Anyone with a t level injury and abs of steel?

Zaphod · 01-17-2006, 06:35 PM

In the last 4 months or so I've turned over a new leaf in a big way, shed a bunch of weight (still a bunch more to go), and started working out. My arms shoulders and back are coming along nicely, but I'm curious about abs. Has anyone been able to build a nice set of abs with a t-level injury, when I started I was a t-7 but I think I've had some return because now I can flex abs all the way down my stomach..... however they're not really functional, there's no way I'm gonna be able to do a crunch or anything. I lie in bed alot and watch TV and I've taken to flexing them over and over during commercials, I can tell you this, they flex enough to get sore after a while, so, has anyone had any success doing this sort of thing or am I dreaming?

mattblan · 01-17-2006, 06:44 PM

Gotta get a stim unit if you're gonna do any serious ab workouts.

Zaphod · 01-17-2006, 07:01 PM

What's a stim machine going to do that I can't do by flexing them myself?

graybeard · 01-17-2006, 07:17 PM

If you can flex your abs down to your stomach,can you do sit ups? Im at T 7/8 inc., and I can almost do one. It has taken me a year of trying to do this to get to this point,so it may take awhile longer to do one. I cant so far take a 15 lb. kettle weight and using my stomach,bring it up to a sitting position. I can if I bring my arms in close and try it,but not when extended out.

KiranA · 01-17-2006, 09:12 PM

Varian's got a really nice set of abs, and I think he's a relatively high t injury. I think he needs to repost those pics of his, for demo purposes only, of course.

A stim unit is helpful, but if you're low enough, sometimes you can get away with doing sit-ups and other target exercises. You won't necessarily be cut like Varian or Mr. Coffee, but you will get pretty strong abs that are more functional than aesthetically pleasing.

I guess it all depends on what you're hoping for.

Zaphod · 01-17-2006, 09:45 PM

shrug I just want to know HOW to get the results, if it's a stim unit I need that's fine I'll get one, but I'm not sure I need one.

No I can't do a sit up but if I can flex and work them till they're sore I'm not sure what else might be needed.

As far as the goal? the best results possible.... a defined stomach is what I have in mind.

tocker · 01-17-2006, 10:35 PM

Hi,
I'm a t-12 incomplete. Luckily I had return in my abs and quads right off the bat. I use a chair and have used my abs to lift my legs during transfers (probably quads too) and have had abs of steel since my accident. Have freaked out several gynocologists who could not palpate through them very easily.

How about trying to conciously change the muscles you use to move around and get your stomach muscles involved a bit more. It sounds though that if you can get a burn from doing stomach flexing you should start there...you may be suprised that after awhile you are doing crunches.

IMHO
Stim has never worked on me for anything....muscle building, pain control...nothing, so I'm not a fan.

Congrats on the weight loss and muscle return.

T

mr_coffee · 01-17-2006, 11:53 PM

Zaphod, awesome to hear you can flex your abs. I'm not a T level injury but, i can't flex my abs at all on my left side, i can flex them alittle on my right side, but not enough to amke them soar at all. i think you should try to do a sit up, with an incline under neith your back. Have a chair or somthing that will stop your feet, if you can use ur legs at all, if not, still try it with the incline and make sure someone is holding u from slippping off the incline. If you can't do it, have someone grab ur hands and help u slowly. This is how i started and now i can do sit ups on an incline like that with no help for about 10 reps then i can do about 20 more with very little help, but with them holdig onto my arms alittle, just touching them. Goodluck. Here is the picture i drew to illisutrate what i mean.

Zaphod · 01-18-2006, 12:03 AM

thanks alot Mr. Coffee, much appretiated

trouble is, you've drawn me WAY too flat, presently there's an unsightly curve right around my midsection.

I'll have to put some
thought into how I might arrange that.

mr_coffee · 01-18-2006, 01:03 AM

hah sure thing, goodluck. if you have money to invest in an e-stim it is just even extra help to define those abs. If you have ever came in contact with an e-stim unit (not a TENS unit) you will find out fast that those amps going into ur abs really contract it hard, even enough that you may be able to do a crunch while e-stimming.
But it sounds like you have pretty nice ab return. I also recommend on a low fat diet, and trying to keep it under 2000 calories a day but again i'm a small person, 5'4" 115 lbs. I did have a nice quad gut going before i started stimming though so i'm not just naturally "small". Also it sounds like you are already doing a nice work out exercise, if you make other things bigger it will make ur gut look smaller is what my mom use to tell me when i had a the quad gut going on. Enjoy.

01-17-2006, 06:35 PM	#1
Zaphod Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 423	Anyone with a t level injury and abs of steel? In the last 4 months or so I've turned over a new leaf in a big way, shed a bunch of weight (still a bunch more to go), and started working out. My arms shoulders and back are coming along nicely, but I'm curious about abs. Has anyone been able to build a nice set of abs with a t-level injury, when I started I was a t-7 but I think I've had some return because now I can flex abs all the way down my stomach..... however they're not really functional, there's no way I'm gonna be able to do a crunch or anything. I lie in bed alot and watch TV and I've taken to flexing them over and over during commercials, I can tell you this, they flex enough to get sore after a while, so, has anyone had any success doing this sort of thing or am I dreaming?

