The random tirade about dragonslaying around 4:45 got me crying with laughter. Your sense of humor and good info is the main reasons why I watch every video. 😂
I’ve been subbed for 2 days and already learned how broken my “near perfect” program was. Been binge watching. Thanks Doc! Hopefully I can implement your information and break into the advanced level.
i can say personally that training abs consistently over the past 2 yrs has made a HUGE difference in how good they look/pop and show thru even at higher bf%. i only have to diet down to a dexa scanned 12% now to have a full 8 pack now that theyve hypertrophied well from consistent training, whereas before it was
@Silas Wells also not original poster, but Hanging upsidown situps on an inversion table, and hanging leg raises, just bringing knees to chest, not keeping legs straight. These are the kings of abs training.
As a guy with 2x bulging discs, degenerative changes, and an annular fissure, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND to train your core! Keeps everything locked in place, and potentially can actually make you lift more by having a better foundation!
Thanks Dr Mike I’m a boxer/kickboxer and core work is part of every session we do But rarely do you still rock hard abs that are aesthetically pleasing too - function over form every time Love ya work mate
I recently found your channel and man not only is your knowledge easy to digest for people without a degree in a physical therapy, but you have a great comedic touch. Thanks for your content!
Short personal experience testimony When I cut down to 180lbs once i did not have even a slightest sliver of abs because I didn't work them out Currently I'm at 230lbs and "flabs" are clearly visible, and this summer I had a six pack at 200lbs because I work them out just a little bit, 4x10 of leg raises at the end of each workout is all it took for me
@@jgoldian47 cable crunches or weighted leg/hanging knee raises/sit ups are very useful but in my experience bodyweight hanging leg raises are more than enough if you keep proper form and progressively add reps and get stricter
@idkman I sadly have diastis erecti splitting of the abdominal wall so I gotta be careful with what ab workouts I use. So far the ab crunch machine we have at the gym I can use without it bothering me, and I can easily overload with weight and then lying leg raises or knee raises don't bother me but idk how to progressively overload using lying leg raises or reverse crunches
@@jgoldian47 Resistance training is all I do generally for my body except abs, abs are bodyweight hanging leg raises only, although reading about the injury you have I would not recommend it since at the bottom portion of the hanging leg raise your abs get really really stretched so it might be dangerous for you
Yes because A. Abs can grow like any other muscle in the 5-30 rep range (optimally above RPE 8) and B. Core stability is integral to heavy compound injury prevention.
Hi Mike. I'm 57 years old and I have been training in my bedroom with dumbbells and bands for just over a year and have cut more than a stone and a half in weight. (13.6 stone to 12 stone now) When I started taking my workout seriously (every day) in January this year and eating a calorie controlled diet, I started doing heel touches and hollow crunches for my abs and within 5 months my belly went from 40 inches to 36 inches and my abs are popping out nicely. I do a 20 minute abs workout every other day and the more belly fat I lose, the more defined they look. Anyway, I am planning to join a gym soon, now that I have been made redundant, and I will be starting a youtube channel to document my training. My body has developed a nice definition since I started training and now I want to try and bulk up and put on more muscle mass using information I am learning from you, Jeff Nippard and Kassem Hanson of N1 Education. Keep educating us Dr Mike. I enjoy watching your videos.
Why do people use barbaric systems like Imperial with units of measurement like stone foot pounds maybe even cock while you're at it when metric exists???? Most of the world uses metric already goddamn it America just use a simple system that all the world uses because of one short angry Frenchman already
I would mention, since I've trained some long distance running, it does take a toll on your abs. Having some muscle endurance on core helps. So the abs a marathon runner has are also partially because all that running requires some abdominal muscles
Every muscle can and should be trained. For a tall person (1.95m) the best thing for my movements has been regular abb training. For aesthetics it might not be absolutely neccesary but for function they are crucial.
totally agree. 194cm here. basketball player. training abs has made me faster and able to jump higher. I strongly suggest trying out at ab roller, (which should really be called a core roller. it isn't just for abs). They are not just a fad. they really work.
I train my abs on my push and pull days for a total of four days a week. Honestly it means that at 20 % or more body fat I have visible abs. It’s worth it for the low amount of work compared with other workouts
@@shrexyboi1850 heavy cable crunch 3x10, leg lifts w/ 45lb dumbbell between my feet 3x6 for pull day. heavy cable crunch 3x8 and woodchoppers 3x8 on push day
After years of hearing that abs are made in the kitchen and that they are useless to train, I decided to give them a try. I’m starting to see lines in my abdomen I’ve never seen before. I don’t intend to stop now lmao
been training abs for around 8 weeks now. abs twice and obliques twice, loaded with weights for 12 - 18 reps. i have been on maintenance calories but i can see the ab frame forming and my core strengthening which helps me in squatting better and better form while doing exercises
@@Mr-BareMinimum If you are doing meintanance over 8 weeks while consistently working out (and presumably eating more or less healthy) you're likely loosing fat and gaining muscle (incrementally) and therefore becoming lower bodyfat which could then explain how your abs are becoming visible more so than the ab excersises, but i like to think ab excersises do something visible too. The other benefit like form and core strength can't be denied either so keep on.
Some ab exercises and how to perform them would be great. I loved all the bodybuilding videos with mike, jared and charly and learned a lot by how they execute their sets but I haven't seen ab exercises from them !
People literally argue with me saying training abs doesn't make your waist bigger and I started to doubt myself recently and even started training them every once in a while. Thanks for clearing that doubt and helping me maintain my tiny waist
But I wouldn't be worried in your place. Yes, muscular abs will make your waiste somewhat bigger but not that much, and you will have great spectacular abs and a functional core (unless you picked some crazy genetic card that make your abs extra thick).
@@_koschwarz I got a small waist and my abs are pretty symmetrical (as you might be able to see on my pfp) but they are very blocky, so I'd rather let heavyish compounds do the training, otherwise I'll just be wasting recovery capabilities which could otherwise be used for weakpoints and overall growth, since I'm natty and I my goal is competing.
@@mr_wright_official_ I don't do too much direct ab workout either because of the same reason, it interferes my recovery. The bulk of my program is compound excercises and I have thick abs already but I can say my waist actually has remained the same for a long time.
@@_koschwarz exactly, plus what can actually make your waist slightly bigger from the front is obliques, especially the lower obliques, the rectus abdominus itself won't make your waist bigger, or if just from the side. Obliques grow anyway from squats and deadlifts, abs much less. Just do weighted and/or machine ab exercises where you can progress, once you can't do cable crunches anymore because your too strong to stay on the ground you won't have small abs.
Do you know what the best ab workout is??? Watching your videos. Jesus I laugh enough that they hurt. Started watching 4 or 5 yrs ago because of your clarity in the science of exercise. However the humor is a great bonus. I’m no athlete but I listen for practicality and safety
I do 4x2-3RiR Leg Raises and then 3x2-3RiR High Crunches ("upper abs version") I'm really good at isolating abs in leg raises and usually do 10 10 8 8 (for I do left right Leg Raises often times) I go as high as possible without losing tension and I focus on the connection to the abs, so it's initiated and stabilized through the abs
This is so true and I learned it through trial and error, which is for the best as I’m not sure I would’ve accepted this advice. For those unsure, believe it. I’m not saying don’t do ab exercises, but, if you’re diet ain’t conducive, you’ll never see those abs you work so hard on. It wasn’t until I embarked on a hardcore cardio and diet regimen, with reduced weight training (because of the net negative calories) that I uncovered what I’d been working on all those years.
