Core Strength

[Benji]

So I'm conditioning while it's cold outside. I have really weak abs in proportion to my back. This causes me to have bad posture. I got an ab wheel for Hanukkah for some strange reason. Is this is effective way to increase ab strength. And would this be good for my posture, or would it be better to do high reps of crunches or something.

I also want my abs to be MUCH stronger so that backflips are easier.

[Ashtar]

Ab wheel does work the abs.

Crunches do too.

Do both.

Besides high rep crunches, try weighted ones, you won't do as many but they stress the muscle more.

http://www.fitnessgenerator.com/images/exercises/sb_weight_crunch.gif

Also, do you have a bar you can hang from or something? Leg/knee raises will probably train motor patterns more similar to a backflip I'm thinking.

http://www.building-muscle101.com/images/hanging_leg_raise.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/324898574_e47fb191e0.jpg

Actually, you can put your legs all the way over (your arms go 'behind' you) and land on your feet, sort of simulating the motion of a backflip slowly. Maybe it helps in getting over the fear of going over backwards. My brother does this all the time but I stop short since I'm afraid of hurting my shoulders or landing incorrectly.

To improve your backflip, it would probably also be valuable to practise jumping, since if you jump higher you'll have more airtime to complete the rotation of your backflip.

I have heard practicing jumping in deep water is good. Don't be afraid to go in it. Having to displace the water will make accelerating harder, Dogen has a guide on this. The faster you explode, the more effective it is. The training is used in the anime Hajime no Ippo while training his gazelle punch. This will turn you into a total muscle monster who can just fly man.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc29/tyciola/Jews.jpg

[Yuri]

the ab wheel is awesome, you need to work up to being able to do it standing, here is a guide
http://beastskills.com/AbWheel.htm

my abs are pretty strong but I still get sore every time I use the ab wheel

don't do high reps of crunches, they are useless

to make backflips easier you must do lots of backflips

hanging leg raises are a good exersize as well

don't forget obliques either, they are very important
I recommend bent press, saxon bends, and full contact twist

[Skilzat85X]

Just so you know, having strong abs won't help you back flip faster. I can back flip plenty fast and plenty high, but I won't say I have strong and conditioned core strength, if anything it's basically.

What you're looking for is speed/power, which isn't exactly strength. You could have the strongest core ever, able to lift 10,000 pounds; but without power, you still won't be able to contract that fast.

This is why, the best thing to do to increase the power of ones tuck, is simply to practice the back tuck. Or, a picture Ashtar brought out was pretty fitting.
http://www.building-muscle101.com/images/hanging_leg_raise.jpg
If you use that method and simulate the entire tucking motion, that should help. The best way to do this is by doing the motion slowly, emphasizing full contraction and tension of all the muscles involved, with excellent form and control. This will help the tuck of your back flip, other than just practicing the back flip itself.

Of course, it'd be best to both of these. Because even if you build the power up, once you throw it into your back flip it's still sorta a different ball game, your back flip technique needs to be suitable so you can use the motions that you have trained for.

Here is a video (made by a member who used to post here) about speed training: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAQuT6y7TKY
This talks about speed training for the basic MA kicks. But, you can also apply this to your back flip's tuck, or any tricking motion really. Take some of these tips, and make application of them for your back tuck. What I said before about tension and form is one thing among many I picked up from this helpful video.

[Benji]

Ahh, I love SykoDragon. His kicking tutorials helped me out so much.

I have a chin-up bar so I'll practice the tucking motion with it. I just wasn't sure if that was going to be beneficial since I can do dozens of reps of knee raises already.

And I don't really have that much trouble doing backflips. I just tend to rotate slower than I'd like. I'll have to wait until it gets warmer to practice.

And would the ab wheel be more beneficial for posture than doing crunches?

[Yuri]

yes, crunches are useless, follow the ab wheel tutorial i posted in my last post