Ab workout - before or after upper body?

plenderj

I've been doing an upper body workout now for a while, and am happy with the results that I've been seeing. This was given to me by a fitness instructor.

Lately I've noticed that whilst my upper body is improving a lot, my ab area isn't. Now, I'm quite slim/athletic and there's nothing wrong with my ab region, but compared to my upper body it's now starting to look a tad wanting!

So I was wondering. If I wanted to start doing ab workouts, would it be better to do these before or after my upper body workout, or on a different day etc?

yomchi

plenderj wrote:

I've been doing an upper body workout now for a while, and am happy with the results that I've been seeing. This was given to me by a fitness instructor.

Lately I've noticed that whilst my upper body is improving a lot, my ab area isn't. Now, I'm quite slim/athletic and there's nothing wrong with my ab region, but compared to my upper body it's now starting to look a tad wanting!

So I was wondering. If I wanted to start doing ab workouts, would it be better to do these before or after my upper body workout, or on a different day etc?

You are always best working your core area last or on a different day. The reason being a lot of your stability and drive will come from your core area - abs etc. If you work them before hand they will be obviously weakened and in turn less stable while you work the rest of the body.
For example do 200 crunches then try do some push ups.. you'll feel you mid section just collapse. Same applies for all other work.

DubNside

Abs generally dont show unless ya have low body fat, like less than 12%

I've always done abs first, yea while they do form your core stability is that really a factor when your using a bench or fixed machines?

Flex

Like DubNside said, abs wont show unless your bodyfat is low enough. I train them at the end of a workout.

plenderj

Thanks for the replies guys.

At the end of a workout I'm normally ****ed and just wanna get into the steam room. I'll try and do a proper ab workout after the weights though!!

yomchi

plenderj wrote:

Thanks for the replies guys.

At the end of a workout I'm normally ****ed and just wanna get into the steam room. I'll try and do a proper ab workout after the weights though!!

Its all in the mindset! The end of your work out is when you finished burning your abs!! Then hit the steam room.

Yes abs show with low body fat. But your goal should be in the first to produce a firm and strong core - which is not just your abs BTW.

Yes your core comes into play even when using machines. The general rule of thumb for the structure of a work out is core last or on a different day.

LegacyUser

This program looks lethal.

I'm starting it on June 1'st.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/other34.htm

DubNside

And as they say, try and do cardio for around 40mins x6 times a week!