*acute voice* but Dr Mike!! if I train my abs so much that I end up non-functionally overreached and then overtrained, eventually I'm going to lose muscle and make my waist smaller!!! Yaaayyy!!!
Thanks Dr Mike. I thought I should add that striking combat sports like boxing need ab endurance as the abs act as your armour when taking hits to the stomach. Once you run out of endurance, a good punch to the gut will wind you as you can no longer tense them to protect yourself. For most people though not fighting I can't think of a reason why you'd want more abs endurance.
my main goal lately training abs and back has been core strength to help me with reduction of and back problems/ injuries i already have. hoping a stronger core will help support the spine better in the long run.
I didn't skip leg day, but I skipped ab day. Maybe I didn't like doing the ab exercises because they often aren't loaded, just lots of reps. I was hoping just to rely on the compound exercises (squats, deadlifts, etc..) to build core strength without targeting them specifically. What you explain in this video is a relief. I don't feel as bad for skipping ab day.
I fell into the trap of doing crunches too, I think it's because feeling the burn somehow translated to me that I'm doing good "work." I'm just so happy I discovered the channel, I'm more confident in building muscle now and for the first time I feel the pump in the biceps XD Previously I was just doing a ton of running with no weight lifting but always felt exhausted as hell, and I always gave in to the temptations since I had no energy left. Anyway, Cheeeeeers!!!!
When l was in my teens and twenties I had a metabolism like a furnace and with it a full set of visible abs and obliques. This without doing a single crunch or leg raise. The spill over from the likes of squats, chins and even pushdown was all the work they needed. Now I am much older with a slower metabolism I can only get abs by diet and direct work. The moral of the story is enjoy your youth while you can.
I tell my clients pretty much all these points; many of them dismiss these (especially people of a certain sex).After a while you end up not believing in yourself! Thanks Dr Mike for helping me believing in myself again!
I lost 110lbs over the course of the past two years so I have a little excess skin hanging around my belly button area. I train abs like a maniac in hopes of dealing with that so I'll definitely take this video as gospel lol
I apologize, I do train other things too but I do exactly like Dr. Mike mentions where I've been training abs multiple times a week for the past 3-4 months. I've been doing a relatively normal weekly routine but typically Monday, Wednesday and Friday I end my workouts with a 15ish minute ab circuit with low weights, usually holding a 20lb plate.
@@TrippyTheShroom Maybe I'm misinterpreting your comment, but looks to me that an ab circuit with low weight is not quite what Dr.Mike says here, which is just regular training (full ROM, progressive overload, etc). Do you train your chest with multiple 15ish minute chest circuits with low weights? Anyways, congratz on your journey so far, Mushroom friend!
Increased autophagy from long-term fasting over time can rid of loose skin. Don’t need to become a fasting nut but it’s a great tool. My skin is tighter at higher body-weights due to fasting. I do intermittent fasting a couple times a week and a 36-48 hour fast 1-2x a month.
I've been keeping track of my daily steps and calorie needs this year. Almost done 11 million steps, which did include a marathon and a 20 mile race up a mountain. Can confirm, stomaching the amount of calories even on days I don't run but do stupid step counts (37,050 steps today) is nigh on impossible. Can't do my usual race next year so I might actually gain some muscle from the gym for a few months. That will be nice.
Agreed with everything said, diet is 70% for abs. Most people not willing to give up on pizzas and beer then think that abs is a rocket science. I went from 36 to 8 bf% in 8 month with heavy diet (1300ckal a day) and an easy'ish cardio. Boy, I had never seen that much attention in my entire life on the beach from women, men and even kids )) Sheer satisfaction of this totally worth the hard work. People will start to respect you, ladies be eager to get to know you. This in return gives enormous boost of confidence and self esteem. Total magic.
Hey Dr. Mike, great video. When doing my own research on ab isolation I've encountered a lot of discourse surrounding flexion-based movements and whether they're safe for your spine, most notably from Dr. Stuart McGill. That being said, there seems to be a bit of a trend that these studies that come out are frequently: 1. Presented in the context of physiotherapy rather than hypertrophy training 2. Methodologically dubious (as I see it), testing on pig cadaver spines with no muscular support Is damaging your spine through ab isolation something your average healthy lifter needs to be worried about? Thanks!
Your spine should be able to handle loads in various planes of movement if you’re a normal healthy person with no injuries or disabilities. I know we’re taught all the time to never arch your back when lifting but there are OG lifters who do arched zercher pulls from the ground with a rounded back pulling in excess of 200+ lbs without injury. It must be trained first and foremost but I would not worry too much if your concern is long term spinal health. Eat well, hit your macros, and do not neglect mobility (static and dynamic) and you should be fine. Consult with your medical professional before attempting any lifts to determine your ability and safe ranges of motion, I’m not a doctor.
I think that hypothesis is a minority view in movement science. Generally, progressing in controllable loads through nearly ANY movement makes the involved structures stronger, not weaker. So yeah, right there with you. - Dr. Mike
Due to loose skin fully visible abs don't seem to be in the books for me. Still I'm training them occasionally as I sit long hours every day for work and I have the feeling that "stronger" abs and hip flexors help preventing/reducing lower back pain.
The thing about training abs for aesthetic reasons, especially for women, because most women will not get as lean as most men can (bodybuilders aside), if you build the thickness of the muscle it can show better through a thicker layer of fat. So you’ll get the little ab outline more easily if you do a lot of hypertrophy training for your abs. Which is all I’m shooting for aesthetically. I have a bad back and I like to run, plus I like to climb, and both exercises for me to do them without intense pain require a lot of ab endurance to stabilize. So I do both. Because I like the look and I don’t like back pain. For me, the endurance means leg raises. A lot of leg raises. Usually 4 sets of at least 20. Because with climbing, you do that over and over and over again. For strength, currently I like decline crunches while holding a dumbbell or a plate superset with leg raises on the same decline bench, popping my hips off the bench at the end. And some kind of rotational movement.
Great video! One other topic I'm curious about are your thoughts on the need to have strong abs to support your spine to prevent lower back injury or pain. I think Louie Simmons was a big believer that powerlifters (and probably to a lesser extent bodybuilders) need to have very strong abs to support their spines. This has long been my reason for training abs, since I've long known spot fat reduction isn't much of a thing.
The chance that your abs are some form of limiting factor on your other lifts is very small. More likely people can benefit from more lower back work rather than ab work. To explain: keeping your spine safe during other lifts is about keeping the spine straight during said lifts, and most lifts require you to straighten your back (i.e. extend your back), not round your back. And abs round your back, that's.. all they do. So how exactly would you need stronger abs to keep your spine straight?
I agree with @@floriancazacu4504 here. Abs are going to be a stabilizer in most movements and in cases where you need strong intra-abdominal pressure I highly doubt youll run into issues of your abs not being strong enough to simply tighten up for a few reps of a squat.
