So you want to have strong rock hard six pack abs but the question is how often do you have to train for it? Typically, training a muscle group takes one or two workouts a week and we need to allow them to rest so as not to overtrain. Should the abs be any different?
The answer to that question is, yes, the abs and your core are different and they have a different function in your body than most other muscle groups. That’s why in this article we will make a case of why you should be training your abs every day of the week.
The answer to that question is, yes, the abs and your core are different and they have a different function in your body than most other muscle groups. That’s why in this article we will make a case of why you should be training your abs every day of the week.
Indirect Ab Training
First of all, you need to understand that your abs and core get engaged in many different exercises when you train other muscles groups. So every time you hit the gym, you’re not only working your arms, chest, shoulders, or legs, you’re also working your core and abs. More so when an exercise requires a lot of body stabilization and keeping posture.
Therefore, if you add more exercises to your workouts that require more core engagement, you will be working your abs indirectly too.
Slow Twitch Muscle Fibers
Abs consist of 70% slow twitch (type I) muscle fibers, which are the smaller and more endurant fibers. That means your abs are used to long and repetitive work and that’s exactly what we need to provide them. So it’s not about explosiveness and big weights, it’s about quality contraction and high repetitions.
Providing some long duration high repetition training for the abs every day is not only possible, it’s beneficial for their development.
Lack of Eccentric Overload
Unlike other muscle groups that reply on heavy eccentric load, the abs have the benefit of lack of overload and require a lot less rest time. So while you can’t train your biceps or chest everyday because you will overtrain them, this won’t happen with the abs because, again, there’s no heavy load eccentric contraction.
Ab Muscles Are Thin
Because the function of the abs is mostly postural, stabilizing and protective, not requiring a lot of explosive movement, and because they consist of mostly slow twitch fibers they are anatomically thin muscles. That means you will not over develop them no matter how often and how hard you train.
Train Abs 7 Days a Week
In order to train muscles effectively you have to understand their function in your body and how they are used to work. You have to mimic that work in your workouts and train them as often and as hard as they naturally would. For abs, it’s all about long duration and high repetition training. The lack of eccentric muscle overload spares the abs the risk of over-training and you can and should have an ab workout every day.
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