P90X program ab work
August 6, 2008 4:05 PM Subscribe
For those of you who are doing/have done the P90X program, I have a question about the ab workout section.
I am not doing this program, but a friend of mine is, and he went through it for the first time yesterday. I asked him if at any time, before any of the excercises, the instructor mentioned contracting your abs prior to doing any of the exercises (another way this has been put in other ab workouts is to "squeeze your abs toward your spine/backbone"--same thing as contract). He said this was not mentioned during any part of the session.
I have been doing ab workouts (live classes, videos, independent work based on books by trainers/athletes/coaches, etc.) off and on since I was 22 (I'm 45 now). Every workout I have ever done has been prefaced with "Before doing this exercise, contract your abs (or squeeze your abs toward your spine).
I have been told by trainers and have read that the reason for doing this is that contracting your abs prior to an ab exercise is to maximize the exercise--if you don't consciously contract your abs, you are likely to relax your abs, therefore defeating the purpose of the exercise.
My questions:
*Is this true? Is it really necessary to contract your abs prior to performing any ab exercise? Or is this just an "above and beyond" thing? (After being told/reading/doing this for 20+ years, I'd sure like to know.)
*If it is true, why would the P90X program leave out such a fundamental principle of ab work?
*If you don't contract your abs prior to an ab exercise, will you still get results?
Even if you haven't done the P90X program, feel free to chime in w/ your opinion/experience. Thanks hivemind!
I am not doing this program, but a friend of mine is, and he went through it for the first time yesterday. I asked him if at any time, before any of the excercises, the instructor mentioned contracting your abs prior to doing any of the exercises (another way this has been put in other ab workouts is to "squeeze your abs toward your spine/backbone"--same thing as contract). He said this was not mentioned during any part of the session.
I have been doing ab workouts (live classes, videos, independent work based on books by trainers/athletes/coaches, etc.) off and on since I was 22 (I'm 45 now). Every workout I have ever done has been prefaced with "Before doing this exercise, contract your abs (or squeeze your abs toward your spine).
I have been told by trainers and have read that the reason for doing this is that contracting your abs prior to an ab exercise is to maximize the exercise--if you don't consciously contract your abs, you are likely to relax your abs, therefore defeating the purpose of the exercise.
My questions:
*Is this true? Is it really necessary to contract your abs prior to performing any ab exercise? Or is this just an "above and beyond" thing? (After being told/reading/doing this for 20+ years, I'd sure like to know.)
*If it is true, why would the P90X program leave out such a fundamental principle of ab work?
*If you don't contract your abs prior to an ab exercise, will you still get results?
Even if you haven't done the P90X program, feel free to chime in w/ your opinion/experience. Thanks hivemind!
I'm under the impression that contracting your abs first helps to stabilize your core, so you primarily use your abs (and not your back muscles instead.) My teachers always say to do it to keep your form proper, and to protect yourself from wrenching your neck/back.
posted by np312 at 5:26 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by np312 at 5:26 PM on August 6, 2008
It is just a form check. There are a lot of ab exercises that can turn into lower back/hip flexor/momentum exercises without attention. But not every exercise requires this sort of careful attention to form, and it is certainly not necessary to get any benefit even from most exercises. I don't know what exercises P90X has for abs, but they could be prescribing exercises that will have ab effect as long as you perform them correctly. Off the top of my head that would be things like L hang/sits, V-ups, most ab work done from a hanging position, dumbbell-based work.
posted by ch1x0r at 6:44 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by ch1x0r at 6:44 PM on August 6, 2008
if you don't consciously contract your abs, you are likely to relax your abs, therefore defeating the purpose of the exercise.
This strikes me as kind of off target. If I'm doing a v-sit, I'm going to need to work my abs. It doesn't matter if you tell me to contract them, I have to do it to make the exercise work. I'm not sure how I could relax my abs and perform that function unless I was just swinging and using momentum. I could also contract my abs and use momentum just the same.
If the advice was to stabilize your core and to not use momentum - well, that I'd buy.
As to P90X - I've not done the entire program, but I've done a few of the workouts with friend who did. He got great results starting from a baseline of above average athleticism, but no real gym training. It's a sample size of one, but it seemed to work well for him.
posted by 26.2 at 7:45 PM on August 6, 2008
This strikes me as kind of off target. If I'm doing a v-sit, I'm going to need to work my abs. It doesn't matter if you tell me to contract them, I have to do it to make the exercise work. I'm not sure how I could relax my abs and perform that function unless I was just swinging and using momentum. I could also contract my abs and use momentum just the same.
If the advice was to stabilize your core and to not use momentum - well, that I'd buy.
As to P90X - I've not done the entire program, but I've done a few of the workouts with friend who did. He got great results starting from a baseline of above average athleticism, but no real gym training. It's a sample size of one, but it seemed to work well for him.
posted by 26.2 at 7:45 PM on August 6, 2008
I must say (without answering your question) that ab ribber X is by far the hardest ab workout I've ever done.
posted by dig_duggler at 9:23 AM on August 9, 2008
posted by dig_duggler at 9:23 AM on August 9, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
I went from 202 lbs and over 26% body fat in November 2007 to 164 lbs and 7-8% body fat today. I have a hard 6 pack and a prominent Adonis belt. I never did 1 crunch, sit up, rope crunch or any other ab work per se.
I just lifted heavy weights doing mostly compound lifts ( squats, deadlifts, rows,... ), some cardio and cleaned up my diet... never gave 1 thought to contracting my abs...
posted by dawdle at 4:52 PM on August 6, 2008