It's definitely a factor, but it largely gets handled by your core lifts anyway. I think doing 2x a week of direct ab work (heavy, like sets of 5-10 reps) might offer and additional boost. - Dr. Mike
@@floriancazacu4504 Razr Ramon is right, you might benefit from taking one semester of Anatomy and Physiology. The abdominals are comprised of four different muscles: the external oblique is the most superficial muscle, responsible for lateral spinal flexion and contribute to stabilization when both sides contract simultaneously; the internal obliques contribute to torso rotation (like that little twist you can do at the top of sit-up), as well as to flexion of the trunk and trunk stability; the rectus abdominus (the "six-pack") is the strongest muscle involved in torso flexion, but also can contribute to abdominal compression; and the transverse abdominus is the deepest of the ab muscles, it runs across the midsection and is the primary muscle involved in abdominal compression (think about "sucking your stomach in," aka "the vacuum pose"). All of these are involved to some degree in stabilization during heavy compound moves, but each can be trained individually as well.
I don't get why people make such a big deal out of abs... They're not magic, if you want them to be as big and/or strong as possible train them how you would any other muscle if not, don't, though if you have a weak core some planks, bicycle crunches and, god forbid, sit up(because they are good for the transverse abdominus and strong hip flexors don't hurt either, especially if you can squat and deadlift a few hundred pounds) and that's about it. To me abs are important for looks, the bigger they are, the better they come through even at a slightly higher BF, the other core training like obliques and even direct hip flexor work are for performance, especially for sprinting strong hip flexors are crucial and I need deadly obliques for martial arts
Gotta admit. I feel quite accomplished on my fitness knowledge journey when I hop into a video by someone great like Dr Mike Israetel or Dr Andy Galpin and learn nothing. Not because they aren't teaching me anything, but because my personal research is paying off. Even though they are probably the one who taught me it years ago in a different video/podcast.
Isometrics can be every bit as hypertrophic as dynamic movement. Scale back the time under tension and increase the load. Try doing ("stretched-out") planks with a 70-80 lb weight vest, and let me know how that works out. If you can hold 2-3 sets of 30-60 seconds I'm willing to bet you have pretty well-developed, strong abs.
as a 6 pack having individual I can confirm that random women wanting to lick chocolate form your belly is a very annoying backward of crispy abs that people very rarley talks about, Thanks for bringing this up, Dr Mike.
If you put a piece of wood under the weight stack it will allow you to reach the handle and give you a full stretch, also doing them on a slight incline stops you sliding off the bench.
I have wide iliac crests so I've embraced that I look better with blocky abs. Spent a long time not training them and it did very little for my physique. I'll never have the best V taper because of this, and it actually looks better if my obliques are developed so I don't wind up with an hourglass figure.
My wife tells me she loves my block body lol. She always comments that she’s glad I don’t have some tiny little waist lol. I’m conflicted on the matter 😆
I mean, train abs for stability under heavy weight, for coordination, and to deal with dysfunction. Do the McGill Big Three, learn to brace abs for heavy lifts, and learn the vacuum to cover most ab demands. For strength and hypertrophy do hanging leg lifts, weighted situps(on ground or a GHD) with good form, and ab wheels if you nasty.
I’m super big on strict kneeling cable crunches. Load that weight up and hit it for 15-25 reps, 3-4 sets couples times a week. Been doing it all year. 100% recommended.
I trained my abs for months and months. And nothing really changed. Weighted, non-weighted, I have a lot of personal trainer friends because I worked at a gym. They critiqued my form because at first I was mainly using hip flexors and getting V's. Which did work, I had flying V's. I truly have terrible insertion points, and my ribs are too large. So you cannot even see my top 2 abs, even at sub 10% body fat. The best I was able to get was a 4 pack with the bottom 4. Long story short, months of ab training did make them more defined. However, the time and effort put in was nowhere near worth the effect. Some peeps just don't have good ab genetics 🤷♂️
cable crunch for 6 solid reps and your top abs will pop. if they aren't then your form is off. make sure you're in posterior pelvic tilt and using a weight that pretty much only uses your abs to pull your torso down. leg raises only really hit the lower part of your abs so it makes sense why they'd look the way they do
@@missyOJ progressive overload is difficult without a range of weights to work with. i'd recommend v-ups, bird dogs, and hanging leg raises if you're going to work out from home.
Training isometric ab endurance through planks can help you with posture and that can be very important for the appearance of your whole upper body, especially the stomach
This video taught me nothing new but opened my eyes lol. Why didn't I think of training abs in the 1-6 reps range for strength if that's what I do with all the other muscles
Get that hot gym girl to sit on your hips and then proceed to leg raise her while hanging from the bar. Next week find a heavier chick till you do your gym bro, remember yo progressive overload and say no homo to be sure they don't think you are sus.
i was struggling with lower back pain for a while, falsely blaming rows, squats an DDLs. it was actually due going to heavy on sit ups (3 rep range). i stick to the 10+ range to avoid the sheer force on my spine. My weighted sit ups were predominantly flexing at hips instead of spine so maybe i was too heavy for my 'perfect form 3 rep range'.
I’ve always trained abs, at higher bodyfat levels my abs still show fairy well, especially compared to when I didn’t train them, not too mention my abdominal endurance has increased a lot e.g high rep circuits
Very generalized and realistic. Fact is, ab conditioning is either subjectively aesthetic or goal focused for a specific task. Each person has to determine what is right for them, and then be ready to ferociously justify their intentions. As for me, I could give two shits what others think about my form (aesthetics) as I am driven by a secific goal.
Great video, as always. You mentioned a lot of full range of motion movement similar to other things. Do you think you could cover what exactly that means when it comes to ab training specifically?
Crunches with enough spinal extension to stretch your abs under load. An Ab wedge is cheap and is a safe way to do this. Modestly add weight and prop your feet under something to keep you stable. Also Roman chair or hanging leg raises where you tilt the butt up and flex the spine and lower your legs with control. Isometrics work great for the abs as well, check out Alex Bromley’s video called bullet proof your back.
I agree with Yiannis, you must train all planes of movement for the core. Like mentioned above, hanging leg raises, weighted sit ups, Russian twists, and single arm farmers walks are great examples of attacking multiple angles of the core without breaking the bank in terms of recovery. Think about the different ways your core can flex and move and incorporate some kind of weighted aspect to that movement, that’s all you really need to think about to get strong abs. Keep it simple and check with your medical professional before engaging in any exercise program. 🤙🏽
Because of your tone and cadence, this whole time I just kept expecting you to start telling us what Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh are up to. Awesome video, by the way.
For me, it was to lose weight and do the heavy lifting for Olympic weightlifting. My abs would poke through sweaters at one point. It was also my first time not doing ab training period.
I think there is one neck training program video by Jeff Nippard, look it up on YT. Same philosophy as Dr Mike promotes , reps with load in 6-30 range, few sets, 3 times per week.
