How do I know if the swiss ball core stuff is working?
Been lifting since January this year. So I'm pretty new at this. 5-9, 172, very active (200+ cold water surf dives a year, camp, fish, cardio, etc.)
Moved to NROL in early May. Solid program, makes sense.
Break-in killed me for a week or two, then got mellow.
I'm on FL1 right now. Had a PF in my left foot that hurt like a muthah right after I started doing squats and DL's, but its 95% now. If I'm careful, it will be 100% very soon.
My question is this: I am "feeling" nothing with the swiss ball. No soreness, no stiffness, no nothing. I've essentially doubled all of the swiss ball stuff in these programs (exception = SB Lateral Roll, mostly quads, tho. No core soreness)
I'm of the mind, right or wrong, that if I'm sore I'm working it. Even if its not sore, I can usually feel something.
I'm literally feeling nothing from any of the SB I'm working on. Crunches, Extensions, Twists... nothing.
Had a lame ball - way too soft and big. Got a better one (65 CM - I'm 5'9") and I look like the guy in the pics in NROL - but I'm not feeling anything.
Make it harder --- you'll feel it. My abs don't hurt, but they get really tired and strain to finish my reps. For example:
For SB crunches, I am currently holding 2 35lbs dumbbells directly above my head. When I do the "crunch", I thrust the weights directly at the ceiling, then when I go back down I bring them back over my head (so that my arms are approximately parallel to the floor). For a while I worked my way up to holding one 60lbs dumbbell between my two hands (by grabbing the ends) and behind my head but that got to be too hard for my hands.
For upper body Russian twists, I am currently holding a 65lbs dumbbell with outstretched arms in front of my chest.
Don't be afraid to work your way up slowly to more weight. I started doing NRoL 1 year ago (and I'm on the 9th program) and I was using 5 lbs when I started. But I haven't had any injuries during the year, so I'm happy.
Ken, welcome to the forums and to NROL! As a diver it may be that your core strength is just a lot stronger than many beginning lifters. I'm going to suggest that you ditch the swiss ball crunches and move right to planks or hanging leg raises instead of crunches and elbow touches instead of lateral rolls.
If chickdiver can't show you what I'm talking about, then ask and I'll link you up with some pictures or videos.
I'm still in FL1, as I've had to break for awhile due to a PF in my left foot and basic travel.
Last night I added a 25 plate to all of my crunches. Nice, but still not much difference. I'm gonna try adding DB's tomorrow and slowing the pace as well.
I may not be coordinated enough for that, though. I have a hyper bench I do decline crunches on it often. If I can't get the DB's on the ball thing together, I'm gonna move to the decline bench and also do some hang lifts and just move off the ball, altogether.
Thanks Cynic - When I was speaking with CD, she mentioned that her soreness stopped shortly after starting a new program. Last week after FL1-A, a couple of days later I was stomping around with quads of cement... today - nothing. I feel fine.
How do I know if the swiss ball core stuff is working?
Increase the weight!
Linear Mode
