“My question is about training the abs. I work out at a gym and I know it’s important to take a rest day in between workouts. But does that also apply to your abs? Or can you train those every day?”
– Question by Damian
Mark Chen(Physiotherapist & Personal Trainer) :
A certain rule applies to muscles: after a considerable training load, they need 24 to sometimes 72 (!) hours to be able to fully recover. Contrary to what some sources state, this also applies to the abs. When you wake up after a heavy workout with severe muscle pain, you often feel that you need a day of rest!
The intensity of the training is decisive here. You can work your abs every day if you don’t exhaust them completely, but the question is whether it is the most efficient way of training. There are countless ways to train your abs. I see many people almost exclusively doing sit ups, while in my opinion this is one of the least valuable exercises for a strong core.
Remember that the abdominal muscles are power suppliers for trunk movements, but they’re also stabilizers. That means that when they work well with the back muscles, they provide good posture. So if you’re doing exercises that require your whole body to work together, such as a squat or deadlift, the abs are also very active. That way you can train your entire body, including your abs, without having to do sit ups! Ideal right?