to a certain point. I don't do direct ab work as of a year and a half ago but mine are more developed and stronger because all my major lifts have since increased dramatically. My abs were a certain size when I was squatting 155 for 5 and doing ab training 3x a week in my broskie days but they're more developed now when I squat 220 for 12, deeper, and ignore direct ab work. 

Think of it this way: it's a hell of a lot harder on your abs and other torso muscles -- including the legitimate core muscles -- to stabalize the torso on an over-body weight deep squat for reps than it is to perform endless narrow ROM situps with.


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## 33sun33 (Feb 21, 2011)

+1 on the excellent post by Phineas.  Its definitely a pain in the ass (no quick answer), but I feel my core/abs are hella stronger now that my squats and deads have gone up than before when I did no deads, but did a ton of ab exercises.  My focus right now is to put on as much muscle as possible through the basic compound exercises, and then cut a bit before beach weather.  Ill have "some" abs - perhaps not a crazy 6 or 8 pack; more like a 3 1/2 pack I imagine, lol.  But that 6/8 pack thing may just have to wait until I can dead/squat more weight (maybe next year?).


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## Phineas (Feb 21, 2011)

33sun33 said:


> +1 on the excellent post by Phineas.  Its definitely a pain in the ass (no quick answer), but I feel my core/abs are hella stronger now that my squats and deads have gone up than before when I did no deads, but did a ton of ab exercises.  My focus right now is to put on as much muscle as possible through the basic compound exercises, and then cut a bit before beach weather.  Ill have "some" abs - perhaps not a crazy 6 or 8 pack; more like a 3 1/2 pack I imagine, lol.  But that 6/8 pack thing may just have to wait until I can dead/squat more weight (maybe next year?).



Good for you on taking the compound route.

Really, everyone has abs. Whether it's a "six pack" or "eight pack" or whatever combination of packs comes down to genetics. Even the most famous BB'er of all time (Arnold...) had abs that were much less great than his contemporaries, but they were still awesome because he was lean in competition. 

It's all about how lean you are.


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## rbuecker (Feb 22, 2011)

Hey guys thanks for jumping in!

  The target for me is really "core", my lower core areas (lower abs, hip flexors) are weak from sitting behind a desk most of the day for the last 20 years.  As of two months ago I now stand at work a majority of the time to improve posture, burn a few extra cals, and keep the hams stretched. Sure I've been fairly active outside of work, but a majority of my time has been sitting. I've always loved working out, competing against myself and numbers, martial arts, military for 8 years, etc.

I agree that you both are right about the compound movements, but I have this thought in my head that I need to focus on these few areas for a little bit of time, and then go back into compounds. I'm not happy until I'm deadlifting 405+, squatting 300 for 8-10 reps, and benching at least 225 for 8-10 reps. I also believe that the whole sitting thing, and some of the twisted posture variants that I'm used to has caused enough of an imbalance that I'm not benching 100% with correct form- ie: one arm canted slightly and affecting different muscle groups than the other arm.  This leads, for me, to shoulder pain on my left side after awhile, at which point even with cissus its hard to cope with aside from just stopping.

The title makes it sound like I'm going to do 6 days of crunches which would be laughable and you'd be right to make fun of it.  Hell I would!

Short version: my lower core needs work, I'm very imbalanced between upper and lower.  I don't necessarily need a 6 pack, but I do want to bulk up the lower part to at least be close to even.  Even with a layer of flub, it will be better than where I'm at now.

Deadlift/squat numbers to answer your question:  DL 8x325 Squat 325x5

This was prior to the medial meniscus tear, and partially why I'm doing these sissy ass exercises until I have more faith in my knee.  I can tell I lost a decent amount of mass on the left side, but it is coming back.


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## Phineas (Feb 22, 2011)

rbuecker said:


> Hey guys thanks for jumping in!
> 
> The target for me is really "core", my lower core areas (lower abs, hip flexors) are weak from sitting behind a desk most of the day for the last 20 years.  As of two months ago I now stand at work a majority of the time to improve posture, burn a few extra cals, and keep the hams stretched. Sure I've been fairly active outside of work, but a majority of my time has been sitting. I've always loved working out, competing against myself and numbers, martial arts, military for 8 years, etc.
> 
> ...



Ah ok so you're looking for improved core strength and what sounds like maybe posterior chain? 


Those are some amazing DL and squat numbers, by the way. Very impressive. Your core/abs would have to be very strong already to do that, but of course you had your injury so that poses challenges for you.

Obviously knee flexion is an issue but how do you feel about standing and holding heavy weights? I'm no physiotherapist so don't take my thoughts for gold but maybe (moderately) heavy holding exercises could help develop your leg/knee stability in time -- while giving you your desired core workout.

I'm thinking of exercises like front squat holds (holding a heavy barbell in a front squat stance for a period of time) and overhead supports (same thing but the top of a military press/push press stance). They're basically the planks of their associated movements (squat and overhead press...).

Re: the shoulder pain. Do you actively warm up your rotator cuffs prior to pushing sessions? Also, how you warmup prior to working sets? Rotator cuff injuries are one of those most common, especially with the emphasis on pushing and shoulder isolation exercises so many men tend to use.


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## rbuecker (Feb 22, 2011)

For rotator cuffs, I usually only warm up maybe 60 seconds or so with arm rotations front/back, some pressing movements of varying angles from overhead to out in front.  Then a couple rotations with 5 to 10 lb weights.  60 seconds isn't really that long, it just feels like forever when my mind is already moving the weight from the bench.

I'm going to put up the uncropped front/back pics from the other day just to give an idea of how stick-like my arms still are, and pretty much everything else.

I don't mind holding heavy weights while standing, or moving with them.  I'll be the guy at home depot walking down the aisle with 2x45 lb water jugs.  We have pretty heavy (for me) equipment at work that we sling around from time to time as well, and dealing with a small amount of inventory that requires stacking boxes on and off throughout the week.

With squats, I feel that I'm leaning too far forward due to weakness in the lower abs.  I also feel a lot of effort in my lower back from where it's basically collapsing on itself from not being properly supported from the front.

The main reason I got into deadlifts and everything was because my dad threw out his back when I was younger and I wanted to make sure that never happened to me.  That and my back pretty much always hurt.  People would say it's from being tall, which is just something they say. Sure drinking fountains, urinals, sinks, everything is set for an average height and taller people have to reach down farther, but its general weakness and lack of body control that causes the damage, putting joints in awkward positions, stretching ligaments the wrong way, and stretching out muscles to where they're not as functional. Deadlifts always made my back pain go away, and feel better overall.  My main mistake with those was not switching grip enough, so I'm prone to prefer left hand facing forward and right hand back.  Something else to re-train.

4:30 comes early, nite everyone!


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