An age old question I'm sure, but what are some good ab workouts and a good diet to go with it, and how long would it take to see results? I'm trying to get in better shape overall. Anything that I can do without buying some sort of gimmicky equipment would be appreciated. Thanks.
dont just work your abs, work the core as a whole, lower back, obliques, rotational strength, abs they are all needed, you cant just be working one muscle group out of the whole core there will be a higher chance of injury.
Very good point. It's just when your carrying a little more fat around the midsection than one would like to (like me ) it's easy to get suckered into just focusing on that muscle group.
as for exercises if you haven't got weights go for back extensions, supermans, bicycle crunches, L sits, v ups, russian twists, the plank.... there are many more. the way i work the core is i choose 2 very hard exercises and do them on their own and then choose 3 or 4 easier ones (bicycle crunches, v ups and superman etc) and perform them as a circuit one after another and then take a minute rest and repeat it 4 or 5 more times.
Judging by the way you asked, I expect you want 6-pack abs for that summer beach season, eh? Even though this is a boxing forum, I'll help before you get nailed to the wall. Visible abs are from low body fat, which comes from good healthy eating, and lots of cardio. Cardio being, skipping rope, running, swimming. Abdominal exercises have less effect on visible abs than cardio does. You can see results in.. 6 weeks, if you eat CLEAN, run/swim/skip everyday (eg: lose bodyfat! If you chop wood for a living, fair enough). Depends how fat you are. Low quality reply, but it was what you were after. Edit: The real way to get stronger abs, is compound weight lifts, medicine ball hits, situps and variations, and remmeber to work the BACK as well, but I can't really be bothered to go into that.
i agree mr small 100%. also if you lift weights consistently3-4x a week you dont have to do much for the core or you will over work it. Deadlifts and squats frye your core.
I appreciate it. No, not for reasons of vanity. I'm just trying to become a better athlete and become more fit. Not just for now, but for later in life. I'm 21 and after spending much of teens pigging out on junk food in front of the TV and smoking a pack and a half a day, I've worked my way down from about 190 to 145 over a few years and I'm just trying to take myself to the next level. And what would be some good back exercises? I don't want to over look those.