Toe to bar raises are no fucking joke. I first attempted them about 6 months ago, it was laughable. I had to work my way up...it took a while, I still suck at them overall.

I said I do 50...not all at once.


That said, I can't say for sure everything is perfect...I do know my abs are burning bad enough to where I can't stand straight when I come down.

I do bitch raises too...I use loops.

Lower Abdominal Myth

It is widely believed the lower abs are exercised during the leg raise or other hip flexor exercises. However, it can be misleading to judge the mechanics of an exercise based on localized muscular fatigue. The primary muscle used in hip flexion is actually the Iliopsoas one of many hip flexors. The Iliopsoas, particularly the Psoas portion, happens to lie deep below the lower portion of the Rectus Abdominous. During the leg raise, the entire abdominal musculature isometrically contracts (contracts with no significant movement) to:

Posture the spine and pelvis
Supports the weight of the lower body so the lumbar spine does not hyperextend excessively
Maintains optimal biomechanics of the Iliopsoas
Hips are kept from prematurely flexing if the lumbar spine and pelvis does not hyperextend excessively
Iliopsoas can contract more forcefully in a relatively slight stretched position
Bent knee (and hip) sit-ups actually place Iliopsoas at a mechanical disadvantage
Counteracts Iliopsoas's pull on spine
Many people with weak abdominal muscles are not able to perform hip flexor exercises without acute lower back pain or discomfort
The combination of the local muscular fatigue, or a burning sensation from the isometrically contracted abdominal muscles, and from the working hip flexors produces fatigue in the pelvis area which we mistakenly interpret as the lower portion of the Rectus Abdominous being exercised. In movements where the Rectus Abdominous does Isotonically contract (contracts with movement), it flexes the spine by contracting the entire muscle from origin to insertion. The spine is not significantly flexed during the leg raise. Incidentally, both the spine and hip flexes during the full range op motion Sit Up and Leg Hip Raise. See Spot Reduction Myth above.

There is also the theory that this muscles helps a lot with core stabilization for lifting big(though it's still being debated).

It's not a theory, it's fact. If my core were stronger, I wouldn't use a belt and I wouldn't noodle forward on these front squats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Mm3uP6sGk

I now specifically am rotating front squats, and an ab circuit into my training. to correct this, I should be front squatting 300lbs by now and I am barely above 250.

everything will be working for that exercise.

Well last I'd seen the jury was still out on girdle muscles vs abs.
But who needs sciense, we've got csi on the case!