Six Pack Abs Workout

For years now, sit ups have gotten a bad rap by many fitness “experts” who tout that sit ups are damaging to your spine.  Where did this strong opinion come from?  The way the sit up has been ostracized by the fitness community, you would suspect that hundreds of thousands of six pack abs seekers have destroyed their backs while performing this “dangerous” exercise!  Fortunately, that’s not the case, not even close.

The “sit-ups are unsafe” chant that can be heard echoing throughout fitness centers all over the world was actually born in the lab.  Studies have found that sit-ups stress the spine more than the crunch does.  And?  Taking a nap will stress the spine even less than crunched do.  Is napping a better ab exercise than crunches?  You can see how the stress argument is seriously flawed.  Every exercise that you perform creates some stress on the body.  It is that stress that encourages our body to adapt and get stronger.  This is the very nature of exercise.

Now, let’s take a second to investigate the sit-up.  The main reason why sit-ups add stress to the spine is because of the contribution of the hip flexors during the movement.  The critics assert that this hip flexor involvement causes compressive forces in the spine which is why sit-ups should be completely avoided.  Do they have a point, or are they overreacting?

The fact of the matter is, athletes and fitness trainees have been safely incorporating sit-ups and their variations for years now.  This alone should make it obvious that the “sit-up alarm” may be ringing for no apparent reason.  The truth is, I have never witnessed one spine get damaged at the hand of a set of sit-ups.  You would suspect that after 16 plus years as a fitness professional I would have at least seen one sit-up related injury if they were so harmful.

I still hear many trainers say to me, “Ok, I’m convinced that sit-ups are not so dangerous now, but since crunches work the abs just as well, why even bother with sit-ups?  Let’s see why they feel this way and why they can miss out on some advantages of sit-up variations.

The truth is that the abs are only responsible for the beginning portion of the movement during a sit-up.  Once you are in the finished “crunch” position, the hip flexors take over to finish the top portion of the sit-up.  It should be noted that although the hip flexors provide the movement in the top range, the abs are still contracting hard.  This contraction prevents your back from arching and contributes to the overall ab workout.

An additional benefit of the sit-up is that it burns more calories than does the crunch.  This is because the sit-up works through a greater range of motion and involves more muscle groups.  It’s no secret that in order to get six pack abs you must lose your layer of belly fat.  The sit-up increases your heart rate and burns more calories than crunching movements making this a very desirable “side effect”.

Although the sit up is not the most effective ab exercise, I do prescribe sit up variations on occasion to any client who I feel they are appropriate for.  I do believe that you should have a foundation of abdominal strength and no chronic back problems.  If you fit the criteria and use proper form, you will have no problems with this exercise.

Most ab workouts designed for home use usually involve nothing except a variety of boring and oftentimes useless floor crunches.  I can assure you that these very typical workouts never deliver the results that we are looking for.

For starters, the floor crunch only provides enough resistance to cause a training effect in beginners.  Once you develop a base of strength, the crunch will only serve as an exercise capable of maintaining your current strength level.

Secondly, the crunch only trains the abs in one range of motion: flexion of the trunk.  Flexing the trunk is only one of the many ranges of motion that your abdominal muscles are capable of.  Any well designed ab workout will include exercises that target all major ranges of motion.  The bottom line is, the crunch alone can never provide a complete ab workout.

Instead, you need to perform several different ab exercises, each targeting a different abdominal function and/or region.  This may sound confusing, but once you understand the anatomy and function of your abdominals, designing an effective ab workout is quite simple.

Don’t worry, I promise I’m not to give you a boring anatomy lesson.  Instead, I’m going to take all of the guesswork out and provide you with a ready to use workout.  Additionally, this workout will require no equipment at all, making it “just what the doctor ordered” for those of you who train at home.

1a) Reverse Crunch On Floor 3×20-25 30 sec rest  1b) Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor 3×12 (5sec hold) 30 sec rest  2a) Plank 3×60 sec 30 sec rest  2b) Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle 3×20-25 30 sec rest

Now I will give you a detailed description on how to properly execute each exercise:

Reverse Crunch On Floor- Lie on your back on the floor.  Bend both your knees and your hips until they make 90 degree angles.  Bring knees toward chest by contracting your abdominal muscles.  You butt will rise off the floor. Be sure to maintain a constant knee angle throughout the range of motion. Return until hips are again at a 90 degree angle.  Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.

Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor- Lie on your side on the floor.  Keep your hands straight out above your head, in line with your body.  Keep legs straight.  Lock your hands together.  Simultaneously raise your arms and legs up so that neither are in contact with the floor.  Hold this position for the prescribed number of seconds.

Plank- Get on the floor in a push up position.  Support your body on just your forearms and your toes.  Be sure to keep the abs flexed and hold your body in a perfectly straight horizontal line.  Do not let hips drop or raise them up at all.  Hold this position for the prescribed number of seconds.

Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle- Sit on floor and cross your arms across your chest, grabbing the opposite shoulders.  Lean back until your upper body makes a 45 degree angle to the floor.  Rotate trunk to the right while simultaneously bringing your right knee towards your chest.  At this point your left elbow will be touching your right knee.  In a smooth motion rotate to the left and repeat this on the other side.  Continue to alternate until you finish the prescribed number of reps.  One full rotation equals one rep.

Now you have a result producing ab workout you can perform with no equipment whatsoever.  Do this workout two or three times per week for the next month.  After this month is over, it will be time to progress to a more advanced ab workout. 

A great six pack is only a few weeks away!  Start today and sculpt your stomach faster than you thought possible!

There really are no shortcuts when it comes to getting that rip six pack abs. You have to put in the man hours in working that midsection; not to mention, cutting back on some major calories and just keep on going when things get tough. But there are ways and means on how you can speed up this process considerably. And we are talking about organic ways and means here. So quit the supplements for now, and do not even consider surgical procedures just yet. You can get your own set of rip six pack abs in six months, in 3 months and even in 1 month, depending on how you train. Here are some tips how. 1. Lose the lifesaver. Belly fat is the hardest fat to melt away and one of the biggest hindrances when it comes to getting rip six pack abs. You need to seriously lose that lifesaver around your midsection first before you can subscribe to any abdominal exercises. Try to reach your “appropriate” weight by checking it against your height, and start from there. In the same vein, if you are extremely underweight, you need to bulk up on muscles (not fat) first. Get a dietician, nutritionist or health care provider to help you get to your target weight through dieting. 2. Start any exercise regimen, if you haven’t already. Try not to concentrate on abdominal exercises only. It may sound counterintuitive, but by focusing on your abs and neglecting your other muscles groups, you are actually delaying your progress towards your own rip six pack abs. Get into top physical shape, and things will be a lot easier. Once you get into peak performance order, then you can subscribe to a number of intensified exercises dedicated to working all the abdominal muscles all at the same time. 3. Plan your meals carefully around your exercise regimen. This is one trick that most professional body builders do in order to get a more defined rip six pack abs. If you are following a 5-meals-a-day or 6-meals-a-day diet, make sure that you get slow energy releasing carbohydrates just an hour (or less) before your workout. Slow energy releasing carbohydrates allow you to work your muscles more intensely without the usual feeling of muscular fatigue. If you are underweight, and may be on a high protein diet, make sure you supplement your meals with one or more type of slow energy releasing foods like: whole grains, brown rice, any form of brown whole grain breads and whole fruits. It should be noted that people who are a bit over their appropriate weights should not go on a high protein diet at this time. After your workout, your body would then need fast energy releasing carbohydrates to sustain the muscles. You can either take freshly made fruit juices, or eat a small portion of pasta. For underweight people, you might want to take protein shakes to supplement your diet, and even a small amount of candy. Sugar is the fastest energy releasing carbohydrate. But it is important to keep this amount at its minimum to avoid packing on the pounds.

