This is one area where I'd like to focus my attention more than I have been. I recently got back into using an ab wheel as part of my workout, hot dang does that thing hurt. After about 25 to 50 reps I am spent and sore for a few days. I'm thinking about combining it with some of the P90X ab ripper workouts and weighted crunches at the gym. Anything I should be adding or not doing?
It's an incredibly simple device, but it's really difficult. Get on your knees and hold the wheel in front of you. Extend out and return. When you first start out, 5 or 10 is enough you kill you. video demonstration I found on youtube. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl_Hp1Wf52k[/ame] Image Unavailable, Please Login
Are you only doing 50 reps? Focusing on my abs has long been a problem for me. I need to devote a day to abs soley. Look on bb.com. they gave a ton of great exercises that I've done, just not steadily.
50 is about all I can manage on the ab wheel. That's why I'm coupling it with weighted crunches and the ab ripper workouts.
90% of my Ab/Torso/Core Exercises involve a stability ball. Crunch, plank, x-crunch, rev.crunch, st arm plank, pushups on ball, side crunch, back ext, side crunch w/twist, pike, pike w/twist. are just a few of maybe 100 ex's. THE key to remember when training the mid section is that it is not just about Abs. It is a column or like an iris of a camera with muscles all the way around. They draw in and stabilize the ribs to the pelvis. Rectus, Int. & Ext. Obliques, Transverse, (and all their fibral divisions) then all of the spinal muscleclature. In fact 3/4 of the 'Abs' attach directly into the spine via the TLF so they are as much back musc as they are Ab musc. They are resp. for flexing, extending, bending, twisting, and stabilizing in almost any direction you can think of so your workout plan of attack should include that thought process. Too many people just crunch-crunch-and more crunch...big mistake. Think of this too: If you take a balloon and squeeze it from the sides, what happens? It starts squirting out to the side. Same as if you just train the front of your torso. You have to train the sides and all the way around. -Billy
i just started the disc,part of the P90X workouts, Ab Ripper X, . you can look up all the moves on youtube, and it left me sore for 3 days! but it does cost allot and i got mine from a friend. but it is very hard and challenging, but u can feel it work!
For me, personally, simple and consistent beats whiz-bang and sporadic every time. I'd rather do the simple stuff, knowing it might not be perfect or optimal, than something more complicated that I won't do consistently.
I actually just bought one a couple weeks ago but haven't tortured myself with it yet. Shopping tip: A good place to look for this kind of workout gear is a closeout store like Ross or Marshalls. The ones near me always have a good selection of pull bars, resistance bands, etc. The ab wheel is the "Men's Health" branded one and comes with a free 1 yr digital subscription to the magazine; cost me $6.99 + tax @ Ross. Time to stop shopping and chatting and time to start working out.
