Training the guttock region

Rancid Schnitzel

With summer on the way I've been training like a demon for 3 months (weights x3 and 5km run x 3 per week). Does anyone have any really good guttock (stomach) exercises to get that 6 pack going? I had a hint of one way back in the high school days and I'd like to achieve it once more. Obviously diet is important but what exercises and how many/how often are best? 
 
Cheers

Wairau

I've been working out in prep for August in the Med, and here's what I do for the stomach:

Pull up bar, do 1 pull up and hold at top, then knee raises, do 10, slow on the way down. Repeat 3-4 times. 
I like this one because it helps the back, shoulders, tris, and stomach. I do it after having hiked up many steps into the hills near my home.
In the gym, use the lat pull down bar. hands close together, stand up away from machine about 1m. Bend down, trying to keep bar at your fore head while compressing the abs. 
 
I like this one because it's using weights (which i can increase) to really target the abs. Fast results. 
 
 
Hope that helps and you end up with good abs. 
 
 
Also want to ad that the crucial thing for showing the abs, having a tight stomach, is fat percent. There's a level that if i go above, my stomach sags, but if I go below, it is tight.

Rancid Schnitzel

[quote name='Kea'] 
I've been working out in prep for August in the Med, and here's what I do for the stomach:

Pull up bar, do 1 pull up and hold at top, then knee raises, do 10, slow on the way down. Repeat 3-4 times. 
I like this one because it helps the back, shoulders, tris, and stomach. I do it after having hiked up many steps into the hills near my home.
In the gym, use the lat pull down bar. hands close together, stand up away from machine about 1m. Bend down, trying to keep bar at your fore head while compressing the abs. 
 
I like this one because it's using weights (which i can increase) to really target the abs. Fast results. 
 
 
Hope that helps and you end up with good abs. 
 
 
Also want to ad that the crucial thing for showing the abs, having a tight stomach, is fat percent. There's a level that if i go above, my stomach sags, but if I go below, it is tight. 
[/quote] 
 
Cheers for that, will give it a try. How often would you recommend doing these?

Wairau

Every 3rd day for three weeks to get used to it-because you use other muscles to support yourself, then once the discomfort stops..... 
 
.....every 2nd day, with a 4 day break after every 5 sessions

Rancid Schnitzel

[quote name='Kea'] 
Every 3rd day for three weeks to get used to it-because you use other muscles to support yourself, then once the discomfort stops..... 
 
.....every 2nd day, with a 4 day break after every 5 sessions 
 
[/quote] 
 
Tried them today and certainly felt it. Cheers for the advice. How much rest time between sets would you recommend?

Wairau

I normally don't rest much in the gym, prefer to work on another area of the body-alternating. SoÂ I'd do bicep curls as a simple variation. Otherwise, I'd give myself less than a minute, just enough time to recover the breath. 
 
You'll probably feel sore in a number of areas besides the abs, as these are new exercises, but once you get used to them you can really focus on isolating the abs, being strict with the movement. 
 
One more I would recommend is kicking with a board in the pool, but not too much. The plus is the body stretches out-hips, abs, legs, back. Also, it uses the abs to stabilise movement, making them strong. However, it's difficult and strenuous if you're not used to it. 
 
Good luck!

Mokey

Hard to beat modified crunches for lower abs - on back, bend knees and pull towards stomach, then do your usual situps.Â Sets of 15-20, although to start with, try 5 at a time, as it burns!!

Wairau

I prefer the pull downs since I can use weights and build the muscle, better than just crunches I feel. And the bar-do a pull up and then lift the leg, it's dynamic not static. 
 
How's the training going RS? I'm tired today, did a 3-4 hour hike in the heat yesterday, and today my usual hike and weights on the hill.

Rancid Schnitzel

[quote name='Kea'] 
I prefer the pull downs since I can use weights and build the muscle, better than just crunches I feel. And the bar-do a pull up and then lift the leg, it's dynamic not static. 
 
How's the training going RS? I'm tired today, did a 3-4 hour hike in the heat yesterday, and today my usual hike and weights on the hill. 
[/quote] 
 
Not too bad. Those new stomach exercises are great. Really feel it working the abs. 
 
