How to train Abs to a Flat Tummy. Can you over train your abs?

Recently I was asked a question both on line and via text from two totally different associates of mine about abs and if they can over train them.

A question asked not often enough, and mis-information by non-professionals saying all too often, the wrong answers. Here is how the conversation basically went.

Question: "Is it cool to purposefully over train the ab muscles? Is it even possible to over train them?"

Answer: YES! They are a muscle. FUNNY you mention this. I actually heard a person whose not a trainer, say that you "cannot work your abs enough". Not true. They are a muscle and need to be rested just like any other muscle in the body. And anything overtrained leads to two things; swollen and injured. The core is not a place you want swollen nor any strained muscles. Especially due to how vital they are for the support of the TOTAL body and therefore the root to all other muscles. To start, lets stop the "abs" talk and change our vocabulary to core training. Core training covers the entire abdominal and back/ front and back of your torso area.Which is, all of your abs. Side bar; Transverse Abs are something only the elite know about, yet they are the most important abdominals to work. They wrap from the back, come aroud the sides and basically cover the obliques. The transverse separate when the core becomes fatty (pregnancy tummy or round belly in men). Without training these, you are asking for trouble.

You need the back strong to have a functional body. You need a functional core to have a strong body. YOU SHOULD NOT BE DOING CRUNCHES OR SIT UP'S at all! Planks, push up's (#1 ab work ), KETTLEBELLS especially overhead kb moves, diagonal movements (transverse moves such as wood choppers) are what you need to be doing for total core training. I train so that the care is engaged the whole time of the session. if you ask any of my clients the last time I said "ok, its abs now" they would not have an answer for you. Furthermore since they have good daily diets they are all cut up in the midsection. DIET and CARDIO will "show" the abs/core we all already have, its not that you dont work them enough that they are simply not being seen, and that is from you eating a bagel this morning, then rice for lunch and never run.

Its real simple. Easy Button!