Abs - Once a week or everyday?

I always hear both sides on this one and I'm not sure which produces the best results, working out abs everyday by doing just crunches, leg lifts, and situps... or working abs once a week using weights.

What are your opinions?   Do you think abs needs to be worked like every other muscle (once a week) or is it different (work it out 4-7 days a week)?

Age: 19
Height: 6'3
Weight: ~255

neither; i would say 2x a week (maybe 3) with weights. Not a full day to itself, just accessory after the workout, maybe 2 different exercises 2-3 sets apiece.

Pilates has been great for me, and I do that once a week.  My obliques came out of nowhere after doing Pilates for awhile.  I don't spend much time on abs specifically.  I noticed a 6 pack trying to poke through after I did a program for a couple months that consisted of full body compound movements, especially squats.  I was amazed because my abs were showing but I hadn't been doing abs.  The squats did it!

Obviously, the number one thing to getting washboard abs is diet and stripping that fat padding off.  Once that's accomplished, I'm not sure how much ab isolation is necessary.  I'm interested to hear what some of the guys with defined and developed abs have to say.  Also does cardio help?  I do none because I'm a bulking ectomorph, and hesitate to burn calories on cardio instead of building muscle.  Good luck!

Your abs stabilize you during lifts like OH press, Squat, and even deadlifts.

Only if your doing it properly, so you indirectly work them every time you lift...

Red PittBull's Log.

If you do them with just your bodyweight do them everyday.

If you add resistance, do them every other day or 3X per week.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

I am in the opinion that you actually do not need to train abs in a bulking cycle. If you are doing the core compound movements, such as the squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, bent over rows, I think your core should be pretty well developed.

When it comes to cutting, then I would do what MVP says.

5'8.1"
Age = 20 
started in February 16th 2007: 58kg (127.6lbs)
current : around 79-80kg (173.8lb-176lb)

I agree with MVP and Tru on this one.  Without resistance, you're basically asking of your core what everyone should be asking of it every day -constant usage.  And as Tru and JMBS both indicated, all the compound moves like squats and deads typically suffice to blast your core during a bulk.

I was hitting crunches every day, but (and this is where my predisposition toward bodybuilding-for-aesthetics priorities is most evident) the moment my obliques start to get too blocky, I back off to once a week.  I want to keep my waist as small as possible but still muscular.

My home away from DBB

Would it be right to assume that using weights would give you more bulkier and larger abs, while unweighted would end up with more defined but less bulky abs?  I doubt it matters too much.

What are your favorite workouts for abs with weights?   Do you do medicine ball or machines or what?

Age: 19
Height: 6'3
Weight: ~255

Muscle only grows in one way, they thicken in diameter.

You don't accidentally get bulky and large abs. You would get abs quicker IMO that way, you would build the muscle faster,  but you won't suddenly wake up one morning with large and ugly abs.

If you feel your abs are getting too big, simply don't use the overload principal and continue to workout for maintenance.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

i do abs 3 to 4 days a week, every other day almost, some days ill do hanging leg raises, leg lifts, decline sit ups with 45lb plate, or these things with a medicine ball where the only thing touching the ground is your butt, and pick up the medicine ball and put it on the other side and so forth

i believe in doing direct abs work, as i feel they dont get worked enough with just core lifts, when you do direct ab work your working it through a full range of motion, instead of just as a stabilizers on lifts

besides now my abs are alot thicker, fuller, and they pop out instead of just laying flat

update! 8/3/09

maxes and goals
bench - need to remax
goal bench - 405

squat - need to remax
goal squat - 500

deadlift - need to remax
goal deadlift - 500
weight -174.8 8%bf 

Jonb,
   You would be the one to know!  Wish I had me a 6 pack like that!  Good job!