There
are so many myths, stories and folklore on how to achieve a perfect toned, tight midsection or the so glorified “Six Pack”. Many self-proclaimed gurus out there today are marketing how to become the next Greek God with ripped and shredded ABS in the next 30 days and are making millions off our quest to have everything now.
So how do we achieve this magnificent six-pack? What are the best tips for getting a ripped and shredded midsection? I am really glad this question did not contain the word ‘fast’ included in it because like they say “Rome was not built in one day” and so isn’t your body. Getting ripped basically means you have enough muscle to be seen with a low body fat percent. So the best tips I can give people to lose unwanted body fat are the following:
• Consume minimum 1g of protein per lbs. of bodyweight. If you are active then consume 1.0g-2.0g of protein.
• Carbs are essential, but time them right. Consume them when needed and not in all meals. Try and not consume carbs in the last meal of the night were your body does not need it anymore yet make sure you are consuming the right carbs post training.
• Consume fats; healthy fats that is of course. Avocados, nuts, seeds, and salmon…these are all great sources of natural fats that our body needs to produce hormones and control satiety feelings.
• Keep your weightlifting/training apart from cardiovascular work. I would recommend at least 6 hours apart. If you MUST do cardio with your training because of your schedule then perform your cardio after you are done with your training.
• As in regards to Abs once your body-fat is low enough your abs will be there. However it is really important you already have a good abdominal training regimen to induce muscle growth and make them ‘pop’ out of your abdominal wall. Training your abs from ALL angles (lower abs, upper abs, obliques) is essential for an eye catching mid-section.
But
most people already know this, or at least have heard it before, but many do not take heed and truly pay attention to the detail, instead they go buy the next Ab roller or Ab Enhancer they see on a late night infomercial guaranteeing them a chiseled midsection or their money back.
The six-pack has long been heralded as the “Holy Grail” of fitness. It's the sign that you have finally arrived in your physique. The definition of ripped abs for me isn't just a nice six-pack you see on the occasional athlete when they take their shirts off. Ripped abs in my book are washboard abs. Ab development that makes a “Thump” sound when someone runs his or her hands over your midsection quickly, I’m talking popping hills and valleys that stand out - just enough though, not freakish looking. You want big arms. You want broad shoulders. You want a big popping upper chest. So here's how to get ripped abs. There are two things you need for great abs. 1. Low body fat percentage 2. Great muscle development Duh, no big surprise there.
There are two ways to get to low body fat percentage. Either burn the fat off or build muscle without fat, thus your overall percentage will decrease since it's a ratio. Or, you can do both at the same time, which isn't impossible, despite what the "guru's" tell you. I do it all the time.
Unless you can separate fact from fiction and learn which techniques and exercises are truly effective, you'll never get six pack abs.
I often hear trainers and folks telling people that you have to perform many different exercises to fully target the Abs. In reality as few as two to three exercises can hit all the areas of your abdominal muscles. You do not need to follow exotic routines, or use expensive equipment in order to get great results.
I also have been told that you need to walk, jog, or perform steady state cardio for a long period of time 45-60+ minutes to achieve that ripped and shredded midsection. I am here to let you know while for some folks that might be true, depending on how high their overall percentage of body fat is, but for myself I am a product of short, intense HIIT cardio sessions usually in the morning combined with 45 minute max very high, intense weight training sessions later in the day. By doing this I am in a constant state of burning calories, and my metabolism is on fire.
When I first started training I was hitting abs everyday, as I was told they are a smaller muscle group and they recover quickly and to keep them tight I should be constantly training them. As I progressed in my training and knowledge I learned it is much more important to spend that extra time prepping in the kitchen, and ensuring the correct nutrients are going into my body than banging out extra sets of crunches. That is right “Abs are truly made in the kitchen”.
So here are a few routines that I incorporate into my training for optimal Ab development. I am constantly changing them up and currently hit Abs every other day. I am not telling you that this is required, it is just what I have found works well for me.
Three different routines:
Hanging Leg Raises 4 sets of 25 reps
Cable Rope Crunches 3 sets of 20 reps
Seated Frog Kicks 3 sets of 25 reps
Broom Stick Twists 3 sets of 50-75 twist contractions
Reverse Crunch on Decline 4 sets of 25 reps
Exercise Ball Extended Arm Crunch 4 sets of 25 reps
**(I hold a 10lb medicine ball arms extended overhead and reach to sky)
AB Roller Wheel (Front & Sides) 3 sets of 20 reps
Running Man/Bicycle Pedaling 3 sets of 40 reps
**(Performed on parallel dip bars)
Windshield Wipers 3 sets of 25 reps
Hyper Ext Side Crunch 3 sets of 20 reps
Decline Bench sit up with twist 3 sets of 20 reps
Plank sets Holding for 60-90 seconds
Try incorporating some of the above routines into your training regiment and let me know what you think!! Remember there are no shortcuts, so don’t cheat yourself!
“The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary” -Vince Lombardi
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