Step one: have top tier genetics (failure to do so will require surgeries to meet the standard) Step two: post "fitness" content showing your "progress (taint area)" while explaining a nuance of exercise variation or diet restriction that is both unlikely to be true and what they credit all their results with. Step three: count the profits
It does if it fixes a slack gut from an anterior pelvic tilt 🤷🏻♂️ It’s pointless for other reasons than the effect it has on the extremely deconditioned
OK, Doc Mike, if you don't know how many women are into the NFL Running Back with their Abs showing through their T-shirt look, I can tell you definitively. *All of them.* Every one. They _might_ prefer a different body type more; ei The kinda soft, but still in shape sorta, idk, svelte Tom Brady build. Or the ripped but very lean and tall basketball player _typical_ build. Or the Olympic Gymnast look, but universally? Yeah, I think the Running Back/Slot Receiver build...5'10-6'3"/200lbs-235lbs, pretty jacked, 10% BF...that seems to be ideal. Lol, not sure how many women would like their possible/suitors/boyfriend/s/husband to have an NFL Running Back build? Are you kidding me. Outside of the rare cases where chicks prefer really skinny guys, really pudgy guys, or really, really, really jacked guys, most chicks want the epitome of what is achievable for the best athletic genetics w/o PED us. PED use is typically fine in the chick's head, as long as the guy doesn't look (to her) like he takes PED's bc in her head she thinks every guy on gear looks like Chris Bumstead, a young Arnold, Ronnie Coleman or some other mass monster He-Man looking figure with a heart beat. Imagine if the average woman knew that _most_ men would need a pretty serious and very long cycle to ever look like Chris Hemsworth's Thor? Never mind Mamoa's Aquaman. They'd also probably need some ribs removed. Wtf? The guy is 6'2" with broad ass shoulders and a 29.5" waist. How does that even happen. I'm 5'11", and when I was under 170lbs as a late teenager my waist was still a 32". Craziness. Now, at 190lbs it's a 32" as well. Or was before I put on 100lbs. I'm back down to 213 (was 212.6 yesterday...idk, maybe I drank more water today) and it's around 35". 29.5" over 230lbs at 6'3". Man, life just isn't fair sometimes. And yes, this is definitely a top 10% living conditions in the world problem.
Gotta love when you see people doing full on abs circuits for 30 minutes like they're doing much of anything. The holding a weight in one hand and leaning to the side is my favorite to see, build those obliques and thicken up that midsection 😂 Like literally just find an ab machine you like or do a back supported hanging leg lift for 4x15-20 at the end of your workout a few times a week.. just keep it simple and efficient.
Anyway brother, I enjoy your show, we share some of the same knowledge and it's like a breath of fresh air to hear someone who actually knows how to train the human body.
Could you make a similar video on the vacuum exercise and making your waist smaller? I’m sure it’s a lot of the same points but it’d still be interesting
i used to train them like crazy 3 years ago and recently started training abs again and i think because of muscle memory and training, my abs look bigger and more visible even tho im still around the same body fat percentage.
My experience is that proper form in almost all other excercises will engage my core and make my abs to grow. The exception being the lower abs that need some targeted training. Leg-raises are not optimal.
In 2006 our strength and conditioning coach (at a D1 football school) would have us train abs every day before we would lift. Sometimes for an hour. He was a beast and competed only at state level though.
Though, a lot of marathon runners and cyclists start doing excercise designed to strengthen core muscles. Endurance sports often come with lower back pain with time that can be gruesome. It's not directed to abs only but it's a lot of planks. And magazines like Runners' world and the like regularly have features where suggesting adding these kind of excercises (perhaps an idea for a reaction video?).
The best argument I've ever seen against the concept of spot training to reduce fat is that if it works, their is no practical way to have your abs out train the amount of random arm and leg movement you do in a day.
Dr. Mike thank you for the info on how to get abs. Can you do a video on penile hypertrophy? It's a weak point for my physique
Legendary
You just have to go harder than last time
@@emmanuelmacias6381 get harder than last time Coach Greg.
r/gettingbigger
It's all about a rigorous stretching routine. Remember, lengthening is strengthening.
Jeez, you make jokes that go through a complete range of motion and emotion. Love it.
Fr, he’s actually one of the funniest people I listen to. Most comedians don’t have me laughing so hard…probably because I can relate haha.
4:58 lmfaooo i died laughing at it
with deep stretch at the bottom
Unoriginal little geek.
The random tirade about dragonslaying around 4:45 got me crying with laughter. Your sense of humor and good info is the main reasons why I watch every video. 😂
Lmao, throw me off so much 😂
Yeah I thought papa dragon was come back & fuck up the guy as he's getting his bj afterwards lol
It's basically the plot of Beowulf.
Spit my pre workout coffee all over the place bc of that shit, thanks Mike!
Poor Link from the old Zelda cartoon couldn't even get a kiss after saving the kingdom. Doc's version would have made the cartoon much better.
I’ve been subbed for 2 days and already learned how broken my “near perfect” program was. Been binge watching. Thanks Doc! Hopefully I can implement your information and break into the advanced level.
how's progress?
@@chimichangas1432good thanks
Progress check
Listening to Dr Mike talk abs while eating a snickers icecream bar. Feeling accomplished
I listened to the talk without a snickers ice cream bar and didn't realize I was doing it wrong until I read this
That's an anabolic ice cream bar. Keep up the hard work
Lord knows those snickers ice-cream bars are goddam delicious though!
Ummm.... We'll call it protein... Good job 👍
Swap that out for the Snickers Protein bar, then you'll be Dr. Mike approved.
i can say personally that training abs consistently over the past 2 yrs has made a HUGE difference in how good they look/pop and show thru even at higher bf%. i only have to diet down to a dexa scanned 12% now to have a full 8 pack now that theyve hypertrophied well from consistent training, whereas before it was
Which ab exercises do you do?
@@TheSilasExperiment Not original poster but did the same thing. I just stuck to weighted/band ab exercises for 5-30 reps. Just got to be consistent.
@Silas Wells also not original poster, but Hanging upsidown situps on an inversion table, and hanging leg raises, just bringing knees to chest, not keeping legs straight. These are the kings of abs training.
@@TheSilasExperiment see above
Turns out abs are a muscle, crazy.
Yes train your abs and obliques. It's like having a strong lower back. Really helps keep the spine more safe during lifts.
Citation needed my friend
@@TheTMschannel citation? For what
@@suhwateezea.214 Ah. A man of reputable source.
@@TheTMschannel citation needed that a strong core helps with core stability? Lmao wut.
@@aguy3082 Shhh, he's trying to Science. Don't present common sense here! This is a learned and educated man.
As a guy with 2x bulging discs, degenerative changes, and an annular fissure, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND to train your core! Keeps everything locked in place, and potentially can actually make you lift more by having a better foundation!
Only one bulging on me but I concur. It’s like having armor around your spine. Not to mention it feels so good
Thanks Dr Mike
I’m a boxer/kickboxer and core work is part of every session we do
But rarely do you still rock hard abs that are aesthetically pleasing too - function over form every time
Love ya work mate
I recently found your channel and man not only is your knowledge easy to digest for people without a degree in a physical therapy, but you have a great comedic touch. Thanks for your content!
Short personal experience testimony
When I cut down to 180lbs once i did not have even a slightest sliver of abs because I didn't work them out
Currently I'm at 230lbs and "flabs" are clearly visible, and this summer I had a six pack at 200lbs because I work them out just a little bit, 4x10 of leg raises at the end of each workout is all it took for me
Any use of weight and resistance training or just bodyweight
@@jgoldian47 cable crunches or weighted leg/hanging knee raises/sit ups are very useful but in my experience bodyweight hanging leg raises are more than enough if you keep proper form and progressively add reps and get stricter
Must be your genetics because 90% of people will have visible abs at a body fat of 10-14%. Or you were above that.