Training's been a bit slow at the moment. My second son was born on Monday so getting up at 6 to run or train will be a bit difficult, but I'll give it my best shot. 
 
What other exercises do you do for the rest of the body btw? I'm a fan of sets of 15x3 with 30 seconds in between. Can be brutal sometimes but is time efficient and effective.

Wairau

hike straight up hill as fast as I can 
then 2 sets of: 
knee lifts, 12 reps 
biceps 15 reps 
bench press 12 reps 
 
small hike to next spot 
2 sets of dead lift*10 
2 set of bicep curls on same bar, cheating, 6 reps as heavy 
2 sets of shoulder press/squats-combined bizarre exercise *6-10 
I'm also going to include 2 sets of lunges with no bar 
1 set of 12 knee lifts on pull up bar 
 
down hill to temple starting spot, then repeat if have time 
 
THat's twice a week for the next month, combined with a longer hike and a swim...aim to toughen up 
 
July will cut that to once a week, do the gym twice a week for focused muscle building, and buy some body building supplement drink and cut down on the fat %

Wairau

Just wanted to add that I read about Tiger Woods' workouts, extremely high reps and over the years building the strength, that's the way I want to go later this year, increases the fitness of all the body. 
 
I also haven't had a cold in a year since I started doign more hill work, I feel strong lungs increases the resistance to repitory infections.

Rancid Schnitzel

[quote name='Kea'] 
hike straight up hill as fast as I can 
then 2 sets of: 
knee lifts, 12 reps 
biceps 15 reps 
bench press 12 reps 
 
small hike to next spot 
2 sets of dead lift*10 
2 set of bicep curls on same bar, cheating, 6 reps as heavy 
2 sets of shoulder press/squats-combined bizarre exercise *6-10 
I'm also going to include 2 sets of lunges with no bar 
1 set of 12 knee lifts on pull up bar 
 
down hill to temple starting spot, then repeat if have time 
 
THat's twice a week for the next month, combined with a longer hike and a swim...aim to toughen up 
 
July will cut that to once a week, do the gym twice a week for focused muscle building, and buy some body building supplement drink and cut down on the fat % 
[/quote] 
 
Not for the faint hearted. What kind of a body do you get after that? Fairly lean and mean I'd imagine rather than bulky. Do you have weights set up at the top of hills?

Wairau

How's the 6-pack coming along? Did the lat bar stomach crunch help much? Did you tone up as well? 
 
 
I'm about 88kg, 6ft, so decent condition-ideally would like to lose 4kg to be toned and gain 6kg muscle. During the last 4 weeks I cut back a little (although went twice this week so far and will go twice tomorrow (longer hike early, and before dark another short and hard one)). I was getting sore hips, ankles and back, so am only doing the hike, knee lifts (3-5 sets), bench press, curls, plus a weekly swim. Cut out the other exercises, and hip has stopped hurting, back likewise. 
 
Will continue this for a few more weeks, then in August (my Med trip is postponed due to work) join the gym and get some supplement powder and creatine. I've got to watch the form and choice of exercises to avoid straining my back, so will mainly focus on legs, chest, arms, stomach. Will make a journal then. 
 
 
 
[quote name='Rancid Schnitzel'] 
[quote name='Kea'] 
hike straight up hill as fast as I can 
then 2 sets of: 
knee lifts, 12 reps 
biceps 15 reps 
bench press 12 reps 
 
small hike to next spot 
2 sets of dead lift*10 
2 set of bicep curls on same bar, cheating, 6 reps as heavy 
2 sets of shoulder press/squats-combined bizarre exercise *6-10 
I'm also going to include 2 sets of lunges with no bar 
1 set of 12 knee lifts on pull up bar 
 
down hill to temple starting spot, then repeat if have time 
 
THat's twice a week for the next month, combined with a longer hike and a swim...aim to toughen up 
 
July will cut that to once a week, do the gym twice a week for focused muscle building, and buy some body building supplement drink and cut down on the fat % 
[/quote] 
 
Not for the faint hearted. What kind of a body do you get after that? Fairly lean and mean I'd imagine rather than bulky. Do you have weights set up at the top of hills? 
[/quote]

The Silver Fern

Training the guttock region