Eviltree

okay, so I've been doing a lot of work on my abs these days for climbing, and was wondering if it is possible to somehow create an undesireable situation by overstrengthening abdominals in relation to another muscle group (back muscles?) thus creating an imbalance of sorts. Just want to make sure I'm not doing myself harm, I really know very little about this subject. Anyway I would like to know if this will become a problem, and if so, what additional excercises can I do to balance it out. currently for abs I just do crunches, and this other one, don't know what its called, basically, dead hang from a pullup bar and curl legs in and up above head without bending the arms.

Thanks in advance for any help

pje120

I doubt that will be a problem. Some people think that if a muscle is much stronger than it's opposing muscle (the muscle that reverses the movement) it will cause posture problems. As far as I know there is no direct evidence that this is a case and the posture problems are probably just a result of muscle tightness that can be fixed with stretching (granted building muscle strength leads to muscle tightness which might be why some people come to the conclusion muscle imbalance causes the poor posture). Maybe someone who has looked into this more will reply, although I've never heard anyone being worried about ab overuse before.

If you do want to build up the opposing muscle group it is the lower back that reverses the crush movement of the abs. Exercises are hyperextensions, good mornings and stiff-legged deadlifts. You can do hyperextensions without weights if you don't have any. Search google for descriptions, or try www.exrx.net. I suppose you can stretch the abs at the top of the movement of hyperextensions.

Besides possibly lower back muscles how strong or tight your abs are relative to other muscles is unimportant.

Personally I'd just keep doing what you are doing. Maybe try hyperextensions and do the stretch at the top of the movement (just pull back to stretch the abs - that should work, I'm talking theoretically, I haven't tried it) if you don't mind the exercise. The only thing that could possibly be affected is your posture as far as I know, so I wouldn't worry unless you start to notice your posture suffering (and the only thing that might happen is you will find it harder to keep your back straight).

dman2

I think this has been discussed already but just like any other muscle, you need to rest it. You can definitely overtrain your abs. In fact, I was a member at a local Gold's Gym before I moved to another state and I took an ab class. The girl who taught this class was built very well. She strained an ab muscle from teaching the same 25 minute class too many times in one week. I think she tried teaching it in the morning and then in the evening while teaching a spinning class and another weight training class.

__________________
I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing. ~Marsha Doble

Rodney

I had a back problem for many years, and various gymheads and trainers told me not to work my lower back, but just work my abs and not worry about it. So I did, heavily for a long time. Didn't make my lower back any worse, though it didn't make it any better, either. So I don't think there's a potential problem for the abs overpowering the lower back muscles, or anything else.

In any case, that hanging leg lift you're doing sounds like it works the lower back at least in part. Most hanging leg lifts work the low back to a greater or lesser degree.