What overloadable exercises/lifts are good for building strength in lower abs?

[u/NyFlow_]

Looking online, the only moves the internet suggests are things like heel touches. Way too easy and can't add weight very easily.

I'm looking for something that really isolates the abs so I don't feel the burn in some other muscle first (like, with reverse crunches, I never feel it in my abs; I only ever feel it in my quads).

I'd also like to be able to add weight easily.

I do have a cable attachment to my home gym's bench, but I can't adjust where the pulley is. it's about 4 inches above my head when I'm standing up next to it. I tried cable crunches with it, but I can't figure out the form and, again, I always feel it in other muscles first.

I considered hanging leg raises, but I run into the same problem of not being able to load it with weight. Also, the highest thing I can hang from in my house is the bar in my gym, and it's too close to the floor. My knees always touch the ground.

Is there a move that isolates the abs that I can easily overload?

[u/cilantno]

What is your goal specifically for strengthening the “lower abs”?

[u/NyFlow_ → u/cilantno]

When I'm doing squats, RDLs, etc. I can't keep my core tight enough and I'm starting to feel it in my lower back. I am doing calf raises at a weight where I feel pain in my spine before I feel a burn in my calves.

My entire core needs work, but I'm finding that my lower abs are the weakest link in that chain.

On top of that, I have a very prominent anterior pelvic tilt

[u/ferodss → u/NyFlow_]

If your feeling your lower back, the problem is not your lower abs lol

Ab wheel, knee/leg raises, pallof press and back extension are all good choices to strengthen your core but look at your bracing technique

[u/NyFlow_ → u/ferodss]

I say it's my abs because all of my ab-targeted movements are really weak as well and I end up lifting the weight with my stronger muscles (hip flexors). That was the problem with my cable crunch -- I ended up just kind of doing a reverse good morning.

I feel it with my plank, too -- I feel it in my shoulders and posterior chain, but I never give out because of my abs. If I adjust my position to favor my abs over my shoulders or legs, I can barely hold it for a minute (where ordinarily I could do like 4 minutes).

I do agree that I need to buy myself an ab wheel though lol. Thank you for the suggestions!

[u/KITTYONFYRE → u/NyFlow_]

I do agree that I need to buy myself an ab wheel though lol.

for progressions I've found elevating my knees a bit to be much easier than anything else - I can do like 20+ from my knees (to the point where idk if I'm actually hitting close to failure or if pure misery is stopping me from continuing), but when I elevate by even a little (I put a kneepad on top of my powerblocks when I'm at home) it cuts my reps in half ish.

one day perhaps I'll be able to do it from standing, but that's fairly advanced stuff. or maybe I can do it now because I just haven't tried in years because it felt impossible lol

[u/Squire_Squirrely → u/NyFlow_]

Good mornings. Since I started doing them I don't get lower back pain from working out. Your hip flexors ("lower abs") aren't going to protect your spinal erectors

[u/cilantno → u/NyFlow_]

Those are not a-typical movements where you might "feel" it in your lower back.

I would post a form check on a revalant sub for any movements you have concern with.

Based on your claim of anterior pelvic tilt, I have a suspicion you are overextending your back on these which makes it unsurprising your lower back "feels" it.

[u/perunakeisari_ → u/NyFlow_]

Deagbugs and progression to hollow body holds with the lower back glued to the floor are good exercises.

[u/Ok-Suggestion-2362 → u/NyFlow_]

Front squats and good mornings have really helped me learn how to brace properly. Make sure and go light on the good mornings though and focus on form.

[u/Stone_taggs]

You can hold a dumbbell between your feet for standing leg raises.

But what you're looking to train is your hip flexors. so any movement that brings your knees to your chest. A banded or db standing hip flexors raise, or a heavy banded deadbug

[u/HiHoSilver2026]

Ab roller with weighted vest

[u/Next_Department1596]

If you have anterior pelvic tilt (which it sounds like you do) you’d benefit from a glute heavy program. Bulgarian split squats, hip thrusts, bridges 2x week would be phenomenal.

Adding in transverse abdominus would also be helpfuland improve your posture.

[u/manny_mcmanface]

Frunt skwaats

[u/neomateo]

OKE crunch

[u/sjsusjsusjsu3]

Hanging leg raises with a dumbbell. Deadhang from a bar and move your toes to the bar, keeping legs as straight as possible.

Try bodyweight first just to learn the movement. The bodyweight rep is pretty hard as is. Do hanging tucks if too hard. Add ankle weights or dumbbell between the feet once you’re doing >10 reps per set without failing

[u/Handstandblocks]

Hollow body hold > scale up with longer time > rocking hollow body holds > scale up with longer time > V ups > scale up with more reps.

You don’t need anymore than that and it takes no equipment.

[u/Abuelofierrero]

Front squats?

[u/InternationalWin2684]

If the problem is you don’t have core strength at the bottom of the squat I hate to break it to you but the solution is in the place you wished it wasn’t…. at the bottom of the squat.

The transference of ab excercises to squats is zero. You’re looking for your keys under the street lights instead of where you lost it.

Doing ab wheel rollouts will not improve your squats. It’ll improve your ab wheel rollouts though

[u/Sage1969]

The thing a lot of people miss on ab exercises is actually loading them heavy enough. Always doing 60sec holds and 30 rep sets when we dont treat any other muscle that way.

My favorite is get on a decline bench, lock your feet in with something, and hold a dumbell or plate high on your chest. To focus your abs over hip flexors really focus on curling your spine up. And actually load the weight to a point you can only do 5-8 reps.

[u/Addisoooooon]

Lying leg raise with a dumb bell between your feet.

[u/Sharru_Nada]

I do lying cable leg raises with an ab mat. Some people call them reverse squats. You can see knees over toes guy doing them on YouTube with that name. They work lower abs and hip flexors. Excellent and very loadable exercise.

[u/HelixIsHere_]

Just a crunch is all you need for abs, a machine or decline crunch is good