Can You Train Your Abs Every Day?
16th Apr 19
Ab training is a favourite of any fitness regime. Well-toned abs are often the star fitness goal no matter what you are training for; weight loss, muscle building, anything really. However, one unique thing that comes with ab training is how often they can be trained. As a result, they don’t follow the same conventions as most other muscle groups and can take a lot more than other groups can safely withstand.
There’s always a fine line between overtraining, adequacy and undertraining. Of course, you must get it right to ensure you’re doing what’s best for you without putting yourself at any risk of injury. Not to mention the complications that can arise from over or undertraining any muscle group. But abs are a bit stranger than other muscles, and finding the balance is going to be a little tougher.
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Ab Definition
Before you even try to train your abs as much as you think you should, it’s a good idea to realise what it is that you’re trying to achieve. Ab training is an excellent way to gain muscle in your abdominal region and, as such, be able to tone up and build serious strength. However, one thing that it won’t do is burn away fat around your stomach. Targeted fat burning, although often advertised, is impossible to achieve. Generally, you will burn fat from all over the body, no matter which muscles you use. So toning up your core is a yes; losing fat around your stomach is a no, generally.
Can It Be Done?
Back to the question at hand, daily ab training does require some consideration. It has pros and cons, like most things in life, but you need to stand back and take in your training regime. Technically, yes, you can train your abs daily. There’s nothing to stop you from doing it, and unlike most other muscle groups, you aren’t putting yourself at much risk or preventing yourself from losing out on any recovery time. However, with that being said, you aren’t going to gain much from it either.
The Pros
The advantages of training your abs frequently are still there, though. Logic would suggest that the more you train the muscles, the more likely you are to see a more significant increase in what they can do. You’ll build up strength and tone up faster, which is what you want to be doing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best way.
The Cons
Training your abs every day also means that you aren’t necessarily going to be getting the best recovery time you can, either. If you train your abs every day, you aren’t giving the muscles enough time to repair themselves and grow efficiently. A gap of two to three days is recommended for any muscle group. Your abs also contract from your training for the rest of the day, which means that if you’re doing it often, you’ll be putting a little more strain than usual on your lower back, and this isn’t healthy for the muscles.
So, Can You Do It?
So, can you do it? Yes. Should you do it? Probably not. It won’t do much harm, but it’s not really necessary in the long run. Four times a week is probably the most effective way to do it, with flexibility too. You’ll still see the improved muscle definition without having to put yourself through unneeded training. Plus, you’ll give them more time to rest, which is always healthy.
Before beginning any exercise or nutrition program, consult your physician, doctor or other professional. This is especially important for individuals over the age of 35 or persons with pre-existing health problems. Exercise.co.uk assumes no responsibility for personal injury or property damage sustained using our advice.
If you experience dizziness, nausea, chest pain, or any other abnormal symptoms, stop the workout at once and consult a physician or doctor immediately.
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