How Often Should You Do Ab Workouts?

You should not do abdominal workouts every day, contrary to what some would say. Your abdomen, like any other group of muscles in the body, is susceptible to fatigue and you need adequate recovery between workouts to prevent overtraining them. Abdominal workouts should be performed one to two times per week, allowing three to five days of recovery in between.

Fewer Repetitions

Simply doing a high number of repetitions every day depletes the benefits of resistance training, and the repeated flexing of the spine can contribute to injuries. Instead, it is more effective to choose several challenging exercises and to complete only 10 to 25 repetitions during your workout. According to fitness expert Jessica Matthews, if you are able to easily complete 25 repetitions of an abdominal exercise, you are either doing the motion too rapidly or using improper form.

Proper Form

You should complete any abdominal exercise slowly and with control. To avoid unnecessary tension in your neck and lower back, relax your shoulders and focus on breathing. Exhale as you contract your abdomen and inhale as you release. Maintain a steady position with your head, keeping your chin pointed down toward your chest and eyes level. Your head, shoulders, and hips should all remain in a straight line throughout the exercise, avoiding excessive, jerky movements.

When to Work the Abdominals

It is most beneficial for you to complete abdominal work at the end of your entire workout session. Training the abdominal muscles when they are slightly fatigued will contribute to greater endurance and strength. Used in most of our everyday movements, the abdominals are primarily built for endurance, responsible for the prevention of excessive movements and providing stabilization during motion. Completing an abdominal workout before the rest of your session may compromise your ability to stabilize during total body movements such as squats.

Other Factors

To achieve the best results, an abdominal workout should be accompanied by a proper cardiovascular exercise and nutrition routine. Adding cardio work -- at least 150 minutes at moderate intensity per week -- and maintaining a healthy diet will help to remove the layers of fat that cover your abdomen.