@idkman I sadly have diastis erecti splitting of the abdominal wall so I gotta be careful with what ab workouts I use. So far the ab crunch machine we have at the gym I can use without it bothering me, and I can easily overload with weight and then lying leg raises or knee raises don't bother me but idk how to progressively overload using lying leg raises or reverse crunches
@@jgoldian47 Resistance training is all I do generally for my body except abs, abs are bodyweight hanging leg raises only, although reading about the injury you have I would not recommend it since at the bottom portion of the hanging leg raise your abs get really really stretched so it might be dangerous for you
Yes because A. Abs can grow like any other muscle in the 5-30 rep range (optimally above RPE 8) and B. Core stability is integral to heavy compound injury prevention.
Hi Mike. I'm 57 years old and I have been training in my bedroom with dumbbells and bands for just over a year and have cut more than a stone and a half in weight. (13.6 stone to 12 stone now) When I started taking my workout seriously (every day) in January this year and eating a calorie controlled diet, I started doing heel touches and hollow crunches for my abs and within 5 months my belly went from 40 inches to 36 inches and my abs are popping out nicely. I do a 20 minute abs workout every other day and the more belly fat I lose, the more defined they look. Anyway, I am planning to join a gym soon, now that I have been made redundant, and I will be starting a youtube channel to document my training. My body has developed a nice definition since I started training and now I want to try and bulk up and put on more muscle mass using information I am learning from you, Jeff Nippard and Kassem Hanson of N1 Education. Keep educating us Dr Mike. I enjoy watching your videos.
Why do people use barbaric systems like Imperial with units of measurement like stone foot pounds maybe even cock while you're at it when metric exists???? Most of the world uses metric already goddamn it America just use a simple system that all the world uses because of one short angry Frenchman already
I would mention, since I've trained some long distance running, it does take a toll on your abs. Having some muscle endurance on core helps. So the abs a marathon runner has are also partially because all that running requires some abdominal muscles
Yep, I've had DOMS from running a half marathon.
I appreciate the nod to Brazilian jiu jitsu specific strength. Ab strength and/or endurance is often a movement limiting factor and safety imperative.
As someone who just graduated with a degree in dietetics, thank you for providing factual and educated information. Favorite fitness TH-cam channel.
0:34 turn on captions
Every muscle can and should be trained. For a tall person (1.95m) the best thing for my movements has been regular abb training. For aesthetics it might not be absolutely neccesary but for function they are crucial.
totally agree. 194cm here. basketball player. training abs has made me faster and able to jump higher. I strongly suggest trying out at ab roller, (which should really be called a core roller. it isn't just for abs). They are not just a fad. they really work.
Highly insightful and informative. Thanks for the amazing guide! 💪
I train my abs on my push and pull days for a total of four days a week. Honestly it means that at 20 % or more body fat I have visible abs. It’s worth it for the low amount of work compared with other workouts
What movements do you do?
@@shrexyboi1850 heavy cable crunch 3x10, leg lifts w/ 45lb dumbbell between my feet 3x6 for pull day. heavy cable crunch 3x8 and woodchoppers 3x8 on push day
And then you like shit with a huge waste😂
@@promo130 what?
@@promo130 wdym?
After years of hearing that abs are made in the kitchen and that they are useless to train, I decided to give them a try. I’m starting to see lines in my abdomen I’ve never seen before. I don’t intend to stop now lmao
exactly man, I can get semi visible abs by training them. but I gotta eat less and do cardio if I want them to be beautiful and aesthetic
@@gcg8187 the answer to anything is usually never this one thing or that one thing. But a combination of things in my experience
been training abs for around 8 weeks now. abs twice and obliques twice, loaded with weights for 12 - 18 reps. i have been on maintenance calories but i can see the ab frame forming and my core strengthening which helps me in squatting better and better form while doing exercises
@@Mr-BareMinimum If you are doing meintanance over 8 weeks while consistently working out (and presumably eating more or less healthy) you're likely loosing fat and gaining muscle (incrementally) and therefore becoming lower bodyfat which could then explain how your abs are becoming visible more so than the ab excersises, but i like to think ab excersises do something visible too. The other benefit like form and core strength can't be denied either so keep on.
Some ab exercises and how to perform them would be great. I loved all the bodybuilding videos with mike, jared and charly and learned a lot by how they execute their sets but I haven't seen ab exercises from them !
th-cam.com/play/PLyqKj7LwU2RvTgEW_QlCCjtIL5d_KP_-I.html&si=r0pJjvlhFlbXbXvk
People literally argue with me saying training abs doesn't make your waist bigger and I started to doubt myself recently and even started training them every once in a while. Thanks for clearing that doubt and helping me maintain my tiny waist
But I wouldn't be worried in your place. Yes, muscular abs will make your waiste somewhat bigger but not that much, and you will have great spectacular abs and a functional core (unless you picked some crazy genetic card that make your abs extra thick).
@@_koschwarz I got a small waist and my abs are pretty symmetrical (as you might be able to see on my pfp) but they are very blocky, so I'd rather let heavyish compounds do the training, otherwise I'll just be wasting recovery capabilities which could otherwise be used for weakpoints and overall growth, since I'm natty and I my goal is competing.
@@mr_wright_official_ I don't do too much direct ab workout either because of the same reason, it interferes my recovery. The bulk of my program is compound excercises and I have thick abs already but I can say my waist actually has remained the same for a long time.
@@_koschwarz exactly, plus what can actually make your waist slightly bigger from the front is obliques, especially the lower obliques, the rectus abdominus itself won't make your waist bigger, or if just from the side. Obliques grow anyway from squats and deadlifts, abs much less. Just do weighted and/or machine ab exercises where you can progress, once you can't do cable crunches anymore because your too strong to stay on the ground you won't have small abs.
@@maxschmidt9461 That is why i dont train obliques no one cares if your waist is wide from side only matters from front
Do you know what the best ab workout is??? Watching your videos. Jesus I laugh enough that they hurt. Started watching 4 or 5 yrs ago because of your clarity in the science of exercise. However the humor is a great bonus. I’m no athlete but I listen for practicality and safety
I do 4x2-3RiR Leg Raises and then 3x2-3RiR High Crunches ("upper abs version")
I'm really good at isolating abs in leg raises and usually do 10 10 8 8 (for I do left right Leg Raises often times)
I go as high as possible without losing tension and I focus on the connection to the abs, so it's initiated and stabilized through the abs
What? So you do 1 crunch and -1 leg raise? Whaaaaat
This guy is the funniest wisest and most blunt physical educator on TH-cam. 🙏🏾👍🏾😊
My name's not Jim...
This is so true and I learned it through trial and error, which is for the best as I’m not sure I would’ve accepted this advice. For those unsure, believe it. I’m not saying don’t do ab exercises, but, if you’re diet ain’t conducive, you’ll never see those abs you work so hard on. It wasn’t until I embarked on a hardcore cardio and diet regimen, with reduced weight training (because of the net negative calories) that I uncovered what I’d been working on all those years.
*acute voice* but Dr Mike!! if I train my abs so much that I end up non-functionally overreached and then overtrained, eventually I'm going to lose muscle and make my waist smaller!!! Yaaayyy!!!
I appreciate you keeping it simple and not bullshitting us
1:02 you heard it right there Dr Mike sums it up. Tren hard, eat clen anavar give up. Test your limits, synthol as that.
