Stomach and Chest exercises

T

the.end

0
I currently do 300-500 crunches a day. Its usually the simple crunches with the feet flat on the ground. I'm looking for some new exercises that involve tightening your stomach and your chest. I don't want to develop big pecs either with these exercises I just want to keep my chest nice and tight.
 
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If you wanted to make your chest "tighter" I wouldnt be doing crunches. Sure they help out a tad, but it wont give you a better chest. If your looking for a 6 pack, sure crunches will help show them; but not if your doing a few hundered a day. Do a little research.
 
RandyRhoads said:
If you wanted to make your chest "tighter" I wouldnt be doing crunches. Sure they help out a tad, but it wont give you a better chest. If your looking for a 6 pack, sure crunches will help show them; but not if your doing a few hundered a day. Do a little research.
Click to expand...

I know thats why I posted asking for some good opinions on some new exercises.
 
research the following...

V-ups
Hanging leg raises
twisting leg raises

But there is no point just working your abs. Start exercising properly and have a good looking health body.

You should eat well
weight train
and cardio train
 
manofkent said:
research the following...

V-ups
Hanging leg raises
twisting leg raises

But there is no point just working your abs. Start exercising properly and have a good looking health body.

You should eat well
weight train
and cardio train
Click to expand...
...and def NOT overtrain (like you're doing now :))
 
Only way to tighten up (can't just do it to your chest and abs) is to incorporate resistance training...aka...hit the weights. You can be at 5% body fat but still look weak because you don't have any muscle. Anorexic people are lean, but they are by no means tight and toned.
 
You cannot just be doing crunches everyday. 300-400 doing the same thing over and over will not cut it.

This is an example abdominal workout you can do...

- crunches with your legs on the ground (25x)
- crunches with your legs in the air (works your abs much better than on the ground) (25x)
- crunches with your legs straight up in the air and maybe bent slighty at the knees (25x)

and you can start over for 2 sets. here are more...

Legs straight out (not up in the air but out straight in front of you without touching the ground) and do crunches that way. I am not that advance yet for that part, but you might be if your a guy. you can also do crunches with your legs alternating every crunch (gets your abs to burn). also, you can just keep your legs out in front of you without touching the ground, hands under butt for support if you need too, and have your legs go in the air and back down.

Also - you don't want to just be doing one part of your abs, your obliques are part of it too (the sides of your upper body that does the twisting). You can do bicicle (google it), oblique sit ups...

For the chest, do push ups and yes there are so many different kind of push ups. wide push ups with your legs wide and arms wide, push ups with your hands close together, regular push ups, modified push ups, etc.

I suggest going to google and then under images, type in "abdominal exercises" and seperetly... "oblique exercises".
 
Yeah, you can't just focus on situps to get you anywhere, in fitness as a whole or looking toned and fit either. Get a good routine of some training going, get your diet looking good and don't overtrain yourself and you should be making some good progress, best of luck to you :)
 
is it good to work out on your abs everyday? like situps, leg raises etc. or should it be like do it every other day? or how should it be
 
It's NOT good to work them out everyday...at least from a total body fitness POV. People that do their abs everyday are training them to take a beating in all reality. Martial artists, boxers, wrestlers. They train them to withstand a punch, a blow, or just incredible strain.

Granted, the more resiliant your body becomes to resistance training, the harder you have to work it, but I can't see doing the same exercises everyday unless you aren't pushing yourself to the limit every training day.
 
the.end said:
I currently do 300-500 crunches a day. Its usually the simple crunches with the feet flat on the ground. I'm looking for some new exercises that involve tightening your stomach and your chest. I don't want to develop big pecs either with these exercises I just want to keep my chest nice and tight.
Click to expand...

As you can see, there are many opinions on what to do and not to do. You say you are currently doing 300 -500 crunches a day. I would say you have mastered that movement at the current volume and tempo you are using. The abdominals are a complex of muscles that are usually at work when you are standing or lying down and exercising.
You are attemtping to keep your abs and chest muscle mass perserved, while gaining more definition or "tight" look. Understand first and foremost, there is no such thing as spot reduction (at least not proven). So, you will not just lose fat in one area of the body because you work it harder than others. Like a few people have already said you must aim for simply reducing overall body fat.
The quickest way to lose body fat is with proper nutrition, full body training (circuit or undulating proven to be superior....just google undulating periodization or circuit training to get more info) and cardio

A few tips for training for a solid and lean body:
- Do most exercises standing up or holding yourself up against gravity (squats, deads, pushups, pullups, dips)
- Train your back (posterior) muscles harder than front (anterior) muscles (so do more pulling exercises than pushes)
- Do cardio after weight training or on a separate day. If cardio needs to be done before, try to do it 4 hours prior to training if possible.
- Change volume and tempo more than you change exercises
- Look into HIIT type training as well

Hopefully this helps out a bit.

Goodluck
 
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