• FreeTrainers.com Forums
• General Fitness & Exercise
• Contraction...?

Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Contraction...?

esco Posts: 84 Joined: 2001/01/08	2001/05/10, 09:06 PM I noticed why I maybe not be getting the results I am looking for with my abs. When doing a crunch or situp, it says to contract your ab's? Do this mean like suck in your gut or stomach or whatever, and then breath out on the way down?
Adrian Posts: 411 Joined: 2000/12/26	2001/05/10, 09:54 PM You must focus on the contraction.. Meaning, at the top of the movement (so when you're crunched), tighten your stomach, blow out your air and squeeze tight. You inhale on the way down. Don't let your abs rest at the bottom of the rep, keep constant tension on them. Adrian
esco Posts: 84 Joined: 2001/01/08	2001/05/11, 06:28 PM Great. I got the hang, now I feel the burn. And you go all the way up right? Like laying down to like your back in the position as if you were like sitting up straight, hence the name 'situp'? I just want to be like cut up in 4 weeks. Think start with 40 a night for a week, then 60 a night for a week, then 80, etc...? Also doing the equal amount of leg raises? Will I get nicely cut up? Thanks so much.
mongrel2012 Posts: 125 Joined: 2001/05/04	2001/05/11, 09:29 PM In my opinion the best thing that u can do to get 'cut up' is follow a good diet. With crunches I prefer to do lower reps with more weight on my chest, if I've done them properly, I'm usually sore for the next 2 days. Studies have shown that if u perform crunches with as little as 10 pounds, then the activity in the lower and upper regions of the abdominals is nearly the same, so you don't really need to worry about 'isolating' the lower abs. Don't forget to train the obliques, theses will help u look much more ripped, so include a twisting exercise in your workout. good luck
JLANE Posts: 21 Joined: 2000/12/13	2001/05/12, 04:08 PM CHECK OUT THE AB EXERCISES IN THE SPECIALIZED GOALS IN THIS SITE.THEY WORK JLANE