Thanks Dr Mike. I thought I should add that striking combat sports like boxing need ab endurance as the abs act as your armour when taking hits to the stomach. Once you run out of endurance, a good punch to the gut will wind you as you can no longer tense them to protect yourself. For most people though not fighting I can't think of a reason why you'd want more abs endurance.
I want 1 large ab that can be seen through my shirt, my coat, and I grow by over eating!!!
Then follow MY program
Caught me every time with cerebro. Was just priming for the hub, which comes after this channel
I love this channel. Remember when Greg and, well, a whole big ass group of other fitness people did training videos and not ads?
Dr Mike I find your sense of humor very entertaining. Thanks for the laugh and info.
Ab endurance is excellent for climbing, especially bouldering. Lots of body tension required.
Climb on 🤘
This is about aesthetics my guy, not practicality. Most people wanting abs want em to look good
my main goal lately training abs and back has been core strength to help me with reduction of and back problems/ injuries i already have. hoping a stronger core will help support the spine better in the long run.
I didn't skip leg day, but I skipped ab day. Maybe I didn't like doing the ab exercises because they often aren't loaded, just lots of reps. I was hoping just to rely on the compound exercises (squats, deadlifts, etc..) to build core strength without targeting them specifically. What you explain in this video is a relief. I don't feel as bad for skipping ab day.
I fell into the trap of doing crunches too, I think it's because feeling the burn somehow translated to me that I'm doing good "work." I'm just so happy I discovered the channel, I'm more confident in building muscle now and for the first time I feel the pump in the biceps XD
Previously I was just doing a ton of running with no weight lifting but always felt exhausted as hell, and I always gave in to the temptations since I had no energy left.
Anyway,
Cheeeeeers!!!!
When l was in my teens and twenties I had a metabolism like a furnace and with it a full set of visible abs and obliques. This without doing a single crunch or leg raise. The spill over from the likes of squats, chins and even pushdown was all the work they needed. Now I am much older with a slower metabolism I can only get abs by diet and direct work. The moral of the story is enjoy your youth while you can.
How old are you now, if you don't mind me asking?
@@MrGlostuber 55, and I feel every year of it...
I tell my clients pretty much all these points; many of them dismiss these (especially people of a certain sex).After a while you end up not believing in yourself! Thanks Dr Mike for helping me believing in myself again!
From a speech of calorie deficit STRAIGHT into a burger king commercial ! I'm not joking.
Jim can't seem to catch a break 🤣
I see you, Jim. 🫂
For real.(I'm Jim)
6:48 "Do infinity number of crunches" You got it Dr.Mike!
I lost 110lbs over the course of the past two years so I have a little excess skin hanging around my belly button area. I train abs like a maniac in hopes of dealing with that so I'll definitely take this video as gospel lol
Maybe train lower back too? For less skin hanging?
Train your lats, lower back and glutes like a maniac too. From one ex fat boy to another
I apologize, I do train other things too but I do exactly like Dr. Mike mentions where I've been training abs multiple times a week for the past 3-4 months. I've been doing a relatively normal weekly routine but typically Monday, Wednesday and Friday I end my workouts with a 15ish minute ab circuit with low weights, usually holding a 20lb plate.
@@TrippyTheShroom Maybe I'm misinterpreting your comment, but looks to me that an ab circuit with low weight is not quite what Dr.Mike says here, which is just regular training (full ROM, progressive overload, etc). Do you train your chest with multiple 15ish minute chest circuits with low weights?
Anyways, congratz on your journey so far, Mushroom friend!
Increased autophagy from long-term fasting over time can rid of loose skin. Don’t need to become a fasting nut but it’s a great tool. My skin is tighter at higher body-weights due to fasting. I do intermittent fasting a couple times a week and a 36-48 hour fast 1-2x a month.
I've been keeping track of my daily steps and calorie needs this year. Almost done 11 million steps, which did include a marathon and a 20 mile race up a mountain. Can confirm, stomaching the amount of calories even on days I don't run but do stupid step counts (37,050 steps today) is nigh on impossible.
Can't do my usual race next year so I might actually gain some muscle from the gym for a few months. That will be nice.
Holy crap man, eat up! - Dr. Mike
Fats are your friend when calorie goals are high
Have a glass of olive oil
Agreed with everything said, diet is 70% for abs. Most people not willing to give up on pizzas and beer then think that abs is a rocket science. I went from 36 to 8 bf% in 8 month with heavy diet (1300ckal a day) and an easy'ish cardio. Boy, I had never seen that much attention in my entire life on the beach from women, men and even kids )) Sheer satisfaction of this totally worth the hard work. People will start to respect you, ladies be eager to get to know you. This in return gives enormous boost of confidence and self esteem. Total magic.
Pizza and beer>attention from people who dont really care about you
I intermittent fast. So i can and eat pizza. Dont drink though. Best abs of me lifevat afe 39.
On the beach? Sure. Throw a couple of clothes on you and if you don't have a tons of muscle mass you look like you just got out of a hospital.
Yeah that kids part really made me cut down on calories bruh
@@piotrdygas5345 fr bro i only work out for the attention i get from kids
Finally!! I've been waiting for this video for years thank you Dr.Mike!
Dr Mike... you're not right in the head! 😂 Never change, informative and always extra laughs!
16: 30 yeah, This applies very greatly to calisthenics. If you want to get the L-sit or V-sit, it makes sense to just do L-sits and V-sits
Hey Dr. Mike, great video. When doing my own research on ab isolation I've encountered a lot of discourse surrounding flexion-based movements and whether they're safe for your spine, most notably from Dr. Stuart McGill.
That being said, there seems to be a bit of a trend that these studies that come out are frequently:
1. Presented in the context of physiotherapy rather than hypertrophy training
2. Methodologically dubious (as I see it), testing on pig cadaver spines with no muscular support
Is damaging your spine through ab isolation something your average healthy lifter needs to be worried about? Thanks!
Your spine should be able to handle loads in various planes of movement if you’re a normal healthy person with no injuries or disabilities. I know we’re taught all the time to never arch your back when lifting but there are OG lifters who do arched zercher pulls from the ground with a rounded back pulling in excess of 200+ lbs without injury. It must be trained first and foremost but I would not worry too much if your concern is long term spinal health. Eat well, hit your macros, and do not neglect mobility (static and dynamic) and you should be fine. Consult with your medical professional before attempting any lifts to determine your ability and safe ranges of motion, I’m not a doctor.
I think that hypothesis is a minority view in movement science. Generally, progressing in controllable loads through nearly ANY movement makes the involved structures stronger, not weaker. So yeah, right there with you. - Dr. Mike
Awesome, thank you!
@@calumrowan5295 you’re welcome
I do 100 sups and leg raises daily don't care about abs because I'm overweight but having my core strong is helping all my lifts
Due to loose skin fully visible abs don't seem to be in the books for me. Still I'm training them occasionally as I sit long hours every day for work and I have the feeling that "stronger" abs and hip flexors help preventing/reducing lower back pain.
Get it chopped off, slowly get the cash and do it.
You live once don't let stuff drag you down.
Build more overal muscle
add stretching as well, helps me a lot for very little effort
Speaking of loose skin.. I think it's throwing off my body fat calipers
I think I’m there also, never was obese, it may be my age
The thing about training abs for aesthetic reasons, especially for women, because most women will not get as lean as most men can (bodybuilders aside), if you build the thickness of the muscle it can show better through a thicker layer of fat. So you’ll get the little ab outline more easily if you do a lot of hypertrophy training for your abs. Which is all I’m shooting for aesthetically.
