subject: Anatomy of the Abs and how you can develop them [print this page] Oftentimes some people ask "how long should I work for my abs"do remember that the abdominals are a muscle and they require recuperation just like any other muscles, although they do recoup relatively promptly compared to other muscles due to their built-in fiber type. If you're developing your abs from an injury prevention perspective then you could train them three to four days a week using light loads, e.g. non-weighted crunches, performing three to four sets. Nevertheless, if your are aiming to build your abs either for bodybuilding or sport performance, then you should only train them two to three days a week using more advanced strategy, e.g. weighted incline crunches performing six to eight sets. As far as when to train the abs, it really does not matter you could train them at the beginning of your exercise if you're prioritizing them. Even so, if you plan to wear them out it may be a good idea to work them last. Since the abs play a major function in stabilization it could impede your performance in compound lifts such as squats. An even better idea if viable for you would be to train them on a day where you work minute body parts and no compound lifts that involve the whole body.
