what am it af doing wrong?

A

Alex_foreman

0
hi
this is my first post in this forum so first just to say a bit about me,
i started doing a lot of weight training a year ago when i was on my summer holiday and have been doing so ever since, trying to get to the gym about 3 times a week.
naturally i am not a very strong person but have worked my way up from benching 20 kg to 70kg (10 reps) and so on with other such exercises,
however i have always had a problem when exercising my abs/core.

i have tyred hundreds of exercises, but they all end the same way. the first 2 or 3 times i do them they work well, i can feel the burn in my abs. but after the first 3 times my abs stop aching whilst doing them and instead my back aches, (lower) i cant seem to do anything to stop this. i have asked a few pt's at my local gym but the same thing happens with the exercise they give me.

thanks in advance
Alex

*sorry about the error in the title. just realised after i posted :L*
 
Are you working and stretching your hamstrings and lower back? It sounds like you have weak/inflexable lower back/hamstrings. Stiff-legged deadlift, toe touches, splits, etc will strengthen and stretch those and may aleviate the back pains. For stiff legged deadlift, start with 2 sets of 12-15 reps with an empty bar and gradually add weight.

For abs try incline situps and hanging leg raises 2 sets of 12-15 reps. Add reps and/or weights behind your head or between your feet when you find it getting too easy.
 
it sounds like your focus is off too. working out really requires the brain to correctly fire the correct muscles.
if you're not really focused on the abs doing the movement, you start using the back and hip flexors (which is why traditional situps really end up working hips not abs).

my two suggestions:
1. focus on keeping the small of your back firmly pressed into the floor for all ground-based ab exercises. that needs to happen to stabilize the lower back. if its stabilized, then only the hips and abs can become the movers
2. REALLY focus on feeling it in the abs. be sure you hold the top of the rep for 1 count, and lower yourself back down (don't just fall with gravity)
 
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