I have a bad back and I like to run, plus I like to climb, and both exercises for me to do them without intense pain require a lot of ab endurance to stabilize.
So I do both. Because I like the look and I don’t like back pain.
For me, the endurance means leg raises. A lot of leg raises. Usually 4 sets of at least 20. Because with climbing, you do that over and over and over again.
For strength, currently I like decline crunches while holding a dumbbell or a plate superset with leg raises on the same decline bench, popping my hips off the bench at the end. And some kind of rotational movement.
Great video! One other topic I'm curious about are your thoughts on the need to have strong abs to support your spine to prevent lower back injury or pain. I think Louie Simmons was a big believer that powerlifters (and probably to a lesser extent bodybuilders) need to have very strong abs to support their spines. This has long been my reason for training abs, since I've long known spot fat reduction isn't much of a thing.
The chance that your abs are some form of limiting factor on your other lifts is very small. More likely people can benefit from more lower back work rather than ab work.
To explain: keeping your spine safe during other lifts is about keeping the spine straight during said lifts, and most lifts require you to straighten your back (i.e. extend your back), not round your back. And abs round your back, that's.. all they do. So how exactly would you need stronger abs to keep your spine straight?
I agree with @@floriancazacu4504 here. Abs are going to be a stabilizer in most movements and in cases where you need strong intra-abdominal pressure I highly doubt youll run into issues of your abs not being strong enough to simply tighten up for a few reps of a squat.
It's definitely a factor, but it largely gets handled by your core lifts anyway. I think doing 2x a week of direct ab work (heavy, like sets of 5-10 reps) might offer and additional boost. - Dr. Mike
@@floriancazacu4504 u need to do more reading and learn abt anatomy
@@floriancazacu4504 Razr Ramon is right, you might benefit from taking one semester of Anatomy and Physiology. The abdominals are comprised of four different muscles: the external oblique is the most superficial muscle, responsible for lateral spinal flexion and contribute to stabilization when both sides contract simultaneously; the internal obliques contribute to torso rotation (like that little twist you can do at the top of sit-up), as well as to flexion of the trunk and trunk stability; the rectus abdominus (the "six-pack") is the strongest muscle involved in torso flexion, but also can contribute to abdominal compression; and the transverse abdominus is the deepest of the ab muscles, it runs across the midsection and is the primary muscle involved in abdominal compression (think about "sucking your stomach in," aka "the vacuum pose"). All of these are involved to some degree in stabilization during heavy compound moves, but each can be trained individually as well.
I don't get why people make such a big deal out of abs... They're not magic, if you want them to be as big and/or strong as possible train them how you would any other muscle if not, don't, though if you have a weak core some planks, bicycle crunches and, god forbid, sit up(because they are good for the transverse abdominus and strong hip flexors don't hurt either, especially if you can squat and deadlift a few hundred pounds) and that's about it. To me abs are important for looks, the bigger they are, the better they come through even at a slightly higher BF, the other core training like obliques and even direct hip flexor work are for performance, especially for sprinting strong hip flexors are crucial and I need deadly obliques for martial arts
Gotta admit. I feel quite accomplished on my fitness knowledge journey when I hop into a video by someone great like Dr Mike Israetel or Dr Andy Galpin and learn nothing. Not because they aren't teaching me anything, but because my personal research is paying off.
Even though they are probably the one who taught me it years ago in a different video/podcast.
Isometrics can be every bit as hypertrophic as dynamic movement.
Scale back the time under tension and increase the load.
Try doing ("stretched-out") planks with a 70-80 lb weight vest, and let me know how that works out.
If you can hold 2-3 sets of 30-60 seconds I'm willing to bet you have pretty well-developed, strong abs.
as a 6 pack having individual I can confirm that random women wanting to lick chocolate form your belly is a very annoying backward of crispy abs that people very rarley talks about, Thanks for bringing this up, Dr Mike.
If you put a piece of wood under the weight stack it will allow you to reach the handle and give you a full stretch, also doing them on a slight incline stops you sliding off the bench.
I have wide iliac crests so I've embraced that I look better with blocky abs. Spent a long time not training them and it did very little for my physique. I'll never have the best V taper because of this, and it actually looks better if my obliques are developed so I don't wind up with an hourglass figure.
My wife tells me she loves my block body lol. She always comments that she’s glad I don’t have some tiny little waist lol. I’m conflicted on the matter 😆
I mean, train abs for stability under heavy weight, for coordination, and to deal with dysfunction. Do the McGill Big Three, learn to brace abs for heavy lifts, and learn the vacuum to cover most ab demands.
For strength and hypertrophy do hanging leg lifts, weighted situps(on ground or a GHD) with good form, and ab wheels if you nasty.
I’m super big on strict kneeling cable crunches. Load that weight up and hit it for 15-25 reps, 3-4 sets couples times a week. Been doing it all year. 100% recommended.
I love these, trying to make sure you stay in posterior pelvic tilt is important so you're not just using hip flexors and momentum.
Well I'll be damned! I was pondering comrade Pavel's ab training philosophy and comrade Mikhail almost completely agreed with him!
Damn, He caught me! 😆
I’m literally dying of laughter on the treadmill. Fucking Dragons 🐉
I trained my abs for months and months. And nothing really changed. Weighted, non-weighted, I have a lot of personal trainer friends because I worked at a gym. They critiqued my form because at first I was mainly using hip flexors and getting V's. Which did work, I had flying V's. I truly have terrible insertion points, and my ribs are too large. So you cannot even see my top 2 abs, even at sub 10% body fat. The best I was able to get was a 4 pack with the bottom 4. Long story short, months of ab training did make them more defined. However, the time and effort put in was nowhere near worth the effect. Some peeps just don't have good ab genetics 🤷♂️
cable crunch for 6 solid reps and your top abs will pop. if they aren't then your form is off. make sure you're in posterior pelvic tilt and using a weight that pretty much only uses your abs to pull your torso down. leg raises only really hit the lower part of your abs so it makes sense why they'd look the way they do
@@nullproofcan using resistant bands also help with the upper abs? I just exercise at home.
@@missyOJ progressive overload is difficult without a range of weights to work with. i'd recommend v-ups, bird dogs, and hanging leg raises if you're going to work out from home.
I'm glad you've addressed your head.
What do you think about ab wheel rollouts for ab hypertrophy and bracing strength?
Hands down he’s great and full of wisdom but not lame and hilarious keep it up
I used to work my abs all the time. No abs. I don't tain my abs at all anymore but I do a lot of squats and deadlifts and I've got abs.
Stop jacking off, Jim (of Wisconsin)
@@SlurMaster9000 I knew he was talking about me. Damn it
Indeed, standing overhead press also helps
@@promo130 I do a ton of those too. Just glad to not do crunches anymore and I think this video gives me permission to never think about them again.
Training isometric ab endurance through planks can help you with posture and that can be very important for the appearance of your whole upper body, especially the stomach
This video taught me nothing new but opened my eyes lol. Why didn't I think of training abs in the 1-6 reps range for strength if that's what I do with all the other muscles
Your gonna 1 rep max on a crunch 🤨
Get that hot gym girl to sit on your hips and then proceed to leg raise her while hanging from the bar.
Next week find a heavier chick till you do your gym bro, remember yo progressive overload and say no homo to be sure they don't think you are sus.
