Perhaps one of the most difficult physical features to achieve is six pack abs, and there are several reasons for this. First of all, there are people who are too lazy to commit to a work-out routine and at the same time, continually splurge on unhealthy foods. Second, a lot of people perform the wrong kinds of exercises and believe false ideas about proper nutrition. Third, only a few are actually aware of how abdominal muscles really develop and appear on the body.
It is important to perform at least a bit of research before undertaking a fitness regimen, or else you will be wasting plenty of time, money and effort with little chances of achieving your desired results. Beginning with the subject of abs, you will find out that there are two different layers of fat surrounding your abdominal muscles which you must get rid of in order to get that slim abdomen and have those six pack abs form. Now the question is: how do you effectively get rid of excess abdominal fats? This is a question that seems to be bothering plenty of people, including those who are actively exercising and diminishing their food intake to dangerously low levels. Hence, the goal here is to erase the misconceptions that are commonly scattered about.
To help get you started, below is a list of tips that are based on facts to help you finally get those much-desired six pack abs:
1. Train your entire body and avoid focusing on your abs alone.
Even if you have developed your abdominal muscles, these will stay hidden under your layer of subcutaneous fats until you do the right exercises that will burn them away. Until these are eradicated, you cannot fully flaunt those well-chiseled abs.
2. Do not hesitate to use heavy weights in your resistance training.
This applies to both genders. There is no need for women to worry about developing too massive muscles that might make them look less feminine, because heavier weights will only help in burning fats quickly whilst developing lean muscles to regulate the metabolism. Apart from healthy weight loss, endurance and strength are also improved.
3. Slow cardio exercises like jogging, for instance, can be minimized to make way for more interval exercises.
These exercises include the use of heavier weights after intervals, which are more effective at burning fats by developing the body’s ability to enhance its metabolism. This also improves muscular endurance and flexibility.
4. Try to avoid, or at least perform less of unnecessary exercises such as sit-ups, leg raises and body twisting.
For years, people have believed that performing such exercises alone are enough to lose weight and show off a toned body. Contrary to popular belief, these actually take up too much time and only contribute slightly to overall muscle development. Cardio exercises, in fact, are more effective in burning fat.
5. Once an exercise becomes too easy for you to perform, begin with a more intensive exercise routine.
Doing so can dramatically improve your endurance. Instead of wasting time doing about fifty to one hundred repetitions, try to improve your routine by subtly working on a more rigorous but realistic regimen.
6. Rely on a balanced diet consisting of natural foods rich in protein and fiber.
Misconceptions about nutritional practices can simply be avoided by using common sense, and the intake of food rich in protein and fiber can do so much to achieve a fantastic figure. It is also wise to avoid processed foods that may contain harmful toxins, as these can predispose you to develop many diseases.
7. Do not be afraid to consume foods with saturated fat such as meats, dairy products and coconut oil.
These are actually beneficial for your body. What should be avoided are trans fats, which are found in products needing a longer shelf time such as chips, doughnuts and cakes.
Many people have wasted their time searching for the ultimate method to achieve an incredible figure, and have even splurged hundreds and thousands of dollars over commercial supplements to get the six pack abs they have always wanted. However, the tips mentioned above can actually suffice. Simple as they may seem, they do not promise anything grandiose as they are practical and smart tips tested through time.
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Are you currently feeling stuck in the same state after having been following an exercise routine for months? This is actually normal among fitness trainers, especially those who are not always trying out new forms of exercises. You may feel like you are no longer making progress after you have reached your initial goal, or you may have probably grown weary of going to the same gym day after day, for months on end. If you can relate to this, there is actually something you can do to get out of the rut.
There is a secret that only a few fitness trainers hold because it seems to contradict the popular notion on how to lose weight and build a perfect figure with gorgeous six pack abs. As long as you keep an open mind and be willing to break out of your routine, then you will be able to grasp this secret and experience its astonishing outcome.
The workout routines that are about to be revealed will not sounds new to you, but will probably be some of the things that you have taken for granted. In fact, these are simple bodyweight exercises that you can perform just about anywhere, whether you are male or female, young or old. You will find out later how these quick training routines can help you lose excess fat and improve your endurance. These are:
1. Push-ups
These are performed by raising and lowering the body by use of the arms. Done in the prone position, this strengthens the muscles in the arms and torso, and can promote overall endurance.