Who in their right minds would not want their own hot six pack abs? After all, a trimmed midsection allows the person to wear any outfit he or she might want without worrying about unsightly bulges; or even worrying about whether or not the piece might fit in the first place. Sculpted abs also tends to give a person that much needed confidence boost. But the greater majority of people who sculpt their midsections are only doing so for the sheer benefit of great health. But the question to be addressed here is: how exactly do you transform a flabby midsection to one that carries a set of hot six pack abs? Here is a list of the top revealed secrets to getting that trimmed and toned look. Tone down, shape up and sculpt your midsection. Doing crunches 200 times a day will not give you the hot six pack abs you want, especially if you have a beer belly hanging from over your belt. You need to tone down that flabby midsection first by reducing the calories you are taking in with every meal. A well-balanced diet is important here. You need a sustainable diet plan that allows you to cut back your calories without cutting back the nutrients you need in order to perform an escalating exercise regime. Exercise is essential when shaping up, because this helps shed off the fats from that flabby midsection. An escalating regimen means that you gradually increase the duration, intensity (or both) of all your exercises until you reach your peak form.Once you reach this stage, then you can start sculpting your body. You do have to remember that crunches are not the only exercises that can give you that defined look. Be extra creative with your exercises and always ask a physical trainer as to what else you can do to give you that hot six pack abs. Intense workouts are not the only ones that work, you know. Even something as simple as swimming several laps or whole body stretching or basic yoga can speed up your body sculpting progress too. Posture also plays a crucial role in building up your hot six pack abs. The better you hold your posture, the better your muscles remain in the proper form.Rest your tired muscles. This may sound counterintuitive, but even the most hardcore body builder knows that value of rest and sleep. Let us presume for one moment that you now have a great exercise regimen in the works, and that you are following a strict diet and that you are subscribing to a healthier lifestyle. Rest and sleep should then be part of your agenda when acquiring that hot six pack abs. Eight to ten hours of blissful sleep a night should always be in the works. However, a little nap or rest prior to your exercise regimen can benefit your program as well. This will help boost your energy level, which in turn can help you increase the intensity and duration of your exercises almost naturally. A 20 to 45 minute nap before your workout can be extremely beneficial.

The two things you would need in order to achieve that perfect six pack abs are: discipline and determination. Without one or the other, the road to abs perfection can be a very long, torturous road indeed. Discipline means that you are more than willing to cut a lot of unfavorable elements in your diet, your exercise and current lifestyle; and really keep to a rigid perfect six pack abs program instead. Determination means you are sticking up to your discipline, no matter what. This sounds easier than it really is. But if you do want that perfect six pack abs, you really need to make some major sacrifices, like:1. Keeping up with an escalating workout regimen. Like all great exercises, your perfect six pack abs program should be done on an escalating scale. As you grow stronger and more athletic, your exercises should also increase in both intensity and duration. This allows your body to gradually gain that musculature definition via natural means. Try to get into tip top condition first before trying any one of these intensified exercises. This is especially true if you are overweight, or you have a not-so-regular exercise regimen. These intensified exercises can give you perfect six pack abs, but only if you body is at par with the task. Don’t push yourself too soon into doing exercises that may be a bit more advanced than your current state of physical fitness. You will only find these exercises painful, and these will still not yield you the results you want. Escalate your workout regimen as gradually as possible. 2. Push yourself but learn to pull back too. The same way that people tend to overindulge with good food; people also tend to overindulge in exercising their physique. True enough: a lot of exercises (intensified or otherwise) can get you that sculpted look in a hurry. But if you constantly push yourself to the edge, without any thought to rest and relaxation, your muscles have the tendency to snap and break. This is particularly worrisome when it comes to abdominal muscles. You have to remember that abdominal muscles are connected extensively to the groin area and the back area. If you push too hard, too soon, and too fast, these are the areas that will most likely take the strain. Hernia and pulled back muscles are only too common in such cases. Give yourself some time to really rest before and after workouts. And try to get as much sleep as possible. This way, the muscle cells of our perfect six pack abs will retain its shape longer. 3. Drink lots of water. You have probably heard this advice over and over; but somehow people are still not listening. The advice says to drink lots of water, not lots of flavored fluids. It is common to see people working out and indulging in sports drinks, strength boosting tonics and even protein shakes. Unfortunately, these aforementioned fluids also carry sugar and preservatives which are all detrimental to acquiring the perfect physique. Stick to water – plain, unflavored, un-charged with ion water; if you feel faint or hungry after a workout, take a breather and munch on a fruit to keep the calories down.