@@schnoz6159 i was thinking more like 5 but yeah
@@schnoz6159 lmfao
i was struggling with lower back pain for a while, falsely blaming rows, squats an DDLs. it was actually due going to heavy on sit ups (3 rep range). i stick to the 10+ range to avoid the sheer force on my spine. My weighted sit ups were predominantly flexing at hips instead of spine so maybe i was too heavy for my 'perfect form 3 rep range'.
I’ve always trained abs, at higher bodyfat levels my abs still show fairy well, especially compared to when I didn’t train them, not too mention my abdominal endurance has increased a lot e.g high rep circuits
Very generalized and realistic. Fact is, ab conditioning is either subjectively aesthetic or goal focused for a specific task. Each person has to determine what is right for them, and then be ready to ferociously justify their intentions. As for me, I could give two shits what others think about my form (aesthetics) as I am driven by a secific goal.
Great video, as always. You mentioned a lot of full range of motion movement similar to other things. Do you think you could cover what exactly that means when it comes to ab training specifically?
Crunches with enough spinal extension to stretch your abs under load. An Ab wedge is cheap and is a safe way to do this. Modestly add weight and prop your feet under something to keep you stable. Also Roman chair or hanging leg raises where you tilt the butt up and flex the spine and lower your legs with control. Isometrics work great for the abs as well, check out Alex Bromley’s video called bullet proof your back.
I agree with Yiannis, you must train all planes of movement for the core. Like mentioned above, hanging leg raises, weighted sit ups, Russian twists, and single arm farmers walks are great examples of attacking multiple angles of the core without breaking the bank in terms of recovery. Think about the different ways your core can flex and move and incorporate some kind of weighted aspect to that movement, that’s all you really need to think about to get strong abs. Keep it simple and check with your medical professional before engaging in any exercise program. 🤙🏽
Because of your tone and cadence, this whole time I just kept expecting you to start telling us what Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh are up to. Awesome video, by the way.
The dragon scenario is literally just the plot to Beowulf
😂😂
For me, it was to lose weight and do the heavy lifting for Olympic weightlifting. My abs would poke through sweaters at one point. It was also my first time not doing ab training period.
Planks are great for training your brain. Also, as a swimmer, tightens up the mid section, so you can hold a tighter streamline.
Awesome stuff. Would love to see same kind of video on neck training.
Same here. In my experience neck training in general has been beneficial for injury prevention and overall aesthetics
I think there is one neck training program video by Jeff Nippard, look it up on YT.
Same philosophy as Dr Mike promotes , reps with load in 6-30 range, few sets, 3 times per week.
@@vukobradovic6076 nothing Nippard and Alpha destiny have neck training videos
You want a thick neck 💀💀
Dr. Mike with all due respect any runner worth his salt trains his core.
Those Instagram girls who think planks and crunches make your waist thinner 😏
Step one: have top tier genetics (failure to do so will require surgeries to meet the standard)
Step two: post "fitness" content showing your "progress (taint area)" while explaining a nuance of exercise variation or diet restriction that is both unlikely to be true and what they credit all their results with.
Step three: count the profits
@@rockyevans1584 step 4: get clients to post their affirmation pictures where they suck their stomach in
Thats MLM
Step 5. Be sure to add some incoherent rambling motivational nonsense in the description to seem deeper than you are
It does if it fixes a slack gut from an anterior pelvic tilt 🤷🏻♂️
It’s pointless for other reasons than the effect it has on the extremely deconditioned
OK, Doc Mike, if you don't know how many women are into the NFL Running Back with their Abs showing through their T-shirt look, I can tell you definitively. *All of them.* Every one. They _might_ prefer a different body type more; ei The kinda soft, but still in shape sorta, idk, svelte Tom Brady build. Or the ripped but very lean and tall basketball player _typical_ build. Or the Olympic Gymnast look, but universally? Yeah, I think the Running Back/Slot Receiver build...5'10-6'3"/200lbs-235lbs, pretty jacked, 10% BF...that seems to be ideal. Lol, not sure how many women would like their possible/suitors/boyfriend/s/husband to have an NFL Running Back build? Are you kidding me. Outside of the rare cases where chicks prefer really skinny guys, really pudgy guys, or really, really, really jacked guys, most chicks want the epitome of what is achievable for the best athletic genetics w/o PED us. PED use is typically fine in the chick's head, as long as the guy doesn't look (to her) like he takes PED's bc in her head she thinks every guy on gear looks like Chris Bumstead, a young Arnold, Ronnie Coleman or some other mass monster He-Man looking figure with a heart beat.
Imagine if the average woman knew that _most_ men would need a pretty serious and very long cycle to ever look like Chris Hemsworth's Thor? Never mind Mamoa's Aquaman. They'd also probably need some ribs removed. Wtf? The guy is 6'2" with broad ass shoulders and a 29.5" waist. How does that even happen. I'm 5'11", and when I was under 170lbs as a late teenager my waist was still a 32". Craziness. Now, at 190lbs it's a 32" as well. Or was before I put on 100lbs. I'm back down to 213 (was 212.6 yesterday...idk, maybe I drank more water today) and it's around 35". 29.5" over 230lbs at 6'3". Man, life just isn't fair sometimes. And yes, this is definitely a top 10% living conditions in the world problem.
Gotta love when you see people doing full on abs circuits for 30 minutes like they're doing much of anything. The holding a weight in one hand and leaning to the side is my favorite to see, build those obliques and thicken up that midsection 😂 Like literally just find an ab machine you like or do a back supported hanging leg lift for 4x15-20 at the end of your workout a few times a week.. just keep it simple and efficient.
Anyway brother, I enjoy your show, we share some of the same knowledge and it's like a breath of fresh air to hear someone who actually knows how to train the human body.
Another home run, with a heartwarming fairy tale thrown in!
Could you make a similar video on the vacuum exercise and making your waist smaller? I’m sure it’s a lot of the same points but it’d still be interesting
Brilliant explanation dr. Mike!
i used to train them like crazy 3 years ago and recently started training abs again and i think because of muscle memory and training, my abs look bigger and more visible even tho im still around the same body fat percentage.
What body fat % are ya?
@@martinezjames83 i guess 17-20 percent
This is why I miss ballet. 18 years of dancing in a company ensured I always had abs.
My experience is that proper form in almost all other excercises will engage my core and make my abs to grow. The exception being the lower abs that need some targeted training. Leg-raises are not optimal.
Abdominal endurance = 100% critical for swimmers. Every stroke depends on hips and abs being strong and high endurance.
this is true, my all of my Croatian side are quick to point out your deficiencies whether physical or practical.
In 2006 our strength and conditioning coach (at a D1 football school) would have us train abs every day before we would lift. Sometimes for an hour. He was a beast and competed only at state level though.
Though, a lot of marathon runners and cyclists start doing excercise designed to strengthen core muscles. Endurance sports often come with lower back pain with time that can be gruesome. It's not directed to abs only but it's a lot of planks. And magazines like Runners' world and the like regularly have features where suggesting adding these kind of excercises (perhaps an idea for a reaction video?).
The best argument I've ever seen against the concept of spot training to reduce fat is that if it works, their is no practical way to have your abs out train the amount of random arm and leg movement you do in a day.
Ab mat sit ups for the win. Load them and you got a great exercise