2. Sit-ups or squats
Sit-ups are performed by lying supine, and then bringing the upper body up, which strengthens the muscles in the abdomen and hips. Squats can be performed with weights to improve the strength of the muscles in the lower extremities.
3. Going up and down the stairs
An age-old exercise, climbing up and going down the stairs is a great cardio exercise especially for those without the luxury of time.
4. Planks
Planks have many variants, but these are basically routines that strengthen the core. These entail a difficult position that should be maintained for a few minutes.
5. Bicycle ab exercise
Using the bicycle also hits the abdominal muscles, which makes cycling an incredible routine to develop superb six pack abs.
You are probably surprised with these recommendations, but if you perform these for about 4 minutes each time, 9-10 times a day and at least 5 days a week, you will realize that these will really get your heart pumping and your muscles worked out. To get the best results, you can add a couple more repetitions to your exercises each week, or you can try performing more challenging variations of the original exercise.
The best thing about this routine is that it makes you energetic throughout the day because of the intervals, and even the way each exercise is distributed after every hour or so. This will keep you from feeling tired by no longer sitting continuously for hours. Since these are just simple bodyweight exercises, you will not need any special equipment. You may not even need to change your clothes because a mere 3 minutes of exercise will not really drench you in sweat. You can exercise right on the spot at home, school or even at work, provided that you do it in a proper place.
Fast workout routines cut out the need to drive off to the gym, helping you save time and money. However, you should not completely abandon your previous training regimen to focus on quick exercises from then on. The purpose of this is just to help you break out of your rut when you find yourself out of time, money and motivation. You can just switch to these quick exercises every few months, so that you do not get bored with whatever workout routine you are currently following.
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There are few people in the world that would pass up the opportunity to have six pack abs when all they need to do in return is one simple exercise. Sadly, this isn’t possible because if getting a six-pack were that easy, the number of pot bellies and obesity in the world would be reduced to almost zero. However, there is one trick which you can use to take a few inches off your stomach in a matter of weeks. It’s called the ab vacuum and is incredibly easy to perform. It should be noted that the ab vacuum does NOT help you lose weight or lead to a chiselled midsection. What it does do is pull in overly large stomachs.
A Brief History
The ab vacuum was actually used by famous bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1970s. In fact, bodybuilders from that era had much smaller midsections than their modern day equivalents. This is because bodybuilders in the modern era have a distended midsection. Undoubtedly, some of this is caused by increased steroid usage but also because the modern lifter has ignored some of the basic training principles employed by those who trained 40 years ago. Yet the ab vacuum can also benefit the average person.
Other exercises designed to get you towards six pack abs require some form of equipment. Weighted exercises can only be performed in the gym or if you have the right equipment at home. Even crunches and sit ups require a certain amount of space. This is where the ab vacuum conquers all. It can be performed in a standing, kneeling or even crouching position once you’ve mastered it. It requires little in the way of concentration which means you can even work on your core while driving!
The Movement
The actual ab vacuum movement involves pulling in your belly button as far as possible for up to 20 seconds at a time. You need to imagine that you’re attempting to touch your spine with your belly button. Begin the movement by inhaling deeply before exhaling and pulling in your belly button. Hold for around 20 seconds and take some short, sharp breaths if necessary. Don’t worry if you can’t hold it for that long initially. A little bit of practice and you’ll find that it’s possible to hold the position for up to one minute! As it’s an exercise that requires little time and no equipment, there is no excuse not to perform it at least four days a week with a minimum of three ab vacuums a day.
The Science
The External Obliques and Rectus Abdominis are the most frequently targeted muscles with traditional core work focusing on these abdominal areas. The Transversus Abdominis and the Lumbar Multifidus are inner abdominal muscles and are located beneath the exterior muscles. These inner muscles are often neglected which is bad news as they help to support your posture. Having stronger inner abdominal muscles helps relieve back pain and leads to a tighter midsection.
The ab vacuum is an exercise that involves the isometric contraction of the Transversus Abdominis. For the uninitiated, an isometric contraction is the practice of tensing a muscle without moving it. Once you strengthen the Transversus Abdominis, the drooping stomach that was once an eyesore will be eliminated.
Hopefully, this manoeuvre will help you on the road to getting six pack abs. Although it will not shed the abdominal fat that prevents the muscles from showing, it gives you a strong inner core which is a fantastic starting point. When you add the ab vacuum to a regime that involves healthy eating and regular exercise, the results can be astounding.
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