are Stomach exercises really necessary?

smuckers

Just wondering if exercises like ab crunches planks and hanging leg raises are a neccesity in your regime? I'm thinking of giving them a rest,my programme tends to focuses on more whole body workouts than isolation exercises and I'm finding a difference, I was getting a bit too big in the arms and shirts were tight so I switched my routine.
So instead of doing a normal bicep curl I will do it now but add in a squat makes it more difficult.
Press ups inverted rows and lunges would be exercises I do.

Dixie Chick

Id say no to ab crunches and the like but yes to exercises like the plank, as they work your core muscles and not just your stomach muscles. This way your back muscles etc are worked as well so you can do all your other lifting more safely

Inspector Coptoor

Your stomach is a food holding bag inside your body.

Your abdominal muscles are muscles that along with your skin keep the stomach and all the other organs from falling out.

If you are doing a total body workout, and dont include the abdominals in the front, the erector spinae muscles in the back and the various stabiliser muscles on either side, then you aren't doing a total body workout.

Planks, side planks, knee/leg raises, side bends, back extensions, these are very important and should be done 2-3 times per week

Hanley

Liam Henners257 wrote: »

Planks, side planks, knee/leg raises, side bends, back extensions, these are very important and should be done 2-3 times per week

Ah now... ya won't leave much time for lifting other stuff if you do that!!!

Mellor

smuckers wrote: »

So instead of doing a normal bicep curl I will do it now but add in a squat makes it more difficult.

Rather than addign squats to the curl movement. You prob be better off just squating, then doing curls separately. I know you are trying to make it harder, but you are prob just messing up both excercises.

King of Kings

Mellor wrote: »

Rather than addign squats to the curl movement. You prob be better off just squating, then doing curls separately. I know you are trying to make it harder, but you are prob just messing up both excercises.

but if he adds in squats (even his own version) will he not build more muscle over his whole body resulting in further tightening of his shirts (which seems to be his main concern)?

Your advice would lead him to be forced to buy new shirts -

Inspector Coptoor

Hanley wrote: »

Ah now... ya won't leave much time for lifting other stuff if you do that!!!

it's all about the 6-pack bro!

G86

Liam Henners257 wrote: »

it's all about the 6-pack bro!

Brian?

Mellor wrote: »

Rather than addign squats to the curl movement. You prob be better off just squating, then doing curls separately. I know you are trying to make it harder, but you are prob just messing up both excercises.

I agree. Adding a squat and curl together makes no sense at all.

Dr. Greenthumb

Here's an interesting article saying crunches / sit ups shouldn't be done at all. Just another angle I suppose, it's hard to know who is right, every expert has their own views.

http://joe.ie/health-fitness/mens-health/johnny-oconnor-forget-sit-ups-get-a-six-pack-the-right-way-0010605-1

smuckers

The same guy said there is no point in doing a barbell benchpress yet you see loads of people doing it.

Inspector Coptoor

smuckers wrote: »

The same guy said there is no point in doing a barbell benchpress yet you see loads of people doing it.

he should be hung up by his thumbs

Dr. Greenthumb

Just said I'd throw it into the mix to see what peoples reactions were

Haven't stopped doing crunches myself.

Bodhisopha

Liam Henners257 wrote: »

Your stomach is a food holding bag inside your body.

Your abdominal muscles are muscles that along with your skin keep the stomach and all the other organs from falling out.

If you are doing a total body workout, and dont include the abdominals in the front, the erector spinae muscles in the back and the various stabiliser muscles on either side, then you aren't doing a total body workout.

Planks, side planks, knee/leg raises, side bends, back extensions, these are very important and should be done 2-3 times per week

How many reps?

Inspector Coptoor

Bodhisopha wrote: »

How many reps?

It depends on the exercises.

Planks are generall done for time, working up to 3-4 x 60 seconds.
when that becomes easy, add weight by putting a plate on your back.

With side bends, 3 sets of 10-15 and work up through the DBs

for back extensions, 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps, weight can be added when BW is no longer sufficient

and with knee/leg raises, start off with knee raises, when you can get 3 sets of 10-15, try leg raises, working up to 3 sets of 10-15 reps brining toes to bar under control.

You dont have to do all in one work out, pick one lateral trunk exercise and one frontal trunk exercises per workout and one lower back one and try the sets and reps listed above

(This list is not exhaustive)

prodigal_son

I wouldn't bother with them. Depends on your goal though, doesn't it.

ferike1

Depends on what you do. Crunches are meh but hanging leg raises and working towards a dragon flag will seriously strengthen both your stomach and lower back.

smuckers

Well I'm pretty lean and toned at the minute just want to mantain it I'm not obsessed with getting a six pack cause I'm actually happy with my body but of course I could improve.
My arms were getting too tight so I cut out all doing isolation exercises, I still do some of them but I wouldn't do a split day training.

Whats a dragon fly if I may ask?

TommyKnocker

smuckers wrote: »

Whats a dragon fly if I may ask?

It called a dragon Flag not Fly and see below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHw0jXiYQXI

dario28

smuckers wrote: »

My arms were getting too tight

Ya havent mentioned that twice now !!!

Squats will kick off a fair bit of core work in itself

smuckers

Sorry Dario, won't mention it again.