hrmmmmm it is possible to strain any muscle in your body, but what you're experiencing could be the very normal "after workout" pain you get in muscles when you've exercised them properly... i suppose you know that any proper weight bearing exercise tears the muscle fibres and the muscle rebuilds while you rest and this is what actually makes them bigger and stronger? could be that... in which case, it's good, you're working out properly!!!! abs don't need as many rest days as other muscle groups but take at least one inbetween working them out. if you feel you are especially weak right now, take 2, or even 3 rest days.

i can recall times when i have been unable to laugh/cough without pain in my abs after a good workout... funny, next time i did my situps, i did them better!

but if it's really crippling, inhibiting pain, then it could be an injury... in which case a physiotherapist might be on the cards...

oooh yes breathing properly during weights sooooo important... nothing worse than holding your breath...

freedom, has anyone shown you how to use the weights properly or did you just go for it? also, i'm under the impression it's a home gym so not just bench press than you're doing? but one of those gym sets you can do all different exercises with? which muscle groups are you working out?

how are you aligning your back when you do situps/bench press?

whenever i did benchpress or any chest work i always made sure to keep my core and abs pulled in tight to add extra support... so not sure if benchpressing would absolutely not lead to ab pain... especially if this is the first weight training you have ever done.

Thanks guys. It is just a home gym, with the different sorts of weight uses possible. I am using the lightest amount possible but I never really found out how to do it properly. I'm going to try not lifting any weights for 5 days or a week and see if the pain is gone - if it is, I'll get some tips on how to lift properly and start again. If not I'll know that something else is causing the pain and I'll try to figure out what. I never even thought about breathing to be honest.
Neet, I know some pain is expected but ... well, as Rudolf said, I can't really describe it long distance but it is not the sort of pain I'd normally associate with healthy muscle development.
Thanks again, I'll keep you posted!
Freedom