01-17-2006, 11:53 PM	#8
mr_coffee Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 6,026	Zaphod, awesome to hear you can flex your abs. I'm not a T level injury but, i can't flex my abs at all on my left side, i can flex them alittle on my right side, but not enough to amke them soar at all. i think you should try to do a sit up, with an incline under neith your back. Have a chair or somthing that will stop your feet, if you can use ur legs at all, if not, still try it with the incline and make sure someone is holding u from slippping off the incline. If you can't do it, have someone grab ur hands and help u slowly. This is how i started and now i can do sit ups on an incline like that with no help for about 10 reps then i can do about 20 more with very little help, but with them holdig onto my arms alittle, just touching them. Goodluck. Here is the picture i drew to illisutrate what i mean. __________________ Injured:10-16-04 C7/C8, T1 incomplete; For stalkers convenience: Blog: http://www.ordealsonwheels.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/coryssanchez Progress: http://photobucket.com/albums/b290/swooty/ My drawings: http://kanvases.com/sites/corysanchez/home

01-18-2006, 01:03 AM	#10
mr_coffee Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 6,026	hah sure thing, goodluck. if you have money to invest in an e-stim it is just even extra help to define those abs. If you have ever came in contact with an e-stim unit (not a TENS unit) you will find out fast that those amps going into ur abs really contract it hard, even enough that you may be able to do a crunch while e-stimming. But it sounds like you have pretty nice ab return. I also recommend on a low fat diet, and trying to keep it under 2000 calories a day but again i'm a small person, 5'4" 115 lbs. I did have a nice quad gut going before i started stimming though so i'm not just naturally "small". Also it sounds like you are already doing a nice work out exercise, if you make other things bigger it will make ur gut look smaller is what my mom use to tell me when i had a the quad gut going on. Enjoy. __________________ Injured:10-16-04 C7/C8, T1 incomplete; For stalkers convenience: Blog: http://www.ordealsonwheels.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/coryssanchez Progress: http://photobucket.com/albums/b290/swooty/ My drawings: http://kanvases.com/sites/corysanchez/home

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01-17-2006, 06:44 PM	#2
mattblan Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: N. California Posts: 1,148	Gotta get a stim unit if you're gonna do any serious ab workouts.

01-17-2006, 07:01 PM	#3
Zaphod Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 423	What's a stim machine going to do that I can't do by flexing them myself?

01-17-2006, 07:17 PM	#4
graybeard Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Va Posts: 1,634	If you can flex your abs down to your stomach,can you do sit ups? Im at T 7/8 inc., and I can almost do one. It has taken me a year of trying to do this to get to this point,so it may take awhile longer to do one. I cant so far take a 15 lb. kettle weight and using my stomach,bring it up to a sitting position. I can if I bring my arms in close and try it,but not when extended out.

01-17-2006, 09:12 PM	#5
KiranA Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 3,126	Varian's got a really nice set of abs, and I think he's a relatively high t injury. I think he needs to repost those pics of his, for demo purposes only, of course. A stim unit is helpful, but if you're low enough, sometimes you can get away with doing sit-ups and other target exercises. You won't necessarily be cut like Varian or Mr. Coffee, but you will get pretty strong abs that are more functional than aesthetically pleasing. I guess it all depends on what you're hoping for.

01-17-2006, 09:45 PM	#6
Zaphod Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 423	shrug I just want to know HOW to get the results, if it's a stim unit I need that's fine I'll get one, but I'm not sure I need one. No I can't do a sit up but if I can flex and work them till they're sore I'm not sure what else might be needed. As far as the goal? the best results possible.... a defined stomach is what I have in mind.

01-17-2006, 10:35 PM	#7
tocker Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: New Mexico Posts: 126	Hi, I'm a t-12 incomplete. Luckily I had return in my abs and quads right off the bat. I use a chair and have used my abs to lift my legs during transfers (probably quads too) and have had abs of steel since my accident. Have freaked out several gynocologists who could not palpate through them very easily. How about trying to conciously change the muscles you use to move around and get your stomach muscles involved a bit more. It sounds though that if you can get a burn from doing stomach flexing you should start there...you may be suprised that after awhile you are doing crunches. IMHO Stim has never worked on me for anything....muscle building, pain control...nothing, so I'm not a fan. Congrats on the weight loss and muscle return. T

01-18-2006, 12:03 AM	#9
Zaphod Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 423	thanks alot Mr. Coffee, much appretiated trouble is, you've drawn me WAY too flat, presently there's an unsightly curve right around my midsection. I'll have to put some thought into how I might arrange that.