Abdominal muscle strength and hypertrophy - research

[tsqmi]

Hi everyone,
there is a lot of talk about squats and deadlifts are the best exercsises for strengh and hypertrophy abdominal muscle and I belive it but I can't find any research approve this hypothesis. I found few paper about muscle activation in individual exercises and Ab roller, LongLever Posterior Tilt planks and hanging leg rises are the best choice.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

People who claim squats and deadlifts are the best exercises for strength and hypertrophy of the abdominal muscles are not using research to make this assertion. Rather, they are substantiating an opinion they made up out of thin air.

There are many different abdominal exercises that are useful for hypertrophy, whereas strength is specific to the movement.

[tsqmi]

Oh thanks. So, which exercises in your opinion are worth attention for hypertrophy?

[BobbyD]

For abdominal hypertrophy, would it be advantageous to include some crunching motion exercises that load the muscle concentrically and eccentrically or is the isometric loading from things like ab rollout sufficient to drive hypertrophy (IE ab wheel 1 GPP day and crunch on the other GPP day vs ab wheel both)? I realize the the isometric of the ab roller is more similar to the isometric loading we engage in during many barbell exercises so the strength carry over is likely better but that doesn't mean the hypertrophy outcomes are equivalent, right?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Oh thanks. So, which exercises in your opinion are worth attention for hypertrophy?

To be honest, I don't think it matters really. Most people asking this question don't directly train their abs that consistently and/or have too much body fat to deal with.

That said, I like isometric stuff like planks, v sits, l sits, hollow rocks, ab wheel roll outs. Additionally, dynamic work like leg raises, toes to bar, GH situps, etc. are my go to exercises.

[tsqmi]

In summarly, we don't have any reliable sources about abs strengh and hypertrophy. We should try and find exercises which work for us.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

In summarly, we don't have any reliable sources about abs strengh and hypertrophy. We should try and find exercises which work for us.

Nope, that is not what I said.

[Get’em?Why?]

Do the ab roll outs from your feet. Keep legs straight. Now that’s some hard ab training. At least it was for me.

[tsqmi]

Nope, that is not what I said.

Ok. So.

1) Do you have any good sources about hypertrophy and strength abs?
2) How we actually shound train abs? Do any isolation abs exercise or no.

A lot of people want to have nice abs and they are a bit surprised when they don't have it becouse their BF is above 20%. I met girl which has very low bf%, arms, back, legs are ripped and vascularity, but she was picking up t-shirt and didn't saw nice abs. This was weird.

What program you recommend someone who have problem with highlight abs muscle with low BF?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Do the ab roll outs from your feet. Keep legs straight. Now that’s some hard ab training. At least it was for me.

Yep, I agree.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Ok. So.

1) Do you have any good sources about hypertrophy and strength abs?
2) How we actually shound train abs? Do any isolation abs exercise or no.

A lot of people want to have nice abs and they are a bit surprised when they don't have it becouse their BF is above 20%. I met girl which has very low bf%, arms, back, legs are ripped and vascularity, but she was picking up t-shirt and didn't saw nice abs. This was weird.

What program you recommend someone who have problem with highlight abs muscle with low BF?

1) Yes. You'll need to ask a more specific question for me to provide a resource, however. Also, what you have found so far? It's important that you start doing some research on your own.
2) This is goal dependent. I think there's a place for direct ab work in both the general population and strength athletes.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone who has low body fat and who doesn't have abs unless they're pregnant, edematous, or carrying more body fat than they think.