Six pack abs is definitely not something you can order in, take out of a box and put on for show. You need some extensive workout sessions in order to achieve that sculpted look, and these workout sessions would take both dedication and discipline. One of the most prevalent myths regarding six pack abs is that abdominal workouts (like crunches and horizontal leg lifts) are enough to get the desired outcome. This is rarely the case. Yes, abdominal workouts do help, and these are in fact essential; but subscribing only to the exercises will not get you that six pack abs in a hurry. If you want faster, more permanent results, here is one solid tip on how to get that musculature you have always wanted. Lose the fat! Nothing can hinder your goal of acquiring those six pack abs, than that bouncing, jiggling lifesaver around your midsection. The thing is: you can hardly ever see a person with a perfectly sculpted tummy section carrying excess weight in the other parts of the body. More often than not, that sculpted abs is matched with a sculpted physique too. In order to build up musculature, it is essential that the existing fats in the body must be melted away first. Instead of going for the drastic (e.g. liposuction, obesity weight loss surgery, tummy tuck); try going for the organic. This means subscribing to a healthier diet, and exercising to achieve over all fitness. If possible, try to get a dietician or nutritionist approved diet. Never (and we can not say this often enough) subscribe to the fad diets that are coming out, season by season. These fad diets may help you shed some serious pounds in the shortest time possible, but at the cost of putting your health in danger. Some of these diets are so extreme that your internal organs, particularly your heart, your liver and the muscles may not be able to keep up. If you want that six pack abs, you need to keep your internal organs healthy and your muscles in peak order. If you stick to diets that leave you weak or feeling ill, you are effectively throwing out your chances of getting that six pack abs. After all, how can you possibly exercise when your muscles (or the rest of your body, for that matter) are not cooperating with you? Stick to diets that promote overall well-being, preferably those that allow you to eat foods from all the basic food groups. Choose exercise regimens that promoted whole body workout. Again, it is essential to have a sustainable abdominal muscle workout regimen – but this should not be the only thing you have on your agenda. Having a total body workout means that you can get rid of excess fats faster, which should make it easier for you to work those abs. Diet and exercise should work hand in hand. Always make sure that both are being kept at a constant schedule. Exercise at a time that you find most convenient for your current lifestyle. However, make sure that you have slow carbohydrate burning meals before your workouts, and eat fast carbohydrate burning meals afterwards. This should help sustain the nutrients that your body needs. Stick to your allotted portions so as not to increase your body fat.

It is not about working one muscle at a time. Of course when you work one muscle group at a time, you naturally get one result at a time. These days, when everyone is trying to find the fastest six pack abs regimen possible, every physical trainer is advocating for the use of several muscle groups all at once. These exercises are meant to intensify the workout in as little time as possible. Aside from that, other non-exercise based elements are also thrown in for good measure. Diet, posture and lifestyle are also regulated to ensure that that person gets the fastest six pack abs anyone can muster. How does this work? Here’s how:First, there is the exercise. Almost everyone assumes that the fastest six pack abs exercises are those that target the abdominal region only. And that is basically why most of these people fail in acquiring the abs they want. Again, it is not about working one muscle group at a time. It is about working the entire package. A person should focus on all the major muscles of the body. The less fat that the body carries, the better the exercises will turn out in the end. Additionally, when a person is in his or her peak fighting form, exercises can be intensified in such a degree that it takes less time to do the same routine, but with better and faster results. It should be noted that intensified exercises are really not for everyone, despite what online marketers are claiming. These are certainly not for novices who are only starting a new exercise routine or for the moderately fit people who have semi-regular / almost exercise regimens. Intensified workouts can only be carried by extremely fit people. These workouts can be condensed into short bursts of strength training – as little as 30 seconds at a time – but can be extremely taxing on bones and musculature. Many intensified abs workouts work all the abdominal muscles all at the same time, (including the core muscles, and referred muscles) while implementing resistance and balance training as well. So, a person needs to first shed off all unwanted pounds, spike up overall fitness by a notch or two, before he or she can subscribe to any workout that includes intensified exercises. Secondly, concentrating solely on exercises alone is a major no-no. Exercises can only do so much, but if a person wants the fastest six pack abs regimen possible, it is also imperative to alter diet, posture and current lifestyle as well. Diet plays a critical role in any weight plan program. Diets should be used not only to cut back on calories, but to sustain the body as well al throughout the duration of the exercise regimen. This is especially true when it comes to intensified workouts, wherein calories can be burned off almost instantaneously. A great posture also helps keep muscles and bones in great shape. A slouchy posture only decreases that body’s tendency to work the muscles as they should be. And lastly, altering one’s lifestyle is also beneficial. Clean living should include banning everything that can hamper a fastest six pack abs workout, like smoking, drinking too much and yes – even taking unwarranted